Ophelia was the first to break. Despite being older than Clementine, Ophelia had always taken meticulous care of herself, and it showed. She was a woman of grace and elegance, the kind of mother who had never known hardship, the kind who had always granted Clarissa’s every wish when she was younger.

  Even now, her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke. "Clarissa, are you really not coming home?"

  Clarissa met her gaze and shook her head. "No. I know now that I’m not your real daughter. I belong here, with my mother. And Lyra… she belongs with the Lancaster family."

  Nathaniel frowned, his expression softening. "Sweetheart, what are you talking about? Blood doesn’t mean anything to us. You are our daughter. That will never change."

  Ophelia grasped Clarissa’s hand, squeezing it tightly. "Your father’s right, darling. Please, come home with us. How could you possibly be happy living in a place like this? My heart breaks just looking at you here. You’ve always had the best of everything—how can you get used to this?" Her voice was desperate. Pleading.

  "Come home, Clarissa. Please. You and Lyra—you’re both my daughters now. There will always be a place for you in the Lancaster family."

  Clarissa studied Ophelia’s tear-filled eyes, and for a moment, she had to acknowledge the truth. They really were good people.

  Unlike the scheming, heartless aristocrats in so many stories, Ophelia and Nathaniel were genuinely kind. Even knowing she wasn’t their child, they still wanted to take care of her, still wanted to give her half of everything they had.

  If the original Clarissa had been even a little less selfish, maybe things wouldn’t have gone so horribly wrong.

  But this Clarissa… She had already made up her mind. "I know you love me, Mom. I love you, too."

  Ophelia’s breath hitched, but Clarissa continued before she could speak. "But Clementine is my real mother. I have a responsibility to her—to take care of her. She’s been sick for a long time, and the doctor says she’s getting worse. She even fainted a few days ago. I can’t just leave her like this."

  Ophelia opened her mouth, then closed it, visibly torn.

  Nathaniel hesitated before offering, "If it's a matter of living conditions, we can get you and Miss Clementine a better apartment. Something safer, something more comfortable."

  Clarissa shook her head. "That’s not necessary. I have my own money. And besides, it’s quiet here. The neighbors are kind. Moving to some fancy high-rise won’t be good for my mother."

  The room fell into silence.

  Then, Ophelia started crying. So did Nathaniel. "Clarissa, we thought you’d be devastated after all this. The moment we found out, we canceled everything overseas and rushed back because we were terrified of what you’d do—how you’d handle it."

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  Ophelia wiped her eyes, voice thick with emotion. "But here you are, being so strong… being so mature. My baby girl has really grown up."

  Nathaniel nodded, looking at her with the same pride in his eyes. "Since you insist on staying… then we’ll respect your decision. And as for your biological mother, we don’t blame her."

  Clarissa exhaled slowly. She had been bracing herself for more resistance. But they understood.

  A weight she hadn’t even realized she was carrying lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you, Mom. Dad."

  Ophelia wiped away the last of her tears and took Clarissa’s hand again. "Just remember, sweetheart—no matter what happens, you are still our daughter. The Lancaster family’s wealth, our estate, everything—it will always be split in half. You’ll always have your share."

  Nathaniel nodded. "I’ll have a lawyer draft the official paperwork. It’s only fair."

  Clarissa hesitated but eventually nodded. "Alright. I understand." For now, she’d go along with it. She could deal with the inheritance situation later.

  Ophelia hugged her tightly, as if afraid she’d disappear. "And if you ever need anything, promise me you’ll ask. Your father already deposited this month’s allowance into your account. Let us know if it’s not enough."

  Clarissa let out a small, amused sigh. Even now, they were still treating her like a spoiled young girl.

  She didn’t have the heart to tell them she was already making more money than she knew what to do with.

  For now, she simply smiled and nodded. "Alright, Mom. Dad. I promise."

  Just then, the door swung open. Clementine stood at the entrance, staring at the three of them—Clarissa, Ophelia, and Nathaniel—huddled together on the couch like a real family. A family that she did not belong to.

  For a brief, fleeting moment, she wondered if she had made a mistake. Would it have been better if she had never come back?

  If she had just swallowed the pain and stayed away from the Lancaster family… would Clarissa have remained their beloved little princess, cherished and doted on, never knowing the truth?

  Would this entire mess have stayed buried forever?

  Clarissa spotted her first and immediately stood up, walking over. "Mom, you're back."

  Clementine quickly snapped out of her thoughts, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. I’ll go start dinner."

  Her voice was strained, barely holding itself together. "You should all stay and eat before you go."

  Before anyone could respond, she turned on her heel and hurried into the kitchen, swallowing the lump in her throat.

  "Miss Clementine, wait." Ophelia and Nathaniel had both risen to their feet.

  Nathaniel nodded toward Ophelia, who stepped forward and pulled something from her purse—a sleek, elegant card, which she held out to Clementine. "Here. Take this."

  Clementine froze, staring at it.

  Ophelia’s voice was gentle but firm. "Clarissa is never had to struggle before. If you ever need anything—anything at all—please don’t hesitate to call us."

  Clementine didn’t move. She didn’t blink. Was this real? Was Clarissa really staying?

  Clarissa must have noticed her unease because she reached out, gently taking Clementine’s trembling hand. "Mom, don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere."

  That was all it took. The tears Clementine had been holding back finally broke free.

  With a choked sob, she pulled Clarissa into her arms, clutching her tightly as her body shook. "Clarissa… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have come back… I should’ve never come back…"

  The guilt was unbearable. She had ruined her daughter’s perfect life. She should have left things as they were. She should have disappeared.

  But Clarissa only held her tighter, gently rubbing her back. "Mom, it’s okay. It’s okay."

  Clementine shook her head violently, pulling away just enough to look at her. Her face was streaked with tears, her expression torn between desperation and disbelief. "Clarissa… why?"

  Clarissa frowned. "What do you mean, why?"

  Clementine’s voice trembled. "Why aren’t you going back? The Lancaster family can give you so much more than I ever could. I thought… I thought you were forced out. That’s why I didn’t try to convince you to return. But now I see that they still love you, that they still want you… You should go back."