Abigail's eyes were filled with resentment and hatred as she glared at the serene Rianne before storming out. Watching her retreating figure, Rianne's lips curved into a slight smile, and her long-burdened heart finally felt a touch of relief.

...

The next day.

It seemed as if he had perfectly timed it with her discharge, as Rianne's father's call came through. She stared coldly at the vibrating phone for a long while before leisurely picking it up.

"Rianne, are you dead?! I've been calling you forever, and you just now answer!"

Rianne snorted coldly and said indifferently, "If it's nothing important, I'm hanging up."

"Don't you dare!" Her father's voice choked with rage, and he commanded, "Teresa returned to the country yesterday. We're hosting a welcome-back dinner for her. She misses her sister. You better get your ass here!"

"Teresa also brought her boyfriend back. He's someone important. You better behave, or I won't spare you!"

"Beep beep beep..."

Rianne's grip on the phone tightened, her red lips pressed into a line.

Teresa Kroes.

The woman who had replaced her as the Kroes family's daughter and stolen all the affection meant for her.

When they were born, they were mistakenly swapped at the hospital, leading to a life of mistaken identities and chaotic drama.

A few years ago, Rianne was found and brought back by the Kroes family. However, rather than treating her with the respect due to a biological daughter, they shamelessly had her replace Teresa in a marriage alliance with the Palmer family.

The reason was simple: Teresa had fallen in love with someone abroad.

Boyfriend?

Rianne's lips curved into a faint smile.

Teresa had plenty of boyfriends.

She wondered which unlucky fool had been brought home this time.

...

When Rianne arrived at the Kroes residence, the butler coldly escorted her inside.

The dining room was filled with laughter and chatter, which fell silent upon Rianne's entrance. Everyone's expressions varied as they looked at her.

In the center, surrounded like a princess, Teresa rose, elegantly lifting her skirt as she approached with a sweet smile. "Sister, you finally arrived. We've been waiting for you."

Beside her sat a man, casually looking down at his phone, his face partially obscured from Rianne's view.

Rianne glanced at the already-touched food and teased, "Is this what you mean by waiting, eating while you wait?"

"Of course not. We couldn't make our guests wait," Teresa replied smoothly, linking arms with Rianne. "Sister, I'm so happy you came. Let me introduce you to my boyfriend."

"Oh, really?" Rianne's smile was mocking. "I'm quite curious which boyfriend is fortunate enough to be brought home this time."

Teresa's face paled slightly. Did she know something?

"Sister, you always joke around."

"You might not know, but my boyfriend is the heir to the Reeves family's fortune in North City, even more powerful than the Palmer family."

Teresa's tone was filled with pride.

Rianne responded indifferently, "Joshua Reeves? I know him."

Teresa laughed haughtily, "You lived in the slums. How could you possibly—"

Before she could finish, Rianne walked to the table and tapped the surface in front of Joshua. "Junior."

Joshua looked up, annoyed, but his expression shifted to joy upon seeing Rianne. "Goddess?!"

Goddess?

Everyone was stunned.

Joshua was ecstatic, "Goddess, you promised to stay in touch after graduation, but I couldn't reach you. You were so heartless!"

"I had my reasons, sorry."

"No worries, seeing you again is lucky enough. I can't blame you. If you hadn't helped me with my studies in high school, I'd have paid for a degree and the world would've missed out on an educated and wealthy me!"

Rianne chuckled, "You haven't changed, still so humorous."

Humorous?

Teresa's smile froze, jealousy clawing at her heart.

She had worked hard to get close to Joshua, becoming his girlfriend.

Yet, he always remained indifferent to her while being so friendly, even deferential, to Rianne!

Teresa clenched her fists and interrupted, "Sister, I heard you frequented bars in high school and were even kept by someone. How did you have time to tutor Joshua?"

Her father, ever concerned with appearances, immediately darkened and scolded, "Rianne, you neglected your studies in high school to cozy up to rich men? Have you no shame!"

Teresa's baseless accusation was taken at face value, leading to a public and unceremonious rebuke of his biological daughter.

Rianne was unsurprised and nonchalantly replied, "If you think that way of me, then by your logic, isn't Reeves a bar-hopping, womanizing delinquent too?"

"What nonsense! Insolent child!" Her father glanced nervously at Joshua, his blood pressure rising. "Joshua is a paragon of excellence, not some delinquent!"

Teresa hurriedly soothed him, turning to Rianne with a scolding tone, "Sister, father is right. You're married now and should keep your distance from other men, especially since he's my boyfriend."

Joshua's brows furrowed, appalled that the Kroes family would so readily slander his goddess without discerning the truth.

Before he could speak up, Rianne delivered a crushing retort, "Unlike you, who juggles four men at once, a master of time management indeed. Impressive."

Teresa's expression wavered as she maintained her composure, "Sister, I'm merely recounting your high school misdeeds. How can you retaliate by falsely accusing me?"

"You know whether it's false or not. But sister, you truly are impressive, seducing such influential men, including one of Reeves's archrivals."

Rianne smiled, her slender fingers swiping across her phone to display photos of Teresa with various men.

"Rianne!"

Teresa lunged for the phone, but Joshua grabbed it first.

He quickly scanned the photos, enraged, and slapped Teresa, "Slut!"

Teresa's face swelled instantly. She shot a venomous glance at Rianne, then played the victim, "Joshua, let me explain. Rianne doctored those photos to frame me!"

"My goddess would never do that! You're still trying to lie!"

Joshua gripped Teresa's jaw, his expression cold. "I had no idea the esteemed Kroes family daughter was such a harlot, juggling four men. Even a top courtesan can't match your skills."

"It's a misunderstanding! My Teresa would never do such a thing!"

Her parents rushed to intervene, causing chaos.

Rianne watched the spectacle for a moment before turning to leave.

Outside, she saw a tall, elegant man leaning against an ancient tree. His slender fingers held a cigarette, its tip glowing faintly, his handsome face obscured by smoke.

Seeing her emerge, he stubbed out the cigarette and tossed it in the trash, striding quickly towards her.

In that moment, with the sunlight draping him in a golden halo, Rianne almost saw her Marcus in him.

‌Michael, moving smoothly, wrapped her in his arms, a mysterious smile on his lips. "Let's go home. I have a surprise for you."