Forced Out by the True Heiress
My fingertips twisted the cloth into deep wrinkles, knuckles paling—I knew it was Luna Carter and Larry Xavier returning, along with the 'true daughter' they had searched for twelve years."
The front door swung open, cold wind swirling in with fallen leaves. Larry Xavier walked ahead, his suit jacket dust-streaked; Luna Carter followed behind, holding a suitcase stamped with a luxury brand logo, a smile she couldn't hide playing across her face; The last girl to enter wore a pale pink dress, the hem embroidered with pearls. Her long hair was styled in voluminous curls, the sequins at the ends glittering dazzlingly under the light.
"Why are the lights still on inside?" She spoke first, her voice soft as cotton candy, but her eyes swept over me like brushing off dust, landing on the dishcloth in my hands. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly. "Are there still strangers here?"
Luna Carter immediately stepped forward, grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her toward the living room, her nails almost digging into the girl's wrist. "Mia, this is Nola Xavier. She's been living with our family for ten years. You don't need to pay her any mind."
She passed by me without even looking up, her voice thick with indifference.
I nodded and was just about to turn to put the dish towel into the kitchen drawer when Mia suddenly stopped, her high heels striking the floor with a sharp 'clack.'
She turned and stared at me, sizing me up like an old piece of furniture. "Who are you? Since when did my parents let strangers live in our house? This is my home."
"My name is Nola Xavier. I came to the Xavier Family when I was ten, and I've lived here for ten years now." I straightened up, my back pressed against the cold kitchen doorframe, trying to keep my voice steady. "It was Mr. Xavier and Ms. Carter who personally went to the orphanage to bring me here."
Mia raised an eyebrow, walked over to the sofa and sat down, casually picking up an apple from the coffee table. Her nails left faint scratches on the skin as she said, "Ten years? My parents said back then they brought someone home from the orphanage to perform a lucky curse for my brother. So, it was you all along."
She scoffed, tossing the apple back onto the fruit plate. "Too bad the lucky curse didn't take. Brother's been sick all this time. What use are you?"
Footsteps thumped from upstairs as Hugo Xavier slowly descended, steadying himself on the wooden railing.
He wore off-white loungewear, the collar loose and sagging. His complexion was as pale as ever, completely bloodless. After only a few steps, he let out a soft sigh, the back of his hand still marked with puncture wounds from an IV.
"Mia, don't spout nonsense as soon as you get back." Hugo's voice was low but carried an unyielding seriousness. His gaze fixed on Mia's face. "The 'lucky curse' was just an excuse Mom and Dad used back then; it has nothing to do with Nola."
Mia Xavier immediately stood up, her eyes instantly reddening, tears streaming down like broken strings of pearls. "Brother! How can you side with an outsider? I'm your real sister! I was kidnapped for twelve years, and now that I'm back, can't I even ask a single question? She's taken my room, my parents, and you're still protecting her!"
"No one has taken your place." Hugo Xavier leaned on the railing and walked down the stairs, slowly coming to my side. His fingers gently tapped my arm — his palm cool but carrying a soothing warmth. "Nola has spent these past ten years preparing medicine for me every day, taking me to the hospital — she's no stranger."
Larry Xavier tossed his briefcase onto the sofa and cleared his throat to break the silence: "Alright, alright, everyone sit down and eat. Mia just got back—don't let the mood get so tense."
He pulled out a chair and sat down first. When his eyes briefly met mine, there was a faint, barely noticeable flicker of avoidance.
I quietly took the seat at the far corner of the table. In front of me was a white porcelain plate holding only a small bowl of plain rice—not even a pair of serving chopsticks was set out.
The sweet and sour ribs, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and crystal shrimp dumplings on the table were all dishes Luna had specifically asked Mia about yesterday as her 'favorite childhood foods.'
The bamboo chopsticks in my hand felt as if they were weighed down with lead; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't lift them, yet the tip of my nose tingled with sadness.
The weekend family dinner was brightly lit by the crystal chandelier above the table, but it couldn't warm the chill inside my heart.
Mia sat at the head of the table while Luna carefully picked the fish meat free of bones and placed it on her plate, murmuring nonstop, "Eat more, Mia. You probably haven't had anything this good all these years away. When you were little, you loved Mom's sweet and sour ribs the most—have two more pieces."
Mia chewed on the rib, mumbling indistinctly in response, but her eyes flicked toward me. "Nola, why aren't you eating? Don't you like these dishes? Or is it because you're used to the coarse food at the orphanage and can't handle this?"
I tightened my grip on the chopsticks and shook my head. "I'm not hungry."
Larry put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and suddenly said, "Nola, the south-facing room on the second floor is for Mia. You'll move to the attic."
The chopsticks in my hand stilled, a few grains of rice falling back into the bowl. "That room has my books and things I've collected over the years. The attic is too small—there's not even enough room for a bookshelf."
If you can't let go, just throw away some unimportant things. Luna Carter replied, her eyes fixed on Mia Xavier's bowl, not even glancing my way. "Mia just got back and deserves a comfortable room. The attic can be livable once it's tidied up. You used to stay in a small room at the orphanage, didn't you?"
Exactly, Nola. Mia put down her chopsticks and took a sip of juice, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Those old books and knick-knacks aren't worth much. It's no loss to throw them away. I don't mind the south-facing room; it's perfect for drying clothes."
"No." Hugo Xavier suddenly set down his bowl; the ceramic struck the table with a sharp clink. His face was even paler than before, but he held firm. "That room has been Nola Xavier's home for ten years. Why should she have to move? If Mia wants a room facing south, I'll give up mine and live in the attic."
Mia's face darkened immediately. She slammed her chopsticks on the table, splattering broth onto the cloth. "Brother, are you out of your mind? Your health is poor—how can you live in the attic? You'd rather make yourself uncomfortable than protect this outsider? I think you're utterly bewitched by her!"
"Mia Xavier!" Hugo frowned, about to speak again, when suddenly he clutched his chest, his body leaning forward, breathing growing rapid and shallow. His face turned as pale as paper in an instant, "Cough, cough cough..."
"Hugo!" Luna cried out, jumping up in alarm. She rushed over to support him, patting his back frantically. "Are you okay? Don't scare Mom like this! It's all Nola's fault—if she hadn't talked back, how could this have happened to you!"
Larry Xavier also panicked, fumbling to pull out his phone. "I'm calling emergency services. Quick, where's Hugo's medicine?"
The living room quickly plunged into chaos. Mia stood by, watching Hugo's anguished face without a shred of worry—only a flicker of schadenfreude in her eyes.
I stood frozen, my fingers clutching the tablecloth tightly, my heart aching as if pricked by needles—Mia was the one who started this, so why was I being blamed?
The ambulance sirens slowly faded into the distance, leaving just Mia and me in the living room.
Before leaving, Luna glared at me fiercely: "Nola Xavier, if anything happens to Hugo, I will never forgive you!"
I crouched down to clear the dishes, just stacking the bowls when Mia Xavier suddenly kicked them over. The porcelain shattered into pieces on the floor. "It's all your fault my brother is sick! If you had any sense, you'd pack your things and leave!"
I picked up the shards from the floor, my fingertip cut and bleeding onto the rice ball. "Hugo Xavier's illness has nothing to do with me. Don't lose your temper recklessly."
"Nothing to do with it?" Mia sneered coldly. "My parents said that if it weren't to bring luck to my brother back then, they'd never have taken you in. Now that I'm back, you're just a useless waste!"
I ignored her, quietly tidied up the broken pieces, then turned and went back to my room.
Early the next morning, Luna called: "Move to the attic quickly. Hugo is still in the hospital. Don't cause any more trouble."
I carried the cardboard box full of books and ornaments into the attic. Mia stood on the second-floor balcony, watching me with a smile. "The attic's pretty damp. Don't let bugs crawl into my room."
The attic window could only open slightly; the wind blowing in carried a dusty smell. I placed the box in the corner by the wall and dusted off the sheets on the bed—no matter. As long as I could stay by Hugo's side, even this place was better than the orphanage.
In the first week living in the attic, I noticed some things had gone missing.
At first, it was a few of my frequently used Study Guides—I had clearly left them by my pillow, but the next day they were nowhere to be found. Then there was the Ceramic Bunny Hugo Xavier gave me. I had carefully placed it on the windowsill to bask in the sun, but after school, it was gone.
I asked Mia Xavier, who was sitting in the living room watching TV, clutching a bucket of snacks. "Why would I take your things? Nola, maybe you're confusing where you left them. Don't blame me for this."
"I'm not confusing anything. The books were right by my pillow, and the bunny was on the windowsill." I stood in front of her. "There are only the two of us at home. If you didn't take it, then who did?"
Mia Xavier stood up, half a head taller than me, looking down with a condescending glare. "Are you accusing me of stealing? How much do you think your stuff is worth? Do you really think I'd stoop to that?"
She deliberately bumped into me. "This is my home. Maybe Mom and Dad accidentally grabbed it while cleaning."
Later, I found my Study Guide in the trash bin downstairs, the pages soaked and wrinkled from the rain. The Ceramic Bunny lay broken in the yard—one ear chipped, and the little pink flowers chipped of their paint.
I picked up the Ceramic Bunny and carefully glued it bit by bit, but there were still cracks where it had broken.
Mia Xavier grew even more malicious.
She would deliberately spill water at the attic door. Every morning when I left for school, I'd slip as soon as I stepped there, soaking most of my pants. She'd play very loud music downstairs while I was doing my homework at night, and the lyrics were full of curses. She even told Luna Carter and Larry Xavier that I was lazy, saying I didn't make breakfast and refused to help wash her socks.
Once, I came back from the hospital after visiting Hugo Xavier, and it was already past ten at night.
Hugo Xavier secretly slipped me a piece of chocolate at the hospital. "You said you wanted some last time, so I asked the nurse to get it for me."
I tucked the chocolate into my pocket and headed home, but the attic door was locked—the lock was new, so the key had to be with Mia Xavier.
I knocked on the door for a long time before Mia sauntered down, playing with the keys in her hand. "Oh, I thought you weren't coming back, so I locked the door. Why are you so late? Were you out fooling around with some guy?"
"My things are still inside. I need to get in." I forced myself to suppress my anger.
"If you want to come in, fine. But apologize to me first—say you shouldn't have suspected me of stealing your things." Mia Xavier slipped the key into her pocket.
"I'm not wrong. You're the one who stole it." I clenched my fists tightly.
Mia Xavier snorted coldly, "No apology. If you're so capable, open the door yourself."
She turned to leave, then glanced back and added, "I put some old boxes in the attic. If you dare touch them, I'll tell Mom and Dad you're stealing."
I didn't argue anymore and turned to walk down the stairs.
The night wind was cool. I sat on a bench in the neighborhood, hugging my knees, the chocolate in my pocket tasting bittersweet.
On the day Hugo Xavier was discharged from the hospital, I bought his favorite soy milk and steamed buns to pick him up.
He was sitting in a wheelchair, his complexion looking a little better. "Nola, why do you look so pale? Didn't you get enough rest?"
"It's nothing, just a lot of homework. I went to bed late." I handed him the soy milk.
Hugo gently patted my shoulder. "If anyone bullies you, just tell me. Don't keep it bottled up. Even though my health isn't great, I can still protect you."
I nodded, my eyes welling up.
One weekend, I found a teddy bear under a box in the attic — the one Mom gave me when I was little, with pink ears and a little blue dress.
But now, one of the teddy bear's ears had been cut off, its dress was slashed with many cuts, cotton spilling out from the holes, and one of its eyes was missing.
I hugged the teddy bear and cried. Suddenly, Mia Xavier pushed the door open, smiling brightly, "It's just a ragged old doll. Why are you crying?"
"This is the only thing my mom left me!" I stood up and, for the first time, snapped at Mia, "Why did you ruin it?"
"Your mom's been dead for a long time!" Mia snatched the teddy bear, threw it to the floor, and stomped on it twice. "If she knew you were living under someone else's roof now, she'd think you were useless!"
"Shut up!" I snapped, picking up the teddy bear and hugging it tight to my chest.
Mia Xavier leaned close to my ear, her voice venomous like a snake: "I've already told Mom and Dad. Once Hugo is feeling better, they'll send you back to the orphanage, and no one will ever want you again!"
I sank to the floor, clutching the tattered teddy bear, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
The wind in the attic was biting cold, making me shiver all over—was I really going to leave the home I'd lived in for ten years, leaving Hugo Xavier behind?
Mia Xavier's words weighed on me like a massive stone, making it hard to breathe.
I sat on the attic floor holding my teddy bear for a long time, until the sky outside was completely dark. Moonlight filtered through the window crack, casting a thin, stretched shadow on the floor.
Early the next morning, hurried footsteps came from downstairs, along with Luna Carter's crying — sharp and loud, like needles stabbing into my ears.
I stumbled down the stairs and saw Larry Xavier hastily putting on his coat, his tie crooked around his neck.
Luna Carter sat on the sofa, clutching her phone, trembling as she cried, "Hugo... Hugo suddenly fainted. The doctor said it's very serious. The ambulance is already on the way!"
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, my hands and feet turning ice cold. "How could he suddenly faint? When I saw him yesterday, he was fine. He even said he wanted to eat braised pork..."
Luna Carter suddenly lifted her head, her eyes swollen red like walnuts. "Isn't it because of you? Yesterday, Mia told me you quarreled with her in the attic, which upset Hugo so much he couldn't sleep all night! Now that he's in trouble, are you satisfied?"
"I didn't argue with her! She was the one who broke Mom's teddy bear and even said she wanted to send me back to the orphanage!" I was so upset, tears almost spilling. "I didn't see Hugo Xavier at all yesterday—how could I have made him angry?"
Mia Xavier slowly came down from the second floor, wearing pink pajamas, her hair a mess. "Mom, don't argue with her—brother's still waiting. Who knows if she secretly told him something that made him angry?"
"Mia Xavier! Stop slandering me!" I clenched my fists. "I came back from the hospital yesterday, and you locked the attic door. I sat on a bench outside all night—I never saw Hugo Xavier!"
Larry Xavier interrupted impatiently, "Enough arguing! Come with me to the hospital, now!"
He grabbed the car keys, Luna Carter trailing behind him, sobbing quietly, while Mia Xavier leisurely changed her shoes, shooting me a cold glare.
When we arrived at the hospital, the emergency room lights were already on.
The red light cast mottled shadows along the corridor, harsh and glaring.
Luna sat on the bench, wiping tears away nonstop; Larry stood by the window, smoking, with several cigarette butts scattered on the floor. Mia Xavier sat nearby, scrolling through videos, occasionally glancing up at the emergency room door, her eyes completely devoid of worry.
"Hugo is still in surgery. Can you stop watching videos? Show some conscience, will you?" I walked over to Mia and lowered my voice as I said.
Mia looked up and sneered, "Whether I have a conscience or not, what's it to you? Hugo's lucky—nothing's going to happen to him.""But you—stop pretending to care. If something really happens to him, you'd be the one to blame."
"I'm not the one to blame!" I trembled with anger.
"Alright, stop arguing!" Larry Xavier turned around and shot us a sharp glare.
Three hours later, the emergency room lights went out.
The doctor stepped out, removing his mask, his expression grave: "I'm sorry, we've done all we can. The patient's organs are failing much faster than before. You need to prepare yourselves mentally."
"No, this can't be! Doctor, please save him!" Luna Carter collapsed to the ground, her sobs piercing and heart-wrenching.
Larry Xavier's eyes reddened as well: "Doctor, is there really no other way?"
The doctor shook his head. "You should go see him now. Maybe you can still say a few last words."
I rushed into the emergency room; Hugo Xavier lay on the hospital bed, his face pale as paper, breathing weakly.
I grasped his cold hand, tears streaming uncontrollably: "Hugo, wake up. I'm still waiting to go and eat something delicious with you..."
Hugo slowly opened his eyes, his lips moving, but no sound came out.
His hand gently squeezed mine, his eyes filled with reluctance.
Suddenly, I pulled out the fruit knife hidden in my pocket — the one I'd secretly taken from the kitchen while tidying up yesterday.
If only my life could be exchanged for his.
Just as I was about to slit my wrist, the heart monitor suddenly let out a piercing alarm.
I froze in place, and the knife clattered to the ground.
Doctors and nurses rushed in, bustling around the hospital bed.
After a moment, the doctor sighed with relief, "Thank goodness! The patient is awake! Both heart rate and blood pressure are slowly stabilizing!"
Hugo Xavier slowly opened his eyes and looked at me, his voice weak but clear: "Nola... what's wrong? Why did you pick up a knife?"
"I thought you were leaving. I thought I'd never see you again..." I crouched beside the hospital bed, tears streaming uncontrollably.
Hugo Xavier reached out and gently wiped my tears. "Silly girl, how could I ever leave? By the way, when Mom and Dad brought you home back then, it wasn't for a lucky curse at all."
I was stunned. "Not for a lucky curse? Then why?"
"Back then, I was gravely ill, and the doctor said that finding a suitable bone marrow donor was the only hope. Mom and Dad saw your file at the orphanage and discovered that you had a very high bone marrow match rate with me." Hugo Xavier spoke softly, "They were afraid you wouldn't agree, so they invented the whole 'lucky curse' story. All these years, they've actually carried a lot of guilt."
I looked at Hugo Xavier, my heart a tangle of emotions — so the reason I stayed in this family was never really that ridiculous 'lucky curse' excuse.
I'd always thought I was just a tool being used, an unnecessary presence in this family, but it turns out, I was Hugo Xavier's hope.
"Then why are you only telling me now?" I wiped my tears away, my voice still trembling a little.
Hugo Xavier smiled, his fingertips gently brushing my hair. "I was afraid that if you found out the truth, you'd be angry, feel like Mom and Dad had lied to you, and then leave this family. I don't want to lose you, my sister."
"I'm not leaving." I squeezed his hand. "As long as you're okay, I'll stay right here."
At that moment, Luna Carter and Larry Xavier walked into the hospital room. Seeing Hugo awake, surprise and relief washed over their faces.
Luna quickly stepped to the bedside and took Hugo's other hand. "Hugo, you're finally awake. Mom was so worried."
Larry Xavier also sighed with relief and repeatedly thanked the doctor.
Mia Xavier followed behind. Seeing us happily chatting, her expression darkened, but she said nothing. She just stood at the doorway, her eyes full of resentment.
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