Heiress in Disguise

ALEX’s POV

“Are you sure about this?” Henry asked me for the tenth time, and I nodded.

“Absolutely.”

He sighed sharply and dialed a number, his eyes fixed on me. If he’s waiting for any sign that I might give up, he’s going to be waiting for a long time because I’ve already made up my mind.

“Hello, is this the St. Jude’s Orphanage in Chicago?” he said when someone picked up the phone and the woman who answered confirmed it. Henry gritted his teeth. “Do you happen to have the address of one of your former… er, residents?”

“Residents?”

“Shh!”

I rolled my eyes and sat back down on my stool. He kept talking to the woman on the phone. Once he hung up, he dialed another number.

My face lit up. “Is that her?”

He turned away from me, no doubt annoyed about all the questions. “Hello, is this Miss Gabriella Russo?”

//“Yes. Who’s this?”//

“I’m Henry Caldwell, Chairman of the Harrington Group. I’m calling on behalf of Miss Ivy Alexandria Carter.”

//“Iv— you mean, Alex?”//

“Er, yes. Alex.”

I practically squealed in my seat and tried to snatch the phone from him but he wouldn’t let me. He continued talking to her, inviting her down into the estate because he wants to talk to her about something.

When he finally put the phone down, I cornered him.

“So?” I said, all giddy. “How did it go?”

Henry, with his lips pursed, walked right past me and continued drinking his earl gray tea. “She has agreed. We will be sending someone to pick her up today.”

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

Gabriella Russo was barely a month old when she was dropped on the doorsteps of the orphanage on a cold Sunday evening. She was wrapped in a thick blanket, her face exposed out to the cold. By the time the nuns found her, her cheeks were already a bright shade of red.

Everyone told me that before I came to the orphanage, she was the pride and joy of the nuns there. She was the perfect little girl. She was always sweet to everyone she meets and was always adored by everyone who comes to adopt.

But for some reason, she was always sent back.

The first time was because she became allergic to a plant that the family had for years. They couldn’t part with the plant but they could apparently give up a kid. The next was when their biological kid got jealous of her for taking all the attention. Of course, that wasn’t her fault, but the kid apparently made them choose. The third and the last time was a tragedy. She just got adopted. A week later, cops came knocking at their door. Turns out, they were part of a huge cult that takes girls and sacrifices them to their god.

When I first heard her story, my very first thought was, “Ouch.” Because that’s seriously got to hurt.

I mean, I’ve been adopted twice before, too. I was always returned. But at least with mine, I know I’m the problem. With hers? I think the problem is with the rest of the world.

“So, you’re a thief?” came Dimitri’s little drawl.

I snapped my gaze to him. “And you’re a nuisance. Guess we’re even.”

“Call me what you like. You’re still going to be stuck with me.”

“Try anything and I’ll fire you.”

“But that’s what’s brilliant. You can’t. You’re not the one making that decision.”

I frowned, directing my gaze to Henry who was standing by the window, staring out into the driveway. He didn’t even look at me. He just shrugged.

My frown deepened. “Don’t get smug. I might just retire you… permanently.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Are you threatened?”

He cackled. “All I asked was if you were a thief. No need to get all snappy.”

“Where did you even hear that?”

“From me.”

I whirled around to see Percival walking into the drawing room, his brown Schiaparelli coat flapping behind him as he sauntered in.

He stopped a few inches from me, removed his coat, and held it out. For half a second, I thought he was expecting for me to take it like one of his loyal slaves. But someone else grabbed his coat for him and placed it neatly in the coat rack by the door.

I frowned but didn’t say anything.

“Pleased to see me?” he sneered and sat on the space beside me.

I tried my best to hide my glare. “Was I that obvious?”

He just scoffed at my response and gestured for one of the maids to make him a cup of coffee. “You must think that just because we didn’t show up here for a couple days that we’d leave you alone with all of my grandpa’s riches.” He chuckled condescendingly. “Don’t be naive.”

“I wasn’t being one. In fact, I fully expected all of you to wrap your every waking moment thinking about me.”

His smug look faltered. “And why would we do that?”

“Because I managed to get what you all wanted. I didn’t even have to try.”

This time, he fully transformed into what I expected his expression would be the next time we came face to face. He was furious. If we had been left alone in this room, I would’ve been scared. I mean, I can fight. But right now, he looks like he can kill.

“She’s here.”

But there are more pressing matters than him right now. Like for example, Gabby.

I left him in the drawing room and ran straight outside to greet her. She had just barely managed to go up the huge staircase when I sprinted the last steps toward her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

She nearly fell back, chuckling loudly as she caught me. “I missed you, too, Alex.”

I laughed at her response and beamed at her as I let go. I took a good look at her face. It has been three months since I last saw her. It was her eighteenth birthday. Back then, she looked like an angel. Now, she’s still pretty… but you can tell that she’s a little exhausted.

“I’m guessing, life hasn’t treated you right?” I asked her, studying the hollowed circles around her eyes and the fine lines on her face.

She smiled at me, looking down. “I’m just a little tired. That’s all.”

I chuckled. “Well, you don’t have to worry about anything anymore. Because now, I’m loaded.”

She laughed. “You are now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. And we can now continue going to school just like what we planned.”

“Oh, yeah?” She was smiling, but I saw it fading a little. “What about your family? I mean… are they fine with me being—”

“I’m still an orphan, in case you were wondering,” I cut her off. “Reginald Harrington was my mom’s father. He’s dead, too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. That bastard was filthy rich but let me rot in an orphanage filled with evil nuns anyway.”

Gabriella laughed at the mention of the evil nuns. They weren’t exactly evil, you know? They were just… angry. I mean, it’s valid though. Anyone who had to be subjected to taking care of me would be angry, too.

“Anyway, do you wanna see my room?”

“Yes!” She giggled.

I tried leading her inside but was stopped halfway when Percival stood by the doorway. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his expression smug. “Where do you think you’re going with that—” He looked at Gabby and some kind of disgust crossed his face, “—peasant.”

My eyebrows furrowed, taking a step forward. “Who are you calling peasant?”

“Her, obviously,” he deadpanned and took a step closer, too. “But then again, that word also applies to you. After all, you were literally nothing before we found you.”

“Be careful there, rich boy,” I deadpanned. “You seem to be forgetting something.”

“And what is that?”

“That your own grandfather hates you enough to leave you with literally nothing?” I gave him a taunting smile. “I may be nothing before, but I think it’s safe to say that I’m at least worth more than you now.”

I then grabbed Gabby’s hand and passed by him, making sure to bump his shoulder as I did. I heard him scoff as we left but I didn’t bother looking back. Talking to people like him is never worth it. And besides, they shouldn’t be putting the blame on me. I didn’t make the rules.

“You think you’re untouchable, Carter?!” he shouted from the foyer, his voice echoing through the domed ceiling. “My mom and aunt has already hired the best lawyers in the world. One of these days, they’ll find out the truth.”

I turned to him, my expression bored. “Which is?”

“That you’re just some scummy criminal? And that you’re probably not even Ivy.”

“Oh, but she is,” Henry spoke and buttoned the suit that he was wearing, his glasses catching the light from the windows. “We have already confirmed her identity long before we even brought her here. A total of three tests were administered. You can see the medical results for yourself.”

“That means nothing,” he snapped back. “You could’ve faked the medical results.”

“The board was there. Everyone was present. Ask them.”

My eyebrows furrowed. “Wait. How did you—”

“Through the orphanage.” Henry smiled at me. “We paid them a hefty sum just so we can collect your DNA.”

“Like my hair and my toothbrush?”

“Like your blood.”

I was confused at first. And then I remembered. A week ago, there was some kind of blood donation drive for the older kids. We were given gifts in exchange for donating. So, naturally, I agreed. I sold the teddy bear and the shirt they gave me and got ten dollars off of it.

Worth it, if I were to be honest.

Percival’s lips twitched. “It doesn’t matter who she is. She will be out of here soon enough anyway.”

“Yeah? And how do you suppose you’d do that?” Henry sounded like he was taunting him. Percival was pissed.

“You’re forgetting your place, Caldwell, getting all caught up with this girl. Remember, you’re nothing but a puppet of my grandfather’s making.”

“And I could say the same thing about you.”