Chapter 2

Emily's POV

"Let's toast to our little angel's close call!"

My father raised his champagne glass as thunderous applause filled the living room. Camera flashes went off like fireworks, every media lens focused on Lily sitting pitifully on the sofa.

My spirit floated in mid-air, watching this absurd celebration coldly.

"Carl!"

The front door burst open. My older brother Carl had rushed back from New York, racing straight to Lily's side and dropping to one knee.

"Lily, Jesus Christ, are you okay? I nearly lost my mind when I heard." He gripped her hands tightly. "Where the hell is that bitch Emily?"

The entire room fell silent.

My father's face darkened: "Don't mention that little MONSTER. She still hasn't come home—obviously running scared."

Carl shot to his feet: "What do you mean?"

"What do you think?" My mother sneered. "Emily was working WITH the kidnappers. She gave them Lily's location. Now that she's busted, of course she's hiding."

Rage flared in Carl's eyes: "That little BITCH! I knew Emily was fucked up—always brooding, cold as ice, jealous as hell!"

The reporters immediately thrust their microphones forward as Carl faced the cameras, burning with anger:

"Emily Walker's been twisted since we were kids. She couldn't handle Lily being better than her. This kidnapping was her sick plan! She wanted someone else to do her dirty work!"

That's when Lily spoke up—perfectly timed.

She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue: "Carl, don't say that about Emily... maybe she just screwed up..."

"Lily, you're too good for your own good!" Carl pulled his sister close.

Lily sobbed quietly: "In the basement, I saw Emily fighting with the kidnappers. Maybe... maybe she didn't really want to hurt me. It just went too far..."

SLAM!

My father's fist hit the table: "There you have it! Even Lily saw it! Emily WAS working with those bastards!"

"I, Arthur Walker, swear that from this day forward, I'm cutting ALL ties with Emily! She's no longer my daughter! Her inheritance rights, company shares, trust funds—ALL OF IT is GONE!"

As applause erupted, my spirit trembled.

Painful memories hit me like a freight train.

Why? We're twins—why did they worship Lily and treat me like garbage?

It hadn't always been this bad.

Sure, Lily was always the favorite—bubbly and sweet while I was quiet and serious. But my parents used to care about me, and Carl was a decent big brother. We were twins, after all—both Walker princesses in public.

Back then, even being the quiet one, I still felt loved.

Until that equestrian competition when we turned ten.

That was the only thing I was better at than Lily. I was a natural on horseback, fearless over jumps. The trainer said I could go pro.

The night before the competition, I couldn't sleep. I just wanted Dad to be proud of me for once—to beat Lily at something.

But on race day, my horse Thunder was acting crazy—eyes red, kicking at everything.

I didn't know Lily had drugged him.

The race started and Thunder shot out like a rocket. But right before the final jump, he went nuts.

I got thrown hard, my left arm screaming with pain. Thunder was charging straight at the stands where Lily sat.

"Watch out!"

Security stopped Thunder just in time. Lily was fine—just shaken up.

When Dad rushed over, he went straight to Lily: "Oh my God, sweetheart, are you hurt?"

I was on the ground with a broken arm, and nobody gave a shit.

"Dad, something's wrong with my horse—"

SMACK!

His hand cracked across my face.

Dad glared down at me with pure disgust: "Emily! You sick little freak! You tried to KILL your sister!"

"No! Dad, I swear—"

"Don't you fucking LIE to me!" Another slap that left my ear ringing for days.

"You're NEVER riding again! That's what you get for trying to murder Lily!"

My dreams were destroyed.

That night, Lily visited my hospital room. She stared at me in my cast with zero guilt—actually smiling.

"Does it hurt, Emily?" She touched my broken arm. "Next time, remember your place. Never try to beat me."

Everything changed after that.

Lily started turning our parents against me. Every time I did well at something, she'd "accidentally" let something slip.

"Mom and Dad, Emily was trash-talking you again..." "Emily said she hates that you love me more..." "Emily said she wished I was dead..."

She always looked so innocent and hurt, like she didn't mean to tattle.

My parents started doubting me. Carl pulled away. I became the jealous, scheming daughter from hell.

I tried explaining, but every defense looked like lies. And Lily would always "stick up for me" at just the right moment—making her look like a saint and me like a monster.

After that, I stopped trying to compete. I studied my ass off, worked like a dog, started at the bottom of Walker Corp and busted my butt just to prove I mattered.

Three months ago, after years of grinding, I finally got unanimous board approval as heir.

I thought Dad would finally respect me.

But when I walked into his office full of hope, he handed me papers giving up my inheritance.

Dad lit his cigarette: "Sign it, Emily. You were just Lily's stepping stone. Now you can fuck off."

My hands shook: "Dad... this isn't right... I've given everything to this company..."

"Given?" He laughed. "You think I'm stupid? Everything you did was to steal Lily's birthright. But here's the truth—"

"In this family, you're just a STAND-IN. Lily's my real daughter."