A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

“Good afternoon, Carey,” Alessia greeted sweetly, her manners impeccable.

Carey beamed, nodding with obvious approval. “Well, aren’t you lovely? So polite, too. Brendan, is this your eldest daughter or your youngest?”

Brendan’s expression cooled just a fraction as he replied, “She’s my only daughter.” Years of holding a senior position had trained him to keep his emotions in check, and with Carey’s straightforward nature, she didn’t notice the subtle shift.

“Really?” Carey frowned, a vague sense of confusion nagging at her.

She remembered when the Morton family first moved in–they’d run into each other and exchanged a few brief words. Carey’s memory was of a group of well–mannered boys, bustling about, hauling boxes and helping with the move. There’d been only one girl, dressed in an expensive–looking dress with a wide, elegant sunhat perched on her head. That girl had stomped around, loudly complaining about how rundown, dirty, and cramped the place was. When she saw Carey, she just gave a dismissive snort and swept upstairs, radiating arrogance.

Carey couldn’t recall the girl’s face, just the impression she’d left–and it wasn’t a good one. But the girl standing here today seemed like a completely different

person.

Still, if Brendan said Alessia was his only daughter, there was no point dwelling on a puzzle with no answer.

“Carey, my mom made these seaweed rolls. Would you like to try one?” Alessia offered, handing Carey a fork and smiling softly in a way any adult would find endearing.

made these? Well, then, I have to give them a

waited quietly while Carey tasted the food, and sure enough,

outside the school when classes start. She’s been looking for people to try her recipes. We all say they taste great, but she won’t believe us. Now that you’ve said so, I bet she’ll finally be convinced. Right,

and

stall by the school? That’s a fantastic idea! There are so

the other day, a few of us–me, Abby, and

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never want to eat at home, always running out to buy whatever junk they can find. Who knows how those places make their food, with all the shady operations around these days. But will they listen

kids, Carey forgot all about taking the trash out. She drew her foot back and launched into a spirited rant about the trials of raising children, while Alessia listened with a gentle smile, chiming in now and

making sandwiches, seaweed rolls, and even

wonderful!” Carey slapped her

you bring Abby and the others, too? If you like what

nearly forgot the trash bag still in her

the doorway, waving until Carey

know Carey had kids?” Brendan asked