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.

I have

the food,

school when classes start. She’s been looking for people to try her recipes. We all say they taste great, but she won’t

father and daughter perfectly

the school? That’s a fantastic

the other day, a few of

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having to get up early to make breakfast for our kids before school. Those rascals 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

and launched into a spirited rant about the trials of raising children, while

now making sandwiches, seaweed rolls, and even some tea eggs. She’d

wonderful!” Carey slapped her thigh in

the others, too? If you like what you see, you can be our very

would be great.” Alessia’s sweet words flowed naturally, and Carey was so delighted she nearly forgot the trash bag still in her hand. Even as she finally walked away, she kept glancing back, waving enthusiastically

until Carey disappeared

you know Carey had kids?”