The Real Heiress Rules the World

Chapter 204 Who Is She Really?

Joanna stood frozen for a beat, her mother’s words hitting like a slap. Bitterness welled up inside her. She’d always known where her mother’s priorities lay- power, appearances, and most of all, profit. And nothing offered a higher return than marrying into the right family.

She lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with quiet frustration. “Mom… relationships don’t work that way. You can’t force feelings.”

Her mother scoffed, full of contempt. “Feelings? You think those rich boys actually care about love? They care about power and connections. Joanna, stop being so naive. That’s how they operate. Wake up. If you keep dragging your feet, you’ll be stuck picking from whatever’s left.”

Joanna bit her lip but didn’t argue. She knew better–pushing back would only make things worse. So she just said quietly, “I get it. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Her mother shot her a glare, full of disappointment. “Keeping it in mind‘ won’t get you anywhere. You need to act. I heard Larry from the Houston family just got back into the country–he’s running the Houston Group now. If you can get close to him, we’d finally have some real standing in the Rivers family.”

At the mention of Larry’s name, a subtle shiver ran down Joanna’s spine. She’d heard the stories–how calculating he was, how ruthless. Cold, unreadable, and dangerous in all the ways that mattered. That kind of man wasn’t someone you “got close” to. He was the kind you stayed far, far away from.

She nodded vaguely. “I get it. I’ll figure out a way to talk to him.”

And with that, she used work as an excuse and made a quick exit.

Her mother shouted after her, her voice ringing through the house. “Work, work, work! You act like that job’s going to secure your future. No matter how well you perform, it won’t land you a marriage!”

Sloane arrived at the meeting point where Lena

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soon as she spotted Sloane, she walked up and handed over two folders. “Ms. Rivers, here

a breath to steady herself, then opened the

available data and DNA analysis, Marshall

She flipped to the

No biological relationship.

her hands, her mind blank. If

then quickly moved on to the third report—Samantha

DNA analysis, the

as she expected,

Sloane had been right.

But now, thin

more tangled.

ago? Who

the truth? they hiding? What deeper secret had been

of all… who