The Returned Heiress Who Never Fit In

Chapter 1 She Plays Dirty, I Pay the Price!

The day Stella Dawson was born, the family maid threw her away—just so her own daughter, born on the same day, could have a better life.

Eighteen years later, her family finally found her. But instead of guilt and compensation, what awaited her was something else entirely.

“You’re gorgeous!”

Stella stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a wedding gown. The fitted bodice hugged her slender waist, and the voluminous skirt made her look like a fairytale princess.

Even without makeup, her delicate features were striking.

The boutique manager helping her adjust the gown couldn’t help but praise her.

“Mr. Keene didn’t come with you? Men and women have different tastes when it comes to these things.”

Stella smiled politely. “He’s busy with work. Couldn’t get away.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the caller ID before picking up. “Tess?”

“Stella, I just saw Lillian with Ethan!”

Stella’s expression froze.

The satisfaction on her face disappeared bit by bit, buried under the weight of Tessa Miller’s words. Her gaze turned cold.

Ethan Keene was her fiancé. Their wedding was in a week.

And just hearing Lillian Reed’s name made a flicker of disgust cross her eyes. Lillian—the maid’s daughter. The girl who stole her parents at birth and now had the nerve to come after her fiancé.

Stella shot a look at the boutique manager, who instantly understood and nodded.

With a simple hand gesture from the manager, the other employees quickly left the room.

Once they were gone, Stella glanced at her manicured nails and asked casually, “Where’d you see them?”

Tessa hesitated. “The hospital. OB-GYN department.”

raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Well, that’s an

showing up together in the OB-GYN department—what could they possibly be there

“Lillian’s nothing but a two-faced manipulator,

hadn’t even gotten angry yet, but Tessa was already

the glass in front of her and smirked. Every time she pulls one of her stunts,

her own accord, claiming that since the real daughter of the Reed family was

past two years? Or

before your wedding. What do you think that

darkened. “I’ll call

alarmed. “What are

“If someone’s selling a lie, how could

that, she ended the

turned to the mirror, looking at

fingers trailed

tore apart in her hands. She

shock, but seeing

into her own

at the

Ethan.

cold voice came through. “Once you’re done trying on the

Two years.

Ethan had been nothing but gentle and considerate

change in attitude… was it because Lillian

Stella’s lips. She didn’t even bother replying—just

an hour later, Stella stepped into

by the floor-to-ceiling windows, talking

refined. His side profile alone was enough to make

gifting him a face that

Stella, he hurriedly said into the phone, “Eat lunch

walked over to the couch and

call was gone. His expression turned cold as he looked at her.

his

over but didn’t sit next to him like she used

noticed the distance she put between them,