Chapter 3

#{3|The Real Sister} #

"Caleb! Are you okay?"

A woman rushed over and helped him up, then turned to glare at me with teary eyes.

"How could you hit him?"

"If you want to blame someone, blame me. I'm the one who wants to be with him."

"I'm so sorry... Caleb, this is all my fault. That's all because of me..."

Tears streamed down her face.

"How is any of this your fault?"

Caleb pulled her into his arms. "I'm the one who fell for you. If anyone's to blame, it's Aria."

Then he whipped his head toward me, his voice turning ice cold:

"Apologize to Harper. Now."

I paused, almost laughing at the absurdity of it all.

These two shameless cheaters actually had the nerve to blame me.

They cheat, and somehow it's my fault?

"I'm so sorry!"

Harper suddenly threw herself at me, eyes red and brimming with tears.

"I know you've always been insecure about being a fake heiress."

"You've bullied me our whole lives, taken everything that was mine. I never held it against you."

"But please... I really love Caleb. I'm begging you, just let him go. Please?"

She sounded so sincere, so heartbroken, that the crowd immediately started taking her side.

"Oh my god, the true heiress got bullied this badly by a fake? Aria's a monster!"

"A fraud is a fraud! Stealing her things since childhood, and now even trying to steal her man!"

"At least the real heiress has a good heart. After all that abuse, she's still calling her 'sister.' If it were me? I would've slapped her across the face!"

The whispers grew louder and louder. Everyone was looking at me like I was the villain.

Like I was the homewrecker.

Caleb looked heartbroken, pulling Harper closer to wipe her tears.

I stood there, feeling like I'd stepped into some alternate reality.

This woman, standing here calling me her sister and claiming to be the true heiress—

I had never seen her before in my life.

"Please, just let him—"

"Who the hell are your sister?"

I took a deep breath and stared at her coldly. "I don't know you. Stop pretending we're related."

"Aria!"

Harper cried out, looking like I'd just stabbed her in the heart. Fresh tears spilled over.

"I know you're angry. I know you don't want me to be with Caleb."

"But you can't... you can't just pretend you don't know me!"

She grabbed my hand, her voice trembling with desperation.

"I'm sorry, okay? Please, just let me be with Caleb!"

Seeing her play the victim so perfectly, the crowd started piling on.

"Enough, Aria! You can't force someone to love you. They're happy together—why do you have to ruin it?"

"Exactly! You're just a fraud. What gives you the right to compete with the real heiress for a man?"

"She's your sister! Are you really going to throw away family over some guy?"

I listened to the accusations flying at me, my nails digging into my palms.

Finally, I looked at Harper and smiled.

"Fine. If you're my sister, sure, I'll let you have Caleb."

"So do you have any proof?"

The murmuring stopped. All eyes shifted to Harper.

She looked away nervously, then cleared her throat.

"Of course I have proof!"

She pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.

"Hey, sweetheart! Why are you calling now?"

I froze. My whole body went rigid.