Echoes of a Hidden Love Chapter 1

At my absolute lowest point, Liam Vance married me.

Everyone said he only married me to spite my younger sister.

But when he died in a car accident, he left his entire estate to me.

And a voice recorder.

Pressing play, his low, raspy voice filled the room—

He said:

"Chloe, could you... maybe like me back just a little bit?"

After all those years, I finally saw the massive, overwhelming love he had hidden beneath the ice.

When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn.

My adoptive mother was gripping my hand, saying:

"Chloe, will you go to prison in your sister's place?"

* * *

Before I turned sixteen, I was the pampered, carefree eldest daughter of the Sterling family. Doted on by my parents and favored by my older brother, my life was perfect.

Until Mia showed up with a DNA test, revealing that a nurse had swapped us at birth. She was the real heiress; I was just the imposter who stole her life.

I wanted to leave.

But my biological parents had passed away long ago, and Mrs. Sterling couldn't bear to see me become an orphan.

So, they officially adopted me.

My adoptive parents treated me well, my brother didn't give me the cold shoulder, and Mia never made things difficult for me.

I was grateful.

But later, Mia got into an argument backstage with an actress on a movie set. During the scuffle, the actress fell down the stairs and ended up in a vegetative state.

There were no security cameras.

But someone had to take the fall.

And I happened to be there, witnessing the whole thing.

My adoptive mother came to me in tears, begging me to take the blame for Mia.

Mia knelt in front of me, sobbing, slapping her own face, and begging for my forgiveness.

The whole family cried as if their hearts were breaking.

So, I nodded.

I took the blame, went to prison, and suffered through absolute hell.

At first, the Sterling family still came to visit me, crying out of guilt or apology.

But slowly, the visits stopped completely.

Once, during a prison activity, the warden asked about our plans after release.

I thought about it for a long time before carefully writing down:

[After I get out, I want to see my mom and dad.]

A fellow inmate saw it and laughed at how simple my wish was.

"Of course your mom and dad will come pick you up. Why wouldn't you see them?"

I smiled and didn't argue.

But when I was finally released, no one came. Only Mr. Sterling's assistant showed up. He drove me to the airport and handed me a large sum of money.

He didn't say a single word.

But I understood everything.

Mom and Dad didn't want me anymore.

The Sterling family had abandoned me.