The Badass Heiress Returns

My biological parents finally found me.

But the timing? Could have been better.

I was standing in a dead-end alley, a metal bat resting casually on my shoulder, surrounded by a haze of cigarette smoke and a circle of guys the world calls delinquents.

The couple in the designer suits froze at the alleys entrance. Their eyes widened, taking in the graffiti, the smoke, and the danger.

Then, pure instinct took over.

They flinched, bodies shifting to shield the girl standing behind themthe one in the pristine private school uniform. The one who looked like a fragile, innocent flower.

The imposter.

Who would have guessed?

Me, the street rat with the bad attitude and the nicotine addiction, was the actual heiress to the massive Sterling Group empire.

I watched my so-called family take in my ripped jeans and the bat. Their expressions curdled into instant disgust.

I didn't flinch. I just dropped my cigarette to the pavement, ground it out with the heel of my boot, and smirked.

Chapter 1

Life has a twisted sense of humor.

One minute youre the queen of the backstreets, and the next, you find out youre the lost princess of the Sterling dynasty.

The alley smelled of stale beer and rain. The Sterlings looked like they had just stepped out of a spread in Vogue.

Conrad and Victoria stood at the front, immaculate and horrified, staring at the bat in my hand and the smoke curling from my lips.

Behind them, Colethe heir, the golden boyautomatically stepped in front of the girl in the plaid skirt. Marissa.

She peeked out from behind his designer blazer, eyes wide with a mix of fear and morbid curiosity.

"Are you Wanda's daughter?"

I took a slow, agonizingly long drag, letting the smoke linger before blowing a grey cloud directly toward them.

I snubbed the butt out against the brick wall and gave a slow, bored nod.

The guys around me shifted, sensing the tension.

"Yo, Boss," one of them muttered, stepping up. "Who are the suits?"

Before I could answer, Victoria broke formation.

The elegant woman surged forward, ignoring the grime on the ground, and wrapped her arms around me.

A wall of expensive floral perfume slammed into my senses, drowning out the smell of tobacco.

"My daughter oh god, my daughter!" She was weeping, her body shaking against mine. "Im your mother. We finally found you!"

I stood there, stiff as a board, arms hanging at my sides.

Conrad was right behind her, eyes rimmed with red, looking like he was about to lose it too.

I was about to shove her off when the young man, Cole, stepped forward.

He pressed his lips into a thin line, his gaze sweeping over me with a complicated mix of pity and judgment.

"Im Cole," he said, his voice clipped. "Im your brother."

He didn't wait for a reaction. He just launched into the exposition like he was reading a police report.

"Seventeen years ago, Wandathe woman who raised youwas our nanny. She gave birth at the same time as our mother."

Coles jaw tightened, a muscle feathering in his cheek.

"That woman was toxic. Greedy. She wanted a better life for her own blood, so she swapped you. She stole your life."

I didn't even have time to process the bomb he just dropped. I was too busy watching the reaction happening behind him.

The moment Cole started trash-talking Wandacalling her toxic, calling her greedythe girl in the uniform crumbled.

Marissas face went paper-white.

She bit her lip so hard I thought it would bleed, tears instantly welling up in her doe eyes. She looked like shed been slapped.

Cole noticed the shift immediately. He cut himself off mid-sentence.

The emotional reunion with the "lost daughter" ended abruptly. Victoria released me like I was on fire. Conrad turned his back on me.

They all rushed to Marissa.

"Marissa, honey, don't cry," Victoria cooed, her voice dripping with a tenderness she hadn't shown me.

"Don't be scared," Conrad added, stroking the girl's hair. "This isn't your fault. You and Reagan are both our daughters. We aren't going anywhere. Youre still our baby."

Baby.

I watched them huddle around the girl who had been living my life for seventeen years, soothing her hurt feelings while I stood there, forgotten in the cold alley.

They said the words to her, but the message was for me.

I let out a short, dry laugh.

Unbelievable.

Chapter 2

That day, under the stunned gazes of my crew, I climbed into a sleek, six-figure luxury sedan and sped away.

Before the tires could even kick up dust, Jaxthat absolute idiotwas screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Boss! Don't you dare forget us when youre living large! Were waiting for you, Queen!"

I rolled my eyes and threw him a casual OK sign without looking back.

When I turned around, the biological family Id just met was staring at me with expressions so tangled they looked physically painful.

I stared back, completely unfazed.

After seventeen years of surviving under Wanda, Id learned a simple rule: if youre still breathing, nothing else matters.

As for the whole switched at birth thing? To me, it was just a relocation to a better zip code.

The girl who had been sobbing moments ago finally stopped.

Her face was a mask of practiced guilt, her voice trembling with manufactured sorrow.

"Reagan Im Marissa. Your your sister. Im so sorry. Im the one who stole seventeen years of your life"

She started to choke up again, the waterworks ready for round two.

Conrad, my father, thinned his lips and let out a heavy sigh, while Victoria and Cole immediately began coddling her.

I clicked my tongue, the sharp sound cutting through their pathetic sniveling.

Ive always had zero patience for people who leak tears at the slightest inconvenience.

If crying actually solved anything, I wouldve drowned in my own tears during the countless nights I spent wishing someone would save me.

"Listen, Miss Marissa, can you shut it for a second?"

Her face went pale.

"Youve cried twice since we met ten minutes ago. Keep this up and people will think you're the one who grew up in the gutter. Can you stop stealing my spotlight? I havent even started my sob story yet."

The sobbing cut off instantly. Her face froze mid-twitch.

The rest of the family looked like theyd been slapped. A heavy, suffocating silence filled the car.

I didn't give them a second glance, turning my head to watch the skyline roll by.

The luxury shopping districts and the shimmering skyscrapers were blurring past the window.

It was the first time Id ever been close enough to touch them.

Finally, Victoria broke the silence.

"Reagan, honey, Im sorry. But your sister didnt mean anything by it. Shes just sensitive, and she feels so much guilt over what happened."

Conrad nodded beside her in silent agreement.

My brother, Cole, pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked at me with a mix of exhaustion and blatant distaste.

"Reagan, Marissa is just scared that we won't want her anymore now that you're back. Don't be so hard on her."

He paused, scanning my appearance with a judgmental squint.

"And another thingyou need to fix that attitude when we get home. Look at you. You look like a street thug. And you smoke? Thats not how a girl should behave."

He leaned in, his voice dropping into a condescending, commanding tone.

"Marissa is the definition of classelegant, soft-spoken, and pure. That is how a real lady carries herself. You should try to be more like her."

Chapter 3

Coles words hit the nail on the head for the rest of them.

Conrad and Victoria nodded in perfect synchronization, their faces softening with relief that someone had finally laid down the law.

Even Marissathe stray whod spent seventeen years in my beddecided to play the "saint."

She leaned toward me, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.

"Hes right, Reagan. Those people you were with theyre a bad influence. You cant keep hanging out with thugs. I heard your grades weren't great, and Im sure its because they dragged you down."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking like a literal angel.

"Don't worry, though. Once we're home, I'll tutor you. And you can have anything from my closet! Mom, Dad, and Cole bought me so many beautiful thingswe can just share everything!"

I stared at her, genuinely impressed by the sheer audacity.

It was a masterclass in the backhanded complimentinsulting my intelligence and my past while acting like she was doing me a massive favor.

Naturally, the parents looked at her with pride. To them, she was the golden standard of grace and generosity.

I let out a sharp, dry laugh that cut through the tension.

Ignoring their judgmental stares, I kept my voice low and lethal.

"Funny story. Every cent of my rent and bills for the last few years? It was scraped together by those 'thugs' youre so worried about."

I leaned in closer to Marissa, watching the light leave her eyes.

"I have them to thank for surviving. And I have your biological mother, Wanda, to thank for putting me in that position in the first place, Sis."

I turned my gaze to Cole. He looked like hed been slapped.

"And you, big brother? Youre supposed to be the smart one. You really haven't figured out why she hated me so much? Every time she looked at me, she saw the daughter she gave away. I was a living reminder of the life she stole for you, Marissa."

I leaned back against the leather seat, watching her world crumble with a single smirk.

The car went graveyard silent. Victoria turned ghostly pale.

Cole flinched, his gaze dropping to the floor, unable to hold my eyes for even a second.

Marissas face flushed a deep, ugly red. She gripped the hem of her designer dress so hard her knuckles turned white, her nails digging deep into her palms.

I smirked.

She was a hothouse flowera delicate orchid trying to play dirty.

She really thought she could stand a chance against an apex predator that had clawed its way out of the abyss.

The first thing they tried to do when we got to the estate was give me a "proper" name.

I refused. I chose my own: Reagan.

I didn't care about their family legacies or fitting in. I only cared about what suited me.

To celebrate my miraculous return, the family threw a massive gala.

The mansion was glowing, filled with the scent of expensive perfume and the hum of old money.

Every relative, family friend, and business rival was there.

My parents paraded me onto the stage, introducing me with practiced smiles.

In these circles, my story was already the gossip of the season, so no one looked shockedjust curious, like they were looking at a new exhibit at the zoo.

I caught sight of Marissa in the crowd, laughing and chatting as if nothing had changed.

I knew that look. She was cooking something up.

Sure enough, the second I stepped off the stage, she was there, grabbing my arm with a grip that was way too tight.

"Reagan! Come with me. I want to introduce you to everyone."

She beamed at me, playing the doting sister for the cameras.

Victoria, who had been holding my hand, patted my shoulder encouragingly.

"Go on, honey. Follow Marissa. Shell show you the ropes."

I gave a tight smile and followed.

Why not? I wanted to see what kind of trap she'd set.

She led me to a semi-private lounge area where a group of trust-fund kids were draped across velvet sofas.

They were Marissas inner circle, and they were already sizing me up with blatant, narrowed-eyed contempt.

Chapter 4

One guy, Porter, let out a sharp snort over the rim of his crystal glass.

"Whered they dig up this trailer trash?" he sneered, not even bothering to lower his voice. "Does she think having the right blood automatically gives her a seat at our table?"

Marissa jumped in immediately, playing the mediator with sickening speed.

"Oh, Porter, don't be mean to my sister," she pleaded, though her eyes stayed bright. "This is her first time at a party like this. She doesn't know any better."

Her best friend, Kendall, yanked Marissa back by the arm.

"Marissa, youre way too nice. This girl is already trying to walk all over you." She shot me a look of pure disgust.

"Let me make one thing clear to you, 'Princess.' In this world, we don't care whose blood you have. We only respect results. We heard youre just some street rat who spent her days hanging out with thugs. Know your place. Don't think for a second you can replace Marissa."

Kendall stepped closer, her voice dropping to a hiss.

"Shes out of your league. She already helps Cole with company business, her grades are perfect, and shes a lock for an Ivy League track. You better keep your head down and your mouth shut."

I listened to them trade insults back and forth like a well-rehearsed choir, while Marissa sprinkled in her innocent defenses.

It was better than Netflix.

When the flock of chattering ducks finally ran out of breath, I leaned back, my voice cool and slow.

"Are you guys done? Great. Now, go grab me some appetizers and bring me a drink. Do that, and I might actually decide to forgive you."

I dropped onto the plush velvet sofa, making myself at home.

The group stood there, jaws dropped, before erupting into hysterical laughter. Porter laughed so hard he spilled his expensive scotch.

"Oh man, Im dying! Marissa, where did you find this specimen? She wants us to serve her? Has she completely lost her mind?"

Marissa looked at me with deep, fake disappointment, though I could practically feel the victory party happening in her head.

"Reagan how can you be so entitled? You can't just bark orders at our guests!"

"Why not?"

I looked up at her with wide, mock-innocent eyes.

I pulled out my phone, tapped a few buttons, and cast my screen to the massive digital display in the center of the ballroom.

I hit play.

Suddenly, the entire mansion was filled with the amplified, arrogant voices of the trust-fund brats.

"Whered they dig up this trailer trash?"

"Heard you're just some street rat?"

"Know your place!"

The laughter died instantly. The entire gala turned into a graveyard.

Parents, board members, and industry titans stood frozen, their faces turning a dangerous shade of black as they heard their childrens vitriol echoing through the speakers.

The group on the sofas went ghostly pale, their tongues suddenly turning to lead.

But no one looked more sickly than my dear little "saint" of a sister.

Conrad and Victoria marched over, their expressions grim, staring down the parents of the kids involved.

Even Cole, my annoying brother, stepped in front of me. His smile didn't reach his eyesit was sharp and predatory.

Marissas lips trembled as she tried to stammer out an explanation about how she tried to stop them but failed.

Chapter 5

Naturally, my parents hearts bled for her. Victoria reached out, clutching Marissas hand and whispering for her not to be afraid.

I let a sharp, mocking tug pull at the corner of my mouth.

The same pack of hyenas that had been ready to tear me apart moments ago were now being dragged toward me by their collars.

Their parents forced them into a line, their own faces plastered with desperate, oily smiles.

"Oh, Reagan, sweetheart! My boy has a big mouthdon't listen to a word he says. Im going to give him hell when we get home!"

"My girl, too! Im going to cut her off completely. The nerve of her judging anyone when she fails half her classes!"

My parents expressions softened. They looked at me with hesitant, pleading eyes.

"Reagan, honey maybe we should just let it go? It was just kids being kids, right?"

Since Im such a good, obedient daughter, I decided to play along.

I turned a wide, innocent gaze toward the group of red-faced heirs.

"I told you guys already. Just grab me some snacks and a drink, and were even. Ill forgive you."

Nobody laughed this time.

Under the suffocating weight of the crowd's collective stare, they had no choice.

One by one, the heirs of the citys elite swallowed their pride and lined up like obedient servants, bringing me snacks and champagne.

I took a long, slow sip of my drink before tossing out a final line.

"See? I forgive you! Im a big-hearted, wonderful person."

Marissa didnt smile for the rest of the night. In fact, she stayed remarkably quiet once we got home.

For a second, I thought shed actually learned her lesson.

I didn't realize she was just saving her energy for a bigger play.

A few days later, over breakfast, I casually dropped a bomb into the conversation.

"So, whats the plan for Wanda?"

The table went dead silent. My family exchanged looks that were anything but natural.

Marissa immediately ducked her head, her shoulders shaking as she began her signature pre-cry routine.

Conrad was the first to speak, offering me a look that was far too eager to please.

"Well, Reagan you know, people like that eventually get whats coming to them. Karma will handle it!"

Victoria chimed in, nodding frantically.

"Exactly. Getting our hands dirty with someone like her is beneath us."

Cole just focused on his eggs, staying out of the line of fire.

I leaned back, a cold, knowing smile playing on my lips.

"So, what youre really saying is youre not going to do a damn thing?"

My parents looked like theyd swallowed glass. They opened their mouths, but no sound came out.

Cole finally let out a weary sigh and looked up.

"Reagan, look. Everyone knows Wanda is Marissas biological mother now. You have to understandif a girl's biological parent has a criminal record, it ruins her future. It's a massive red flag."

He gestured vaguely toward Marissa.

"Wed love to see that woman punished, but not at the cost of Marissas life. Shes innocent in all of this. Plus, Wanda did raise you for seventeen years. Its a complicated situation. You can understand that, right?"

Marissa looked at them with eyes full of tearful gratitude.

Victoria patted her hand gently, and Cole gave her a supportive smile. It was a Hallmark movie moment of family unity.

I broke the tension with a laugh that sounded like shattering glass.

"She raised me?"

As their faces twisted into expressions of annoyance, I slowly began to push up my sleeves.

I bared my forearms to the morning light, revealing a map of jagged white scars and circular cigarette burns.

Chapter 6