Rejected by My Billionaire Parents, Accepted by Harvard

My rich parents found me while I was crouched at the edge of the field, checking the wheat.

They looked at me covered in sweat and mud, and the disgust made their voices shake a little.

You stay home and farm. We'll come back for you in a while.

But the wheat was almost ripe now, and they still hadn't shown up.

Grandma Sullivan packed me a sack of home-grown country goods and put me on the slow rural train to the city.

By the time I reached the James house, they were in the middle of celebrating their fake heiress, Theresa James, getting into college.

They saw me standing there with my woven plastic sack, worn out from the road.

Wanda James's brow creased before she could stop it.

"Victoria Sullivan? Didn't we tell you we'd come get you once things settled down?"

Off to the side, Theresa's eyes went red.

"It's because we were busy celebrating me getting into college that things got delayed. You won't blame me, will you?"

Wanda immediately pulled Theresa into her arms, all tenderness, while the look she turned on me was full of distaste.

Jayden James took all of this in, and his voice came out cold.

"Couldn't wait to come live the good life in the city, could you? That's the countryside for you. Not an ounce of backbone."

Calmly, I picked up my sack, stepped around them, and went inside.

Before Grandma put me on the train, she'd said:

"Vicky, you're about to start college. Think of it as a chance to get used to the city ahead of time."

I'd nodded, doing the math in my head.

A trip to see a bit of the world was fine. I'd be back right when the wheat ripened.

1.

Watching me walk into the house without any reaction at all, right at home.

Jayden and Wanda's faces couldn't hold their composure.

Wanda strode in front of me.

"Victoria, what do you think you're doing?"

I looked at her, puzzled.

"Coming home, obviously."

"Aren't you two my birth parents?"

Wanda's face flushed red in an instant.

Jayden let out a cold snort and led the way inside.

"Now that you're back in the James house, drop that small-minded, petty act of yours."

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

I picked up the sack and started in.

But Theresa let out a shriek.

"Sis, what's in that sack of yours?"

"Mom works so hard taking care of the house all day."

"You shouldn't bring those filthy things into the house."

I stopped. Watching Theresa's exaggerated show, I lowered my head.

But my hand gripped the sack tighter.

"This is my luggage."

"And it's the local goods my grandma sent for you."

Wanda let out a mocking laugh.

"What good could there possibly be from the countryside? Don't go stuffing all your junk into my house."

I opened my mouth to explain.

These were actually dried lily buds and wild mushrooms Grandma had sun-dried herself, along with cured bacon.

They were farm-raised pork she'd gone out of her way to have the butcher set aside for her.

She had said:

"We don't have anything fine at home, but bring these country goods so your parents can have a taste of something fresh."

Back then, I'd stood there with my head down.

"I don't want to go."

"They know I'm out here, and they never once came to find me."

Grandma had sighed.

"Maybe something got in the way?"

"Go and see for yourself!"

"Think of it as seeing the world. You've been with me all this time and hardly ever gone to the city."

"Listen to Grandma. It never hurts to get out and see more."

She packed my luggage, and she even tucked my college acceptance letter against my chest.

"Take it along, and let your parents see it too. It'll make them happy."

Looking at the eager hope in Grandma's eyes, I nodded.

But, just as expected, things turned out exactly as I'd imagined.

The Jameses clearly wanted nothing to do with the biological daughter who'd grown up in the countryside.

The last thread of hope in me was gone too.

I clutched that acceptance letter tighter and lost any desire to take it out at all.

I lifted my head, cold, and the words that came out were as icy as theirs.

"Right, what good could I possibly have?"

"After all those years in the countryside, surviving to grow up is already something."

The room went dead quiet.

Wanda's face pinched with discomfort, her lips moving without a sound coming out.

Jayden glowered at me, but couldn't find a single word to throw back.

Only Theresa came forward, her eyes rimmed red.

"Sister, this is my fault."

"I stole your whole life from you."

"Let me give it back to you, all right?"

Seeing Theresa like this, Wanda broke her silence.

She stepped over and took Theresa's hand, patting it gently.

"How could this be your fault!"

"You were only a child yourself back then!"

Then she sighed and looked at me.

"Never mind. You just got here."

"Come inside first."

I carried my woven sack into the villa.

The place was huge, decorated to the point of extravagance.

The floor was polished bright enough to see myself in, and it only made me look shabbier.

I stared, a little dazed.

Wanda watched me and let out a scornful little laugh.

"Enough. Stop acting like you've never seen the world."

I didn't answer. I set the sack down and walked to the dining table.

An elegant five-tier cake sat on it.

Written across the top:

"Congratulations to Theresa on getting into her dream school."

Following my gaze, Theresa looked over.

She smiled and drifted toward me.

"Sister, you came at just the right time."

"The family happens to be celebrating my acceptance today."

"Come share in the luck!"

Then she cut me a slice.

"Here, Sister, try it."

Then, as if the thought had only just crossed her mind:

"So what are you doing these days, Sister?"

"I hear the girls out in the countryside drop out young to work, or marry off early. What about you?"

I didn't so much as lift an eyelid. I sat at the table and ate the cake.

Grandma bought me a small cake every year for my birthday too.

A cheap one.

But back then it was the thing I looked forward to most.

Whenever I offered her a piece, she wouldn't touch it, no matter what.

She always said she didn't care for cake.

But I saw her at the end, taking a spoon and scraping every last crumb from the box, eating it in tiny bites.

The cake was good.

Better than the ones Grandma bought me.

I glanced at it again.

The bakery's name was printed on the base.

Someday I'd buy one like this for Grandma too.

Seeing that I stayed silent, Theresa spoke up again.

"Do you want more, Sister?"

She coaxed me in that soft, thin voice.

"One slice is plenty. Too much cake is hard on the stomach."

"You mustn't be greedy, Sister."

Jayden gave a cold snort, his face full of distaste.

"Theresa's right."

"Don't be greedy. It just shows how badly raised you are!"

I drew my eyes back, ignored the jab, and only asked, "I'm tired. I want to sleep. Where's my room?"

Only then did Wanda remember there was no room prepared for me.

She spoke with visible reluctance.

"How about you stay in the maid's room for now."

"Give me a couple of days to clear a room out, then you can move in."

Before I could get a word out, Theresa came over and grabbed my hand.

"Sister, take my room!"

Her tone was earnest.

"I took your room from you, so I'll give it up."

Jayden looked at Theresa with clear approval, then glanced at me beside her and snorted.

Wanda's face was all comfort for Theresa and ache on her behalf.

She looked at me the way you'd look at a thief who'd nested in a stolen home, her voice cold and shutting me out.

"Theresa has too many things. It's a lot to move."

"You'd better stay in the maid's room."

Theresa smiled at me, apologetic.

"That's right, sorry, Sister, I forgot."

"I was only thinking of giving you the room, I forgot about all my things..."

This time, I cut Theresa off before she could finish.

"Fine."

"I'll take your room."

"Too many things? No problem."

"I'll move them for you."

With that, I walked straight for the stairs. Seeing Theresa frozen in place, mouth open, I asked, puzzled, "Not coming?"

"Or were you just saying it to sound nice?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Theresa's face.

Wanda immediately pulled her behind her.

"You're barely in the door and already snatching your sister's things?"

"Petty and small-minded, just as I thought."

"You see something nice and you want it for yourself!"

"Vain, shallow, not an ounce of manners!"

I curved my lips into a smile.

"I'm your real daughter."

"Wasn't all of this mine to begin with?"

"So what's wrong with taking it back to live in now?"

Theresa froze.

Wanda's finger trembled, pointing at me, unable to say a thing for the longest moment.

I looked at Theresa, out of patience.

"Are you going or not?"

Theresa glanced at Jayden and Wanda, both shaking with anger and both helpless to do anything, and could only lead me to her room, resigned.

I cleared out every one of Theresa's things and set them by the door.

I shut the door, took a bath, and lay down on the bed.

The freshly changed bedding was silk.

Smoother than the coarse, washed-out set at home by a factor I couldn't begin to count.

The mattress was so soft I felt like I'd sink into it.

I let out a sigh.

I thought of Grandma.

"Grandma, what if I go and they don't like me?"

Grandma stroked my head, her smile gentle and warm.

"That's all right too."

"Just think of it as going to see the world."

"Grandma's got no schooling, no learning. I've spent my whole life in this village watching over these few acres. I don't know what it's like out there."

"So you go out and broaden yourself. Look at more, learn more."

"The good and the bad, you take it all in, and that's how you grow up."

Right. I was just here to see the world.

And to go back and tell Grandma all about it.

Early the next morning.

I got up early, washed up, and went downstairs for breakfast.

Wanda had already made it. Milk and a sandwich.

She glanced at me and spoke in that snide, sour tone of hers.

Well, Victoria, you certainly slept well.

Do you have any idea Theresa didn't sleep a wink last night?

I was baffled.

There was no way Wanda would ever have let Theresa sleep in the maid's room. She'd had the guest bedroom cleaned out on the spot.

That was where Theresa had ended up.

Her room is perfectly nice. How could she not sleep well?

Wanda's voice shot up at once.

You think it's the same thing?

That guest room is bare! Her bedroom is one we decorated with such care!

Wanda looked at me with something like resentment.

She's never had to suffer like this!

You've been here five minutes and already you're snatching everything of hers!

I truly regret ever finding you!

The words were barely out before she clapped a hand over her mouth, regretting them.

I gave her one cold look.

And acted like I hadn't heard a thing.

Watching me, Wanda spun around in a fury and stalked into the kitchen.

When she came back out, there was a stone-cold bagel in her hand.

I made this for you. Don't say I didn't think of you. Always trying to measure yourself against Theresa.

Western breakfasts aren't to your taste.

A bagel's good enough, isn't it? I had the housekeeper set one aside from her own breakfast just for you.

I looked at the plate she'd shoved in front of me and turned it down flatly.

No. I want milk and a sandwich too.

Wanda froze outright, her face going livid.

So the second you lay eyes on something nice, out comes that greedy little face of yours!

A country girl is a country girl!

What makes you think you can compare yourself to Theresa!

Once Wanda got going, a whole day's worth of pent-up resentment came pouring out.

Theresa's been top ten in her grade since she was small. She got into a state flagship school on her SATs.

Now look at you!

Cheap, mean-spirited, and always out for whatever you can grab!

Do you even know what college is?

You should've stayed in the countryside, working your dirt like a good girl!

What did you come here to bother us for!

I watched the ugliness twist across Wanda's face.

Quietly, I finished my milk and ate the sandwich in front of me.

Okay.

Wanda slammed the table hard, shouting about how cursed her life was.

I couldn't have cared less. I went upstairs.

There was a thousand dollars in the little backpack I carried.

It was money Grandma had scrimped and saved.

A poor home, a rich road. Money in your pocket keeps your heart steady.

Don't skimp. Don't shortchange yourself.

As it happened, I had nothing to do today.

I decided to go take a look around the city.

The state capital was dazzling.

Busier, by who knew how many times, than the liveliest street back home.

A single small tube of lipstick in one of those malls was a month of my living expenses.

A single coat.

Grandma and I could farm a whole year and still not afford it.

I sighed and was about to leave.

When someone stopped me.

Vicky, what are you doing here?

Theresa was staring at me, all astonishment.

Did you follow Mom and me here?

Wanda stepped out from behind Theresa.

What are you doing skulking around after us?

Theresa's eyes darted, then landed on me.

Are you here to buy clothes too, Vicky?

She did a little spin, showing off.

Look, these are the new clothes Mom bought me.

Pretty, aren't they?

I glanced at the price tag she'd pushed at me.

Fifty-eight hundred dollars.

Then, all fake kindness, she tugged at Wanda's sleeve.

Why don't we buy Vicky an outfit too!

Wanda shot me an irritated glare.

Buy her what?

Clothes this expensive. Could she even carry them off?

Theresa let out a soft laugh.

There's the discount basement outlet!

The stuff down there would suit Vicky just fine!

Wanda glanced at Theresa, who colored and explained herself.

I just think Vicky shouldn't jump into anything so extravagant. Better to ease into it.

Don't you agree, Mom?

Wanda nodded her approval.

Come on, then! Your sister's already spoken up for you.

You're getting lucky today.

The discount basement outlet.

I'd walked past it earlier.

It was like the clearance corner of a big-box store.

I shook my head and pointed at the eight-thousand-dollar outfit in the window.

I want that one.

Wanda's smile froze. She stared at me in disbelief.

Victoria, have you gone money-mad?

Eight thousand dollars? Have you seen eight thousand dollars once in your whole life?

I smiled.

The James family's got money. If I go around dressed like this, does that make you look good?

Would anyone respect you?

Wanda looked like a hand had closed around her throat. Not a word came out.

Theresa spoke up, all wounded.

Vicky, why do you have to keep measuring yourself against me?

I've worn these things since I was little.

You never have. Why waste the money.

It suits you, but it's a waste on me?

Fine. Then let's let everyone here be the judge today.

A fake heiress who got swapped at birth, lording it over the real one and living high off her back. Where's the sense in that!

My voice rose, and people nearby turned to look.

Wanda's face couldn't hold together anymore.

Buy it!

You really are vain! Small-minded.

The second there's something worth having, you have to grab it.

I paid her no mind and slipped happily into the new outfit.

Comfortable. Light.

The girl in the mirror looked different, and somehow the same.

I tugged the corner of my mouth into a smile.

Pretty good. And not so good at all.

The three of us came home in silence.

The moment I got inside, I shut myself in my room.

I hauled the canvas bag in with me and set it down.

I'd brought the old clothes I'd changed out of, too.

On the way in just now, we'd passed the cleaning lady at the door.

Wanda pointed at her and said to me,

You think coming to the city makes you somebody?

She's in the city too, isn't she? Still just a cleaner.

What good does any of it do?

Don't think that just because you're our own flesh and blood, I'll play favorites with you.

Let me tell you! I'm the one who raised Tess.

She's the only one we claim!

So give it up.

The cleaning lady's daughter happened to come back just then, home from school.

She came bouncing over to her mother.

Her small body snatched the broom right out of the cleaning lady's hands.

Mommy, are you getting off work?

I'll help you!

It made me think of harvest season, gathering the wheat,

how I used to trail after Grandma just like that, bouncing along and picking up the stray heads of grain left in the field.

I thought, I've seen enough.

I took out my phone and, without hesitation, booked a ticket home for tomorrow.

Then I changed back into my own clothes and went out, and bought that good cake to bring back to Grandma.

A very small one, but Grandma and I would both be more than happy with it.

Oh, I wanted to go home so badly.

The cake was good, the bed was soft, the clothes were comfortable.

But my home was good too.

A steaming bowl of oatmeal, a cotton mattress you could sleep on with an easy heart.

All of it good.

When I got back, though, I found the door to my room wide open, and Theresa leaning against Wanda, sobbing.

She looked at me, her whole face one big accusation.

Sis, haven't I been good to you?

Why would you steal my jewelry and my money?

Wanda looked at me, then closed the distance in a single stride and swung her hand across my face.

You little thief!

I thought you were just a little vain. I never dreamed you'd steal!

I blocked Wanda's hand, my eyes heavy and dark.

Who says I stole anything?

Theresa pointed into the room.

I looked.

The canvas bag had been opened, everything inside dumped out.

And tucked in among it all were cash and jewelry.

Caught red-handed. Are you still going to deny it?

Sis, being poor is nothing, but stealing is just disgusting!

I didn't miss the taunt and the smugness in Theresa's eyes.

Wanda stood off to the side, shaking all over with rage.

Get out! Get out of my sight! You little troublemaker! I never should have let you come back!

Don't think a little shared blood means we owe you any patience!

Look how well Tess turned out! She got into a state flagship school! Adopted or not, she's a hundred times better than you!

Look at what you learned out in the countryside! You should've rotted in the mud out there!

I didn't want anything more to do with the James family. I just lifted my hand and pointed at the camera on the cabinet, then took my college acceptance letter out of my backpack.

I got into college too!

You're not the ones throwing me out.

It's me. I don't want any of you!

The solemn, bold letters across the top of the letter.

The nation's top university!