Filed to story: The Heiress Rises From Ashes Book PDF Free
His sharp gaze pinned Rosie in place, making her shift uncomfortably. “I’m just looking out for our family!” Rosie reasoned. “I’m doing this for all of us. Our family has a lot of assets; how can we not be careful? People have lied about less…”
Everyone looked displeased. Their expressions made it clear they didn’t agree with Rosie. Even Luther and Tessa shook their heads in disappointment. Now that Colt had confirmed Brenna hadn’t undergone plastic surgery, Rosie still threw baseless accusations at Brenna? It was obvious now. She simply disliked Brenna.
Tessa sighed. She had an idea why this was happening. Brenna’s return had shifted the family’s attention, leaving Rosie feeling cast aside.
Still, she couldn’t blame the girl entirely. Losing her parents at such a young age must have left insecurities in her heart.
“Rosie, stop,” Tessa said gently. “I know you mean well, but you don’t have to worry. Brenna’s return won’t change how much we love you.”
When Rosie heard that, her tears spilled over. She sank onto the sofa beside Tessa and sobbed, “But Grandma… Uncle Shepard and Aunt Giselle won’t let me call them Mom and Dad anymore…”
She buried her face in her hands. Yet, through her tears, she stole a glance at Shepard and Giselle. Neither of them reacted. Their silence made it painfully clear they weren’t going to change their decision.
Rosie’s heart sank even more. In her mind, she believed this was all Brenna’s fault.
If Brenna had not returned, she would still have people she could call her parents. But now, everything had changed. Brenna had taken everything from her.
Tessa gently patted Rosie’s back. “Sweetheart, you still have Grandpa and Grandma, don’t you? Even if you have to call them Uncle Shepard and Aunt Giselle now, that doesn’t mean their love for you has changed.”
“That’s right,” Shepard said. “Nothing about how we’ve treated you before will change.”
He knew exactly why Rosie was acting this way. In her heart, she believed Brenna had stolen the affection that had once belonged to her. That was why she was lashing out.
Giselle said, “Now, you have a new family member who will look out for you. Whatever she has, you’ll have too. So don’t be sad, okay?”
Rosie lowered her gaze and nodded reluctantly. “But I still want Brenna to take another DNA test. If the results confirm she’s really a member of our family, I’ll apologize to her and follow through with the bet.”
Ernst nodded. “Yes, I support Rosie in this.”
He glanced at Brenna, who remained unshaken, as if she were merely watching a show unfold. In all honesty, he couldn’t stand her unbothered demeanor. She acted as if everything was under her control. It wasn’t just composure. It was the kind of self-assurance that only people in power possessed. From the moment she stepped into their lives, Brenna did not seem like someone simply searching for lost family and their affection. He believed maybe she was after the entire Harper family’s assets.
Dalton couldn’t help but notice how indifferent Brenna seemed to the entire process of verification and its results. It puzzled him deeply.
He felt a strong sense of sympathy for her, a wave of sadness washing over him as he thought about her situation. After just returning, she now found herself forced to prove who she was under such intense scrutiny. Who wouldn’t feel hurt being treated like that?
Her resilience was remarkable; anyone less strong might not have lasted in such an environment.
In a moment of frustration, Dalton approached Ernst and said, “Ernst, this is going too far. Rosie may be your cousin, but Brenna is your biological sister. How can you question your own sister like this? I witnessed the DNA test our parents conducted. It was accurate-no need for a redo. Plus, a well-known site wouldn’t offer such services if they weren’t legitimate.”
Ernst seemed irked, barely paying attention. “Stop rambling, Dalton. There’s no harm in being cautious. A second test is harmless. Brenna, you don’t mind, do you?”
With a comforting squeeze on Dalton’s arm, Brenna reassured him with a smile, indicating she was perfectly fine with it.
“It doesn’t bother me. We’ve already agreed to the bet. As long as you’re ready to face the possibility of losing, I’m in,” Brenna said boldly, locking eyes with Ernst without fear.
As Luther watched the scene unfold, he felt conflicted. His grandchildren were all stubborn in their own ways. Ernst, in particular, stood out with his usual overconfidence. He had sailed through life with little resistance and never faced any real challenges.
Luther interjected, “The deal is set, and I’ve had the secretariat announce it within the company.” He turned to Ernst. “Ernst, if Brenna truly belongs to the Harper family, you stand to lose it all. Brace yourself, for I will show no mercy when the time comes.”
Ernst remained defiant and replied, “Grandfather, Brenna’s boldness is unlike anything I’ve seen. We’re already at the point of conducting a DNA test, yet she’s not backing down. If she truly does not belong to the Harper family, then I won’t let her off easily.”
With an air of arrogance, Rosie exchanged a glance with Ernst before walking over to Brenna. Without hesitation, she reached out and pulled a few strands of Brenna’s hair.
Brenna winced at the sudden pain. “What are you doing?”
Holding the hair strands with a sneer, Rosie replied, “I’m getting your hair for the test, obviously.”
“You could have been more gentle,” Brenna said, running her fingers over her scalp. Then, she examined the strands of hair Rosie had pulled, noting their color and length.
Ignoring her, Rosie walked over to Shepard. “Uncle Shepard, I need a few of your hairs, too. Just five should be enough.”
Though clearly displeased, Shepard reluctantly pulled out a few hairs and handed them to Rosie.
Struggling to hide her delight, Rosie quietly plotted something deceitful. She intended to switch the hair samples to ensure the test results showed that Brenna did not belong to the family.
With a mocking gesture, she waved the hair samples in front of Brenna. “I’m sending these straight to the top forensic lab in Shirie,” she said, her tone deliberately provocative.
As the first light of dawn filled the sky the next day, Brenna watched servants hurriedly move belongings from the fifth floor. She stopped Julia, puzzled. “What’s all this commotion? Who’s moving out?”
“It’s Mr. Ableson Harper and his family. They’ve been considering living more independently for a while now. The children are all adults, and Mr. Harper is in good health. With your return, things are getting a bit cramped, so it’s time for them to have a place of their own,” Julia replied.
Continuing her tasks, Julia disappeared downstairs carrying a box.
As Brenna descended the stairs, she saw her uncle stepping out of the elevator. Curious, she approached him and asked, “Uncle Ableson, why are you moving out?”
She couldn’t shake the feeling that she might have unintentionally upset him, causing him to move now.
Ableson invited her to sit beside him on the couch. “Let’s have a chat.”
Brenna sat down and asked, “Uncle, have I done something to upset you?”
Laughing warmly, Ableson reassured her, “Oh, not at all! You’ve been nothing but delightful.”
He gently rolled up his trousers, revealing his prosthetic leg-a sight Brenna hadn’t seen since her return.
Before coming back, she had heard he was bedridden, but upon arrival, she found him healthy and mobile, not paralyzed at all.