Chapter 1

The floating comments in my vision just told me my daughter—snatched from me eighteen years ago—is three blocks away, finishing a street fight.

I find her behind a boarded-up gas station in Bridgeport. Her hair is a rainbow of bleach and dye. Eighteen tattoos crawl up her arms and neck.

She blows smoke in my face and sneers. "So you're the rich mommy?"

Behind her, a small, clean-looking girl peeks out and gives me a shy wave. "Hi, ma'am. I'm Tessa Harlow. I'm Nora's best friend."

The comments explode across my vision.

*【OMG our heroine is SO cute!!】*

*【Next up: the throwaway's mom feels sorry for heroine and adopts her too. She wins over the whole family with her sweet little heart!】*

*【The precious one had such a hard childhood. Can't wait for the mother-daughter bonding arc!】*

According to these comments, my daughter is the throwaway, the villain who doesn't even deserve a name.

I lunge forward to hug her.

She shoves me off. "You want me to come home with you? Fine. But Tessa comes too."

Tessa steps in on cue and gently wipes a tear from my cheek. "Please don't be upset, ma'am. Nora grew up rough. She doesn't know how to talk to people. Let me handle her for you, okay?"

Smooth, golden curls. Doe eyes. Perfect little angel.

So this is the heroine of their story.

I don't care.

I only love the daughter I've spent eighteen years looking for.

---

I bring both girls back to the Sinclair estate in Greenwich.

The second we pull up the driveway, Tessa gasps. "Mrs. Sinclair, this whole place is yours? You're amazing."

My daughter tries to play it cool, but her eyes go wide. "Eh. Seen bigger on TV."

I laugh and reach up to smooth her rainbow hair. "Nora. Welcome home."

A tall guy is pacing at the front door. He spots us and lights up.

"Mom! You brought her back?"

He rushes past me straight to Tessa. "You must be Nora. I'm your brother, Ethan."

Tessa ducks her head sweetly. "Hi, Ethan. I'm Tessa."

I clear my throat and point at my actual daughter. "Idiot. This is your sister."

Nora throws up a hand. "'Sup."

Ethan's jaw drops. His eyes ping-pong between the two girls. "Mom. Are you sure you got the right one?"

I wrap my arm around Nora's shoulders. "She's my daughter. My baby. I know my own child. Come on, sweetheart. Let's go inside."

*【Oh, the second male lead just showed up! Kinda hot. Too bad these soft golden retriever types never get the girl.】*

*【Imagining the throwaway's brother AND her fiancé both falling for the precious one, paving her golden road… I'm SCREAMING.】*

I read the comments floating in front of me and my jaw tightens.