The Returned Heiress Who Had It All (Cassia) novel Chapter 2

"Vance, this is our daughter. Isn't she supposed to be here?" Geneva finally lost her patience and snapped.
"What daughter? Don't be ridiculous!" Vance growled, his voice full of frustration.
Ever since Cassia showed up, the house had been in complete chaos.
"Dad, please don't get angry," Brie Wood said softly, her tone calm and soothing. "Maybe Mom didn't know, but if Cassia really is part of the family, that would be great news. Still, we should be careful. There are many people out there trying to scam rich families like ours." Her words sounded gentle, but everyone could hear the hidden meaning behind them.
The speaker was Brie, the family's third daughter, or at least, that's what most people thought.
Brie's birth parents died in a car crash when she was six months old. Her father had been Vance's best friend, so Vance took her in and raised her like his own. He gave her the best of everything. Brie never disappointed him. She was talented, polite, and graceful—the kind of girl everyone adored.
So when Brie spoke, people listened. And everyone in the room understood what she really meant.
Cassia pressed her lips together. A faint mocking smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Oh well, this is about to get interesting.
"Brie, you're such a sweet girl," Vance said with a smile. "Oh, right—you've got your concert tomorrow, don't you? I'll come watch." Vance listened to those smooth, comforting words and finally began to calm down.
"Okay, Dad. I'll do my best," Brie replied shyly, her cheeks a little pink.
Danica crossed her arms and said with a mocking smile, "Brie, you'll definitely be the best one there—just like your idol, Arwing. Not like some girl from the countryside who probably doesn't even know what a piano is." Her words dripped with sarcasm, and she threw a deliberate glance at Cassia.
Arwing?
Haha. What a coincidence.
Cassia's flawless face didn't show a trace of emotion. She stood there quietly, unbothered by the insults.
To the others, though, her silence looked like stupidity.
Vance's temper flared again as he looked at her.
"I'm tired. I'd like to rest," Cassia said at last, her voice calm but impatient.
The room went silent. Everyone stared at her as if she had just insulted the whole family.
How shameless! How could she say that so boldly?
Danica's eyes glinted with disdain. She let out a small laugh and said casually, "There's a side wing behind the main house. It's quiet there, perfect for someone like you to rest."
Her tone was full of contempt.
"Danica, what nonsense are you talking about? That's the servants' quarters! How could you ask your sister to stay there?" Geneva scolded sharply.
"I don't see what's wrong with it," Danica muttered, crossing her arms. Victoria, sitting nearby, caught every word. She chimed in, "It's not like the side wing is worse than the orphanage she came from. You never really know what kind of person someone is, right? Better to be careful."
Geneva took a breath and found her courage. She rebuked, "Victoria, Cassia has finally come home. I've already prepared a room for her on the third floor. She's a good kid—quiet and polite. She won't bother anyone."
Without waiting for a reply, Geneva turned to Cassia with a gentle smile. "Come on, sweetheart. I'll take you upstairs."
The way everyone reacted today took Geneva by surprise. She hadn't expected such hostility. Geneva felt sorry that Cassia had to face it.
Cassia followed her up to the third floor. The room was at the very end of the hallway.
When Geneva opened the door, everything inside was tidy, clearly arranged with care.
"Cassia, I'm sorry," Geneva said softly. "They just don't understand you yet. They might sound harsh, but please don't take it to heart."
"It's fine. I didn't," Cassia replied calmly, her tone flat—as if none of this really mattered to her.
Geneva let out a small sigh of relief. She was glad about how understanding her daughter was. "Good girl. I'll go grab you something to eat. You should rest for a bit."
Downstairs, the dining room was anything but peaceful. The conversation had turned into a storm.
"What a buzzkill," Danica complained contemptuously, rolling her eyes. "Now we've got a total stranger living with us. It's so uncomfortable."
Mom's really losing it. With all the scammers out there, how does she know that girl isn't just here for our money?
"Danica, ignore her," Victoria said sharply. "Pretend she's invisible. I honestly don't know what your mother was thinking. Sure, we can feed one more person, but having her live here? Who knows what kind of trouble that might bring?" Her voice was cutting, and the wrinkles on her face deepened with every word.
"What a mess," Vance muttered, rubbing his temples. "I heard she dropped out after middle school. No manners, no education. And now we have to enroll her in a new school?" Truthfully, he felt nothing for this daughter.
Cassia's information flashed in his mind. Eighteen years old. Poor grades. Always skipping class. Vanished for two years, supposedly working odd jobs. Recently returned to the orphanage. Who knows what she had done?
He'd been perfectly content with his life. Everything in his family was in order. Then, out of nowhere, this daughter appeared.
Even if they were bound by blood, without growing up together, they were no different from strangers.
And the truth was, Vance knew exactly how she'd gone missing back then. When it happened, he'd been fully aware.
"Dad, I don't want to go to the same school as her! That's so embarrassing!" Danica protested the moment she heard her father was planning to enroll Cassia.
What a joke! If people at school found out we're sisters, they'd never live it down. They would make fun of me!
That bumpkin knew nothing about style or manners. She'd only drag me down.
Danica and Brie both attended Zrario High, the best school in the city. Since they were around the same age, the girls were in the same grade but different classes.
Brie was in the honors class—always ranking first or second, a true academic star.
Danica was in the advanced class, and though not at the very top, she was still among the best.
Vance took great pride in both of them.
Every parent-teacher conference ended with him smiling ear to ear as other parents praised his daughters.
But now, with Cassia's sudden return, all of that pride felt threatened. This girl was nothing but a disgrace waiting to happen.
"Sweetheart, let's talk about this later," Vance said gently, trying to calm her down. In truth, even he wasn't sure what to do.
Downstairs, the house buzzed with laughter and chatter. Upstairs, it was quiet—almost too quiet. Cassia lay on her bed, eyes closed. The night filled the silence until her phone suddenly began to ring.
She opened her eyes slowly, reached over, and pressed answer.
"What is it?" Her tone was cool and calm.
The person on the other end didn't seem to mind. He was already used to that. "Cassia! You won't believe this—tomorrow's McKenzie Auction is going to have something exciting! You coming?"
The man's voice carried excitement, though he tried to sound careful, almost respectful, as if he were speaking to someone far above him.
It was Jake Madron—Cassia's trusted friend and loyal informant. He had ears everywhere, an information network that reached deep into circles most people couldn't even dream of. Whenever something rare, powerful, or valuable appeared showed up, Jake was always the first to know. And Cassia was always the first person he called.