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The Fake Heiress Is the Real Lucky One
NovelShort
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After I had a heart attack, they coldly kicked me out of the Campbell family. But what they didn't know was, I was their lucky charm. All the illnesses I had were actually because I was bearing their ...
章節（6）
第1章
I was the Campbell family's fake daughter.
After I turned 18, I was struck by a sudden illness that left me blind in one eye, with a limp, and riddled with sickness.
My parents and brother didn't mind and still treated me well.
That was until the real daughter, Ivy, returned, and everything changed.
Ivy was lively, gentle. Most importantly, she was perfectly healthy.
She openly claimed that I had stolen her identity as the Campbell family's true daughter for over 20 years.
She said I was sick because I didn't deserve the status I had taken.
My parents and brother, swayed by Ivy's words, began to look at me differently.
After I had a heart attack, they coldly kicked me out of the Campbell family.
But what they didn't know was, I was their lucky charm. All the illnesses I had were actually because I was bearing their bad luck for them!
Once I left, I slowly started to recover.
One by one, the Campbells began to go blind, limp, and fall sick.
1
After spending a month recovering at a mountain retreat, I returned home. The first thing I saw was Ivy, the real daughter who had shown up at my birthday party last month. She was happily taking photos with my dad, Jason, my mom, Sharon, and my brother, Dylan.
Ivy frowned when she saw me. "Why are you back? Just one month of recovery, and you're all better?"
Everyone looked awkward at the sound of her voice. Dylan walked over, slightly apologetic. "Naomi, you're back? Why didn't you tell me? I could've picked you up."
I could barely see out of one eye, but I glanced over at where they were taking photos. Dylan looked even more embarrassed. "Ivy mentioned she's never had a family photo before, so..."
I nodded slightly and said calmly, "I called you, but you didn't answer. Mom and Dad's phones were busy, so I had to come back on my own."
Dylan frowned. "Neither I nor Mom and Dad..."
Before he could finish, Ivy cut him off. "Naomi, are you blaming Dylan for that? That's a bit ridiculous, don't you think?
"I mean, last month, as soon as you found out you were the fake daughter and your real parents were dead, you coughed up blood and passed out right there. The whole family thought you were seriously ill, but look at you. You're back already and looking fine. Were you just pretending to get attention?"
Dylan cleared his throat, signaling Ivy to stop talking, but she had no intention of doing so. Her expression was even more disdainful as she looked at me. "Dylan, can't you see? She's faking it just to get more attention from you all. She's just pretending to be pitiful because we're taking family photos."
"That's ridiculous. We had her checked at the hospital. Mom, Dad, and I aren't fools!" Dylan said angrily.
Ivy rolled her eyes at me. "Dylan, you know everyone has their own fate, right? She's sick because she stole my spot. She doesn't deserve it. You should send her back to the gutter where she belongs, and maybe she'll get better!
"After all, trash belongs in the trash!"
2
Hearing this, Jason cleared his throat. "Ivy, did you forget what your etiquette teacher told you? You need to be polite. Naomi is your sister. How can you talk like that?"
Sharon nodded in agreement. "That's right, Ivy. Apologize to Naomi."
Ivy's expression softened a bit, but she still refused to apologize. "Mom, Dad, I'm just telling the truth! I'm saying this for Naomi's own good. How else could she be so sick all the time when she grew up with everything?"
第2章
"You said it yourself. Her right leg broke at home for no reason. Is she made of glass? Clearly, she's too weak to handle this kind of fortune."
Jason and Sharon remained silent. I lowered my head, feeling a tightness in my chest, unable to speak as my throat felt dry.
When I was sick before, Jason and Sharon were always worried. If I left to recover, they would call at least twice a day and visit every other day, even during storms.
But this month, not a single call from them, and no visits at all.
Maybe I looked too pitiful, and Jason finally snapped, "Enough! Just apologize! Or are you not even going to listen to me?"
Ivy frowned and reluctantly went inside, returning with a tray and a cup of warm water. "Naomi, I'm sorry. I didn't grow up with the same comforts, so no one taught me manners. Here, I'm offering you water, so forgive me."
She handed the water over with both hands. I sighed internally, just wanting to keep the peace. As I reached for the cup, Ivy gave a triumphant smirk and whispered, "You don't deserve it."
She let go of the cup, sending scalding water splashing everywhere. Most of it spilled onto my right leg, though a few drops hit her hand too.
3
Ivy let out a sharp scream, tears brimming in her eyes. "Naomi, why did you deliberately drop it? I sincerely apologized, so why did you burn me? Is it just because I'm healthy and Mom and Dad love me more?"
Jason and Sharon, along with Dylan, were startled by the commotion and rushed to Ivy's side. Sharon, full of concern, turned to me harshly. "Naomi, what's wrong with you? Did your hands stop working too? You couldn't even catch a cup of water?"
I shook my head, my voice hoarse. "It wasn't me. I hadn't even touched the cup yet. She let go herself and said I wasn't worthy. What kind of low trick is this? Do you think this is some palace drama?"
But no one seemed to believe me. Dylan glanced back at me, noticing my soaked right leg, and couldn't help but ask, "Naomi, are you burned too? Why didn't you say anything?"
I touched my thigh. Though I couldn't feel it, I knew it must be badly burned. Jason and Sharon's expressions changed slightly, as if they wanted to say something.
Ivy cried even louder. "It wasn't me, it wasn't! Naomi is clearly playing the victim! Her leg has no feeling, so she's not afraid of getting burned, but I am!"
Sharon's concern for me vanished instantly. "You're the one who's watched too many palace dramas. Ivy doesn't have such a good life, spending every day watching TV like you do.
"I've told you already. Even with Ivy back, you're still my eldest daughter. We'll give you the treatment and medicine you need, so why can't you just be satisfied?"
I just sighed. "Then can I ask, why was the tea for this apology so scalding hot? Is that a temperature anyone can actually drink?"
第3章
4
Jason and Sharon were at a loss for words, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Finally, Jason sighed. "Let's head to the hospital."
When they arrived at the hospital, both Jason and Sharon surrounded Ivy. The doctor gave her a quick check-up and said, "It's nothing serious. Just apply some burn ointment; it's a minor issue."
Ivy kept crying. "Before, I wouldn't have felt anything, but now, with Mom and Dad's love, I realize I'm a person too. I can feel pain. You won't blame me, right?"
Her words made Jason and Sharon feel even more sympathetic. Even Dylan, who was by my side, couldn't help but feel sad.
After the check-up, it turned out my burns were severe, and I needed to stay in the hospital for recovery. The only silver lining was that I didn't feel any pain. Once I was settled in my room, Sharon sat beside me and hesitated before speaking, "Naomi, no matter what happened today, you can't blame Ivy. Put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn't you be jealous if you were her?
"Your dad, Dylan, and I care about you, we really do. We've shared so many years together. But Ivy's been through so much. When you're discharged, don't stir up trouble, and stop picking on her."
I couldn't help but let out a scoff.
Sharon's face twisted in anger and embarrassment. "What are you laughing at? Did I say something wrong? You're not even in pain, so why can't you forgive Ivy? Can't you think about all the suffering she's endured for you?"
I glanced at the doorway, where Jason and Dylan were fawning over Ivy, and it made me laugh even harder. "Mom, it was you who switched the kids, not me. Ivy's suffering is your doing, not mine. If you feel guilty, don't expect me to fix it for you."
Sharon shot to her feet. "Ivy was right, you're ungrateful!"
With that, she stormed out of the room without looking back.
5
From what Sharon said, Ivy had been working hard over the past month. No wonder, after just a month, the whole family's attitude toward me had drastically changed.
Lost in thought, I was pulled back by the doctor who came in with my test results, looking confused. "Ms. Campbell, I reviewed your tests, and I find it quite strange.
"First, your eye tests show everything is normal, so why can't you see?
"Second, your leg bones and nerves are intact. Why can't you stand or feel anything?
"Third, you don't have any of the typical conditions. Why are you showing symptoms of hypertension and stroke aftereffects?"
...
The doctor kept asking questions. When I didn't respond, he assumed I didn't know either and left.
I sighed. Why?
Of course, it's because of Jason, Sharon, and Dylan.
Dylan had severe myopia but insisted on riding the world's most extreme roller coaster, which caused a retinal detachment. The doctor said one of his eyes was severely damaged, and the other might barely retain vision.
It was then I realized I was born as a human good-luck charm, or maybe a voodoo doll. I used my secret abilities to take on the Campbell family's misfortunes.
Dylan thought it was some kind of miracle, completely unaware that I had "absorbed" his eye condition.
第4章
When Sharon had a car accident and needed an amputation, I got her a prosthetic.
When Jason suffered from serious liver, kidney disease, and a stroke due to high blood pressure, he miraculously recovered.
They thought they were lucky, never realizing that I was the one carrying the burden. Reflecting on the past four years, I could only laugh at the irony.
6
I told myself to give them one more chance, as a way to repay them for raising me.
"Maybe, just maybe, they don't stop caring about me. They're just preoccupied with feeling sorry for Ivy right now, that's all. They might change."
I counted the days, waiting for my leg burn to heal, but the Campbell family never came. The nurse looked at me sympathetically. "Miss, do you need to stay a few more days?"
I shook my head. "Call me a cab, please. I want to go home."
After all, if I kept waiting, all I'd get was being forgotten.
I returned home in my electric wheelchair, only to find the house full of people, celebrating something. My heart skipped with excitement. Were they planning a surprise for me?
As I entered, the room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at me. It was only then I realized that they weren't celebrating me. They were throwing a birthday party for Ivy.
Dylan gave an awkward smile to everyone and quickly wheeled me back to my room. On the way, I could still hear the murmurs.
"Why is the fake still living here?"
"Yeah, what's the point of keeping a sick person around?"
...
Dylan took me to my room. Before I could ask, he said, "Ivy mentioned that she hadn't celebrated her birthday in over 20 years. She said she was always envious that you had birthday parties, so... we decided to throw one for her."
He said more lightly, "Besides, you don't really like crowds, so it's better you don't attend."
"I don't like crowds?
Ever since I turned 18 and lost most of my vision, the Campbell family never threw me a big birthday party. It was always just a family meal, and they would claim, 'You don't like crowds.'
I used to not care, but looking back, I realized that wasn't true.
They were just ashamed of me.
7
After what felt like forever, the birthday party ended, and the house grew quiet.
One by one, they came to my room. Ivy begrudgingly handed me a slice of cake, speaking rudely, "Did I owe you in a past life or something? You took my parents and brother for so many years, and now that I'm finally back, you ruin my happiest moments every time! What do you want from me?
"Last time, you interrupted the family photo and made me go to the hospital for burns! I still have a scar on my hand because of you!
"This time, I even changed the date of my birthday just for you, but you still ruined it! And now you're pretending to be pitiful. Are you trying to say that Mom, Dad, and Dylan mistreat you?"
I shook my head. "My return date was set long ago. Who really chose this date, Ivy? I think you know better than anyone."
Ivy, furious, turned to Sharon and Jason. "Mom, Dad, please just agree with me. I've already found a great nursing home for her! Everyone there is like her. She'll fit in perfectly!"
第5章
Jason and Sharon sighed but didn't agree.
Dylan also shook his head. "The facility you found is way too far."
Ivy didn't expect everyone to refuse her. She was livid. "Am I the real child, or is she? Why are you so attached to a cripple?"
Finally, Jason spoke up, "Don't bring this up again. No matter what, Naomi has been our child for over 20 years. She's also our daughter."
Sharon nodded in agreement. "Yes."
8
Ivy stormed out in a huff.
Jason and Sharon didn't say anything more to me, quickly following Ivy. Dylan sighed. "Ivy just wants love. Go ahead and eat your cake. I'll check on them."
I looked at the cake on the table, thinking about what Jason had just said. It made me feel a lot better, and that was enough. I started to move my wheelchair to find Jason and Sharon. I was willing to go to the facility.
As I reached their bedroom door, I overheard voices inside.
Ivy, her voice full of tears, was saying, "Why do you have to keep her? Didn't you say you couldn't stand her, that she was disgusting? Were you lying to me? Do you actually like her more? What's next, you want me to donate my eyes and organs to her?"
Jason sighed. "That's not it!"
But Ivy cried even louder. "Then why?"
Sharon sighed. "It's all for the sake of our reputation. The last time she got sick, your dad and I thought something was off, so we secretly did some tests. It turns out she's not our child at all! We quickly registered the DNA, and that's why you were a match and found us!
"We wanted to kick her out as soon as you came back, but then she coughed up blood. If we kicked her out now, what would people think of us?"
Jason nodded. "Ivy, this is all for the sake of our image. If we kick her out, she won't survive a year, and everyone will call us heartless. We've spent so much money building this reputation as philanthropists. We can't let her ruin that."
A sharp pain struck my chest, and I couldn't breathe. I fell out of my wheelchair, which rolled and knocked over a vase, making a loud noise that alerted everyone.
9
In the chaos that followed, Dylan was the first to rush out of his room. He quickly lifted me and set me down on the sofa. I was breathing heavily. "My chest really hurts. I think it's my heart. Dylan, call an ambulance."
Dylan was about to agree when Ivy, along with Jason and Sharon, came rushing over. She snatched the phone from Dylan's hand. "Dylan, don't call."
Dylan was frantic. "This is a matter of life and death..."
Ivy scoffed. "She's faking it. Can't you see? The last time she went to the hospital for burns, they checked her thoroughly. Nothing was wrong. How could she suddenly have a heart condition? Yesterday, I felt a pain in my chest too, but I'm still fine!
"Honestly, we should kick her out right now. People who fake being sick deserve to be thrown out and cut off. And if she really does have heart disease, that just means she's weak and will die here sooner or later. Then people will accuse me of killing her as soon as I came home. How am I supposed to live with that?"
第6章
Jason and Sharon were still hesitating. Ivy, sensing this was her only chance, dropped to her knees. "Mom, Dad, she overheard everything we said! What if she listens in again and leaks our business secrets? You have to act decisively, or this will only spiral out of control!
"Dylan, please help me! I'm your real sister!"
...
After Ivy's constant instigating, Jason finally nodded. "Open the door and let her leave."
As Jason said those words, I struggled to get into my wheelchair. Dylan looked like he wanted to stop me, but Sharon held him back.
As I reached the door, I looked back at the Campbell family. There wasn't a trace of hesitation or guilt in me. I was giving all the pain back to them. Just as I crossed the threshold, I heard someone fall inside, followed by gasps of shock.
"Ivy! What happened? Don't scare us like this!"
10
At the same time, the excruciating pain in my heart suddenly disappeared. It seemed my "heart condition" had returned to Ivy, since I hadn't suffered for long.
The days of suffering and being sick on behalf of the Campbell family were over.
Dylan carried Ivy to the car while Jason called the hospital and got in. Sharon, however, stormed over to me and slapped me hard across the face. "Ivy was right about you. You're a curse!
"Ivy must be suffering because of you! Did you know about her heart condition and provoke her on purpose, pretending to have your own heart issues? If we had taken you to the hospital, we would have missed her episode! You're so cruel!"
I wiped the blood from my split lip and smiled. "You're wrong. If you hadn't thrown me out, Ivy wouldn't be in trouble at all."
Sharon didn't understand what I meant. Dylan stopped the car in front of me and, seeing my swollen cheek, couldn't help but lift me into the car. "Let's get you checked at the hospital too. Your heart's been bothering you, right?"
Sharon was still thinking about what I had said, too puzzled to say anything more.
Jason, however, was visibly upset. "Why are we even bothering with her? Hasn't she caused us enough trouble?"
Dylan stepped on the gas and left the villa. After a long silence, he finally said, "Let's just get her checked out. Consider it the last time."
After that, no one objected.
I didn't think it mattered anyway. I was perfectly healthy, so taking me to the hospital was just for show. I was curious about how Jason and Sharon would react when they found out the truth. And even more curious about how furious Ivy would be when she woke up to discover she had a serious heart condition.
So I didn't argue.
11
The villa wasn't far from the hospital, and we arrived in less than ten minutes. Jason had called ahead, so the emergency staff was already waiting for us.
Everyone rushed Ivy into the exam room, completely forgetting about me. It was the staff who eventually helped me into a wheelchair.
I wheeled myself into the room just in time to hear the doctor say, "It's an acute heart attack. The condition is critical, and we need to operate immediately."
Sharon stumbled back a few steps, nearly collapsing.
Jason, however, remained much calmer, already on the phone with a specialist he knew, trying to gather more information.