Pig Farm True Heiress

1 I was famous across our rural countryside for two things: my striking looks and my utterly unyielding temper. During the summer after high school graduation, a group of pampered rich kids arrived in our small farming town for some "rural life experience." The ringleader of the group was a blonde heiress who pinched her delicate nose, wrinkled her brow, and sneered at my family’s farm. "Why are there filthy, stinking pigs here? How am I supposed to stay a soft, fragrant fairy princess in a dump like this?" She turned her glares toward me. "Hey, pig-girl! I’m giving you half a day to get rid of every single one of these beasts." I didn't even blink. "Are you out of your mind?" Her face instantly flushed bright red. She stomped her designer heels, shrieking like a spoiled brat. "How dare a peasant talk back to me?! I want you to slash your own ugly face right now and kneel down to apologize!" "Otherwise, I’ll have my parents buy this land and tear this dump to the ground!" She gestured wildly, and her group of silver-spoon lackeys immediately surged forward to surround me. Just as I prepared to bolt, the smallest piglet in the pen met my gaze through the wooden slats. [Don't run! Piggy knows the truth! You're the real rich heiress who got swapped at birth! That fake fairy princess is an imposter!] … I froze dead in my tracks, wondering if the trauma of farm work had finally driven me insane. Since when could pigs speak human language? Before I could process the surreal voice in my head, the lackeys closed in. The tallest guy reached out, grabbing me roughly by the collar. I instinctively dodged to the side, but he snatched a long-handled wooden feed ladle resting against the trough and slammed it straight onto the back of my head. Black spots danced across my vision. My knees buckled, and I crashed heavily into the dirt. They dragged me out of the pen into the open yard. Kate, the spoiled heiress, bent down and pinched my chin with manicured nails. "You really thought you could defy me?" she hissed. "Nobody speaks to me like that. A filthy creature like you doesn't deserve a face like this." "I’m going to ruin it right now so you can never show yourself in public again!" She grabbed a sharp piece of gravel from the ground and lowered it toward my cheek. The jagged edge gleamed coldly in the sunlight, less than two inches from my left eye. I reached back with a trembling hand, feeling thick, warm blood coating the back of my scalp. I was too dizzy to push her off. Just as the stone came rushing down, a sudden force shoved Kate backward. My younger brother stood over me, glaring nervously at my face. "Don't touch her face!" he yelled. "Dad said we need her looks to secure a massive dowry from the town butcher!" Kate stumbled, barely catching her balance. Her face contorted with rage as she pointed a manicured finger at us. "You savage hillbillies!" My brother picked his ear casually. "Get lost." Kate was ready to explode, but my adoptive father came running out from the barn, placing himself protectively in front of my brother. He glares sternly at the wealthy girl's furious face. Kate trembled with rage, but realizing she was outnumbered on local turf, she swallowed her anger. Then her eyes drifted over to the shivering little piglet huddled in the corner of the pen, and a cruel spark lit up her eyes. "Well, that piglet looks soft and clean. I bet it'll taste delicious roasted." She turned to her lackeys. "Slaughter it! I want suckling pig for dinner tonight!" The piglet in the pen shook violently, pressing itself into the fence corner, its tiny hooves trembling on the mud. Its dark, bead-like eyes locked onto mine, filled with raw terror and desperate pleading. Then, a sharp, clear squeak echoed directly inside my brain. [Save Piggy, big sister! Piggy can help you reclaim your true family so you don't get sold off for a dowry!] My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. Real family? If I found my real parents, I could go to college. I wouldn't be forced into an arranged marriage to line my adoptive family's pockets! A sudden surge of adrenaline surged through my veins. I turned, leaped over the wooden fence, scooped the trembling piglet into my arms, and took off running for my life. Behind me, Kate’s hysterical shrieks cut through the farm air. "Catch her! Bring me that pig and drag that peasant back here!" A dozen heavy, chaotic footsteps thundered behind me, accompanied by furious curses. But I knew every alley, ditch, and shortcut in this town. After ducking through a dozen sharp turns, the shouts behind me finally faded into the distance. I slumped against a stone wall, catching my breath. But before I could even wipe the sweat from my brow, I ran right into my adoptive grandmother. She dropped her basket of beans, her withered fingers digging into my arm like iron claws. Pain shot up my elbow. "Brenda, you worthless brat!" she bellowed. "Instead of feeding the livestock, you're running around slacking off?! Why did you steal that piglet? Were you planning to slaughter it and eat it yourself?!" Her shrill voice echoed down the dirt road, acting like a beacon for the group chasing me. Within seconds, a dozen richly dressed teenagers rounded the corner, storming toward us. Seeing the crowd of wealthy city kids, my grandmother’s wrinkled face instantly melted into a subservient, fawning grin. Her spine bent low. "Well hello, honored guests! Is there anything this old woman can do for you rich folks?" Before she could finish, Kate stomped up, out of breath, looking disheveled and furious. "Get out of my way, you filthy old hag!" Kate snarled. "That little thief ruined my clothes! I want her on her knees begging for mercy! Then slaughter that pig, roast it, and serve it to me on a platter!" My grandmother’s small, calculating eyes narrowed into slits. She rubbed her gnarled fingers together, her dry lips stretching into a greedy grin. "Of course, young lady! But... how much is that worth to you?" Kate let out a sneer of utter contempt. She reached into her designer handbag, pulled out a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills, and tossed them carelessly into the air. "Is that enough? Now beat her up for me!" My grandmother’s eyes went wide. She dropped to her knees, scrambling through the dirt to gather every last bill, shoving them frantically into her apron pocket. She straightened up, turning her gaze onto me. The brown-nosing smile vanished, replaced by pure ferocity. "Did you hear the young lady?! Hand over the pig, Brenda! Don't ruin our family's payday!" She reached out to snatch the piglet from my arms, her sharp fingernails scratching a bloody streak across my cheek. The piglet squealed in terror, thrashing its tiny legs wildly in my arms. The frantic voice cried out in my head again. [Piggy's grandpa pig saw it years ago! Your adoptive mother brought you back from the city when you were a baby!] My eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, I hugged the piglet tightly against my chest. "Grandma, no! If we raise this pig, it'll be worth way more money later! You can't kill it now!" My grandmother’s face darkened. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and delivered a harsh slap across my face. "You stubborn brat! You dare talk back to me?!" The blow forced my head to the side, my cheek burning like fire. I spat out a mouthful of blood, squeezed my eyes shut, and played my final card. "I’ll agree to marry the wealthy butcher’s son! But only if I get to keep this piglet as my personal property!" The local butcher was offering a fifty-thousand-dollar dowry to marry me off to his half-witted son. My grandmother had been dying to get her hands on that money for months, but I had fought it tooth and nail, even running to the local police station twice to report them. Now, I was giving in. My grandmother froze, her jaw dropping before a wide, greedy grin spread across her face. She turned around, waving her hand at Kate dismissively. "Sorry, little miss. The pig stays. It’s worth fifty grand now." Kate flushed with humiliation, pointing a manicured finger at my face. "You disgusting country trash! Filthy, poor, and cheap! You literally sold yourself for fifty grand!" I didn't utter a word. I just clutched the piglet closer, my nails digging into my palms until they bled. Fearing I might change my mind, my grandmother shoved me roughly toward our house. "Get going! Stop embarrassing us out here!" I bolted back home, pushing open the squeaky wooden door to find my adoptive mother resting in bed, looking pale and feverish. [That's her! Piggy's grandpa was right!] the piglet squeaked excitedly in my arms. [She worked as a live-in nanny in the city when she was young! When she brought you back, you were wearing a golden wave-patterned locket around your neck!] I sat on a rickety chair by the bed, my knuckles turning white as I gripped my jeans. "Mom... when you worked as a nanny in the city eighteen years ago... did you swap me with your boss's baby?" My adoptive mother, who had been leaning weakly against the headboard, froze. Her dull eyes opened wide in utter horror. She scrambled up in panic, her elbow knocking against her pillow. A small, golden locket slid out from underneath the fabric. The piglet wriggled frantically in my arms, almost tumbling out of my grip. [That's it! That's the golden locket! Look closely at the back, there's a tiny hidden mechanism!] I snatched the golden locket before my adoptive mother could reach it. My fingers traced the intricate edge until I felt a microscopic seam. I pressed down firmly. A faint red light flickered from the center. My heart leaped into my throat. I clamped my hand around the locket and shoved it deep into my pocket. My adoptive mother opened her mouth, but no words came out. She simply turned her face away, leaving me with her pale, guilty profile. There was no need to ask anything else. Her reaction confirmed everything. Right then, Kate’s sharp, impatient voice echoed from the front yard. "Brenda! You got mud all over my clothes earlier! Get out here and wash them right now!" I pushed the door open and stepped outside. Kate glanced at my mud-stained hands and let out a disdainful scoff. "Look at how filthy you are. Who knows what kind of bacteria you're carrying? You're not worthy of touching my designer clothes. Scrub your hands clean first!" The moment she finished speaking, her two lackeys grabbed my arms, shoving my hands forcefully into a bucket of boiling water my grandmother had just prepped for farm work. Scalding heat hit my skin instantly. Sharp, agonizing pain exploded through my hands, making my whole body violently shudder. I instinctively tried to pull back. But the two guys clamped down on my wrists like iron vises, pinning me in place. Kate stood three paces away, arms crossed, tilting her head as she admired my reddening hands in the steaming bucket. "Does it feel nice? I’m helping you sanitize, you know. You should be thanking me." Every muscle in my body strained against their grip. My fingers throbbed painfully in the hot water, tiny blisters already forming on the surface of my skin. I gritted my teeth, raised my chin, and stared directly into Kate’s arrogant eyes. "What if one day... you discover that you’re actually the filthy country trash you look down on so much? What will you do then?" Kate frowned in disgust, letting out an amused laugh. "Are you delusional? People are born into their status. I was born noble, destined for luxury." "And you? You were born worthless. You belong in the mud, feeding pigs and serving others for the rest of your pathetic life." Just as the words left her mouth, the phone in her designer bag rang. She glanced at the screen, answering it with a careless, confident smile. But whatever the person on the other end said caused her smile to freeze instantly. Her face flushed crimson, and she screamed into the receiver, "What do you mean?! I am the only daughter in this family! Where the hell did a younger sister come from?!" Her expression twisted into pure rage. She slammed the phone off and hurled it directly at my face. The heavy smartphone struck my forehead, leaving a painful, throbbed red mark. Yet, despite the pain, a slow smile broke across my lips. A younger sister? If Kate knew that the "long-lost daughter" her parents were searching for was standing right in front of her, being tormented by her hands... And that she was nothing more than an imposter living on stolen time... I wondered what kind of face she would make. Seeing my smile, Kate completely lost her mind. She shrieked, raising her sharp designer heel and kicking me viciously in the leg. Pain flared through my knee, making my vision go dark. I lost my balance and crashed hard into the damp earth. But she wasn't done. She stepped forward, using her mud-caked heel to press down on the back of my head, shoving my face directly into the cold, foul mud. Wet dirt filled my mouth and nose, suffocating my breathing with a metallic, earthy stench. I clawed wildly at the ground, but my fingers only found cold, rotting slush. Kate towered over me, applying more weight to her heel, grinding my face deeper into the dirt. "Laugh! Why aren't you laughing now?!" "Let me tell you something! Even if my parents really found some long-lost brat, she won't take a single thing away from me!" "As for you, a filthy pig-girl, you’ll never rise above the gutter!" Cold sweat drenched my spine, my throat choking on mud. Kate finally lifted her foot, wiping off imaginary dust from her hands. She looked around the yard, her shrill voice echoing. "Where did that little piglet go?! I’m going to have it slaughtered and roasted right now!" "When my parents get here, forget fifty thousand dollars. Even if it costs half a million, I can afford it!" Two lackeys dragged the squealing piglet out from the house. Tears dripped from its tiny dark eyes. I let out a muffled roar, trying with everything I had to crawl toward it. But the two guys pinned my shoulders to the ground, trapping me completely. Kate didn't care about the dirt this time. She picked up a rusted, muddy cleaver resting on the wooden bench. She pressed the cold edge of the blade against the piglet’s thin leg. Just as she prepared to swing it down... The deafening roar of a luxury car engine thundered from the dirt road, coming to a sudden halt right outside our wooden gate. Kate panicked, dropping the cleaver to the ground. Released from the pressure, I dragged myself forward, scooping the terrified piglet back into my arms, tears finally spilling past my mud-stained cheeks. All my life, I had never been able to protect anything I cared about. Not my childhood toys, not the food in my bowl, not even my right to go to school without relying on charity. But this time, I had saved it. The piglet raised its tiny hoof, awkwardly trying to wipe the tears from my cheeks. [Don't cry, big sister! When you were brought to this family as a baby, you had a tiny crescent birthmark on your collarbone! Show your real parents when they walk in!] The heavy car doors opened. An elegantly dressed man and woman stepped out, panic etched across their faces. The wealthy woman rushed straight toward Kate, her hands trembling. "Kate! Have you seen a girl your age in this town?" "Your father and I tracked the signal on your lost sister's golden locket. It shows she's right here in this village!" My heart hammered against my ribs. I made a move to step forward. Suddenly, my adoptive mother rushed out from the house, grabbed my arm, dragged me roughly back inside the dark hallway, and clamped her hand tightly over my mouth. Kate pouted, staying silent. Just then, my adoptive grandmother walked into the yard carrying a bundle of firewood. The wealthy woman rushed over, grabbing her hands desperately. "Ma'am, do you have an eighteen-year-old granddaughter living here?" My grandmother’s eyes flickered with greed, but she shook her head dismissively. "No, no such girl here." The woman’s face paled with deep disappointment. She turned, preparing to leave. In that fleeting second, I snapped. I bit down hard on my adoptive mother’s hand. The moment she cried out and loosened her grip, I burst through the door into the sunlight. Because I ran so fast, my collar slipped, exposing the crescent birthmark on my collarbone. The golden locket tumbled out of my pocket, landing with a crisp metallic click on the stone path. The wealthy couple froze. Their eyes turned blood-red with emotion as they rushed toward me, wrapping me in a fierce, trembling embrace. "Our baby girl... We finally found you..." Meanwhile, Kate stood frozen in place, her arrogant facade completely shattering.