The True Heiress Talks to Cats

Two months after my billionaire biological parents brought me back from the sticks, Tiffany, the adopted heiress, decided it was time to make her move. She stood in the middle of the living room in tears, clutching a ruined haute couture gown slashed to ribbons. "Aria, I know I’m just adopted. I could never compare to you," she sobbed. "If you hate me, you can hit me or yell at me. But why did you have to destroy the birthday gift Mom and Dad got for me?" Dad, Mom, and Julian immediately looked at her with heartbroken eyes before turning their glares on me, furious. Thinking fast, I threw myself forward, dropped to my knees in front of Tiffany, and wrapped my arms around her legs. "Tiffany, I know you grew up with Mom and Dad! You've had all their love, and you don’t want an outsider like me intruding on your life!" I wailed, tears streaming down my face. "I’m just an uncultured girl from the trailer park. How could I ever compete with you? I’ll take the blame for framing me if you want, but please, throw away the shears you used to cut up the dress, okay? I bruise so easily! I’ll do whatever you say, just please don't hurt me anymore!" Mom and Dad instantly noticed the fresh, bleeding cut on my arm. Seconds later, a search of Tiffany’s room uncovered the exact shears—still stained with tiny flecks of blood. Listening to our parents' disappointed sighs, Tiffany froze. Her eyes went wide as she stammered, "I didn’t do it! This psycho is framing me!" The shears were literally found inside Tiffany’s private suite. As the family’s golden child, Tiffany had biometric locks on her bedroom door. Nobody could slip inside without her knowing. And those shears clearly had droplets of blood on the blade. Before my tears could dry, I struck while the iron was hot. "Dad, Mom, please don’t be mad at Tiffany. I’m happy to give her my dress. As long as she accepts me, taking a little pain doesn't matter. Besides, my dress was just a hand-me-down she didn't want anyway, so it’ll definitely fit her. I can just wear my old clothes to the gala tonight." Dad and Mom looked at me, a flicker of guilt crossing their faces. "Aria, you’re such a good girl," Mom murmured. Just a good girl. That was it. Dad turned to Tiffany, his voice stern. "Tiffany, we have spoiled you rotten! Apologize to Aria right now, and don't you dare lay a hand on her again. Do you hear me?" Tiffany clenched her fists, aggrieved. "Dad, Mom, I swear I didn’t hurt Aria! She cut her own arm!" As soon as her voice rose, I shrank back in pure terror, ducking my head. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I said the wrong thing! Tiffany didn't hurt me—" Dad cleared his throat. "Tiffany, if you didn’t do it, whose blood is on those shears? We understand you're feeling insecure, but you will always be our beloved daughter. Stop acting out like this. A designer dress is just money; it doesn’t matter that it’s ruined. Go put on Aria’s gown now so we aren't late for the gala." Upstairs in the suite, Mom personally stripped the designer gown off my body and helped Tiffany zip it up. Meanwhile, I was left to put on my faded, frayed flannel shirt. Wait a second. Didn't I just win this round of petty warfare? How did the villain who tried to frame me end up wearing the glamorous couture while I looked like a stray? When I walked downstairs, Julian had just arrived from the Sterling Group headquarters. The moment he saw my ragged clothes, his expression darkened. "Didn't Tiffany give you some of her old clothes? Who are you trying to embarrass by dressing like a hobo?" Mom and Dad quickly explained what had happened. Julian’s gaze remained icy. "Tiffany was out of line, but don't hold a petty grudge over it, Aria. If you hadn't suddenly shown up, Tiffany never would've acted out of fear of losing our love." Figures. How could a single victory erase ten years of unconditional devotion? Dad and Mom probably felt the exact same way—they just weren't as blunt as Julian. Keep calm. The war has only just begun. Right then, Pumpkin, the massive orange tomcat of the estate, hopped into my lap. "Meow." "Tiffany is digging up dirt on your past. She wants to ruin you at the gala tonight." "Meow." "Don't worry, I’ve got dirt on her too." "Meow." "When are you taking me back to the countryside so I can catch real fish...?" Thirty minutes ago, Tiffany had been losing her mind. She couldn’t figure out how I knew about the shears, or why there was blood on them. She had swept her entire suite with a bug detector, shrieking, "No cameras! The security system wasn’t bypassed! How the hell did she pull this off? Did a ghost do it?!" Meanwhile, Pumpkin had been lounging nearby, licking his paw and rolling his eyes at her. Surprise, fake heiress. I can talk to cats.To build her sweet, angelic persona on Ins, Tiffany had adopted a whole squad of cats. In reality, they were nothing more than props for her photo ops. Off-camera, she dumped them on a maid who despised animals. It wasn't until I arrived that they finally got a decent meal. Naturally, they became my most loyal little soldiers. "Meow." "Barnaby and Jax snuck into her room. They're gathering the evidence..." An hour later, we arrived at the grand ballroom of the St. Regis for the birthday gala. Years ago, after I was lost, my parents adopted Tiffany, who was born on the exact same day. Tonight was supposed to be a joint celebration for both of us. Yet every banner, photo wall, and the towering tier-cake only bore one name: Tiffany Sterling. Before walking in, Julian pulled me aside, his voice cold. "Keep your head down and don't cause trouble. The family company is going through a critical public restructuring. We cannot afford any negative PR. If you humiliate the Sterling name, don't blame us for putting family ties aside and kicking you out." I nodded with textbook obedience. "I understand, Julian. I’m new here and I know I can't compare to Tiffany. I’ll stay invisible." Julian frowned with annoyance. "It has nothing to do with seniority. If Tiffany messes up, we discipline her too. But she’s used to high society. She knows how to behave. She won't embarrass us." Translation: "You're trash, and you don't belong here." Well, fair enough. Holding an insanely skinny orange cat and wearing a washed-out shirt, I stuck out like a sore thumb in the gilded ballroom. Neither my parents nor Julian bothered to introduce me to anyone. Pumpkin let out an angry hiss. "Meow!" "They only threw this party for Tiffany! They just brought you along for the free buffet!" "Meow." "Barnaby says Tiffany is making rounds introducing you right now, though." "Meow." "Oh crap! Photos of you as a kid digging through fast-food dumpsters and getting chased by stray dogs have already been leaked!" My stomach dropped. "Wait, where did she get those?" "Meow." "Jax says she bought them from your awful foster parents." Right on cue, Tiffany glided over, surrounded by an entourage of trust-fund snobs. She grabbed my arm with exaggerated warmth. "Everyone, this is my sister, Aria. She recently came back to the family. Feel free to introduce yourselves and make her feel welcome!" The very next second, sneers and snide comments rained down on me. "So the long-lost Sterling heiress still goes by her foster name? Why hasn't she changed it?" "Who'd bother changing it for her? Her name isn't even on the birthday cake! Look at her—she looks like a homeless beggar who snuck in through the kitchen." "I heard she's a vicious animal abuser. No wonder the family treats her like an outcast. If it weren't for blood, they never would have taken her back..." Vicious? Cruel? Animal abuser? I turned to Tiffany with wide, horrified eyes. "Tiffany... what did you tell them?" Tiffany put on a face of pure innocence. "I have no idea what they're talking about! Aria, did you do something bad behind Mom and Dad's back? You need to confess right now so our PR team can handle it! If this hurts the family business, it’ll be a disaster!" Before she finished speaking, a girl in a couture dress stormed over and snatched Pumpkin out of my arms. "Aria, you are banned from touching pets!" the girl snapped. "You tortured stray dogs as a kid, and you brought that sick habit to the Sterling estate! Tiffany raised these cats with so much love, and you starved them until they were skin and bones! You’re disgusting!"Damn. If you can’t find dirt, you just fabricate it, huh? Getting chased by a stray dog as a poor kid was spun into "lifelong animal cruelty." And when I bought medication to nurse these neglected, starving cats back to health, Tiffany maliciously took out-of-context stills from the hallway cameras to "prove" I was hurting them. With her paid trolls fanning the flames on Twitter, the headline "#SterlingHeiressExposedAsAnimalAbuser" was already trending. Surrounded by disgusted murmurs, the commotion quickly drew Julian over. "Aria, didn't I tell you to keep a low profile?" Julian barked. "What kind of scene are you making now?" Tiffany immediately stepped in front of Julian, playing the protective martyr. "Julian, please don’t be mad at her! It’s all my fault for not watching over her..." Her eyes welled with tears as she dramatically tried to hide her phone. Julian snatched it from her hands. After scrolling for two seconds, his face flushed red with rage. "Aria!" "I warned you not to drag our name through the mud! Look at what you’ve done!" "The Sterling family is an empire, not some trashy trailer park! We will not tolerate a vicious monster like you. I’m having Mom and Dad issue a public statement disowning you tonight. Pack your bags and get the hell out!" Before I could speak, Tiffany burst into tears. "Aria only came home a month ago! How could you kick her out, Julian? Please forgive her just this once! She has Sterling blood! She’s Mom and Dad’s real daughter!" Julian shot me a look of pure disgust. "Actions have consequences. I don't care who it is—if someone threatens the Sterling reputation and bottom line, they’re gone!" Tiffany dabbed at her eyes, wearing a look of helpless sorrow, and reached out to hold my trembling hand. Just as she opened her mouth to play the saint, I let out a loud, gut-wrenching wail. "Tiffany, stop defending me!" I cried. "I know I’m their biological daughter, but you’re the one they actually love! I’ll gladly take the blame for you and leave!" Tiffany’s sweet facade slipped for a fraction of a second. "Aria, what are you babbling about? You abused the cats! What do you mean you're taking the blame for me?" I cowered in theatrical terror, trembling from head to toe. "Right, right! I'm talking crazy! I moved into the mansion a week ago, so of course it was me who starved all nine cats into walking skeletons! All those healed scars and old cigarette burns on their skin? All me! I'm a monster! I’ll leave right now—" As I sobbed hysterically, Pumpkin bolted back to me, followed by eight other cats darting across the ballroom floor. They circled my ankles, purring frantically and rubbing against my jeans. Brittany, the girl who had snatched Pumpkin, froze. She knelt down and examined the cat’s coat and scars. "Wait a minute..." Brittany muttered. "If Aria only moved in a week ago, there’s no way she could have starved these cats down to this state. And these scars... some of them are months, even years old. Besides, abused animals are terrified of their abusers. Why are they clinging to Aria like she's their savior?" Tiffany panicked, her voice cracking slightly. "I... it must be a misunderstanding! Everyone, please stop questioning Aria. We’ll figure this out at home. Let’s get the cats out of here so they don’t disturb the guests." Tiffany reached down aggressively to shoo the cats away. The second her hand moved, all nine cats arched their backs, hissed violently, and scrambled behind my legs, trembling in sheer terror. The sheer horror they felt toward Tiffany was undeniable. Her face drained of all color. "What... what is happening?" Brittany stood up, glaring at Tiffany with open suspicion. "Tiffany, were "you" the one abusing them? I only became friends with you because of your cute pet posts years ago. But you haven't posted them in ages! Every time I asked to visit them at your place, you made up excuses. What were you hiding?" Tiffany’s eyes went wild. She couldn't come up with an excuse. In a panic, she grabbed my arm. "Aria, what did you do to them? Why are they acting terrified of me? They were playing in my suite just this afternoon!" I didn't answer. Instead, I shook like a leaf, matching the cats' terrified energy. "Tiffany, did I say something wrong? I’m sorry, please don't hit me!" Just as the words left my mouth, one of the smaller cats limped forward, positioning itself defensively in front of me. A folded document that had been lightly stuck to its fur fluttered to the floor. It was an official investigation report showing Tiffany’s Ivy League diploma had been completely bought and fabricated—a secret she had kept hidden even from Mom, Dad, and Julian. Tiffany lunged to rip the paper to shreds, but Julian snatched it out of the air first. He stared at the paper, his voice shaking. "Tiffany... what else have you been doing behind our backs? You lied to your own family?""No, Julian! It’s not true!" "You have to believe me! Aria is setting me up!" No matter what Tiffany screamed, nobody bought it. The trembling cats, my tear-stained face, the forged papers—the evidence was indisputable. Tiffany’s excuses sounded pathetic. I swallowed my fake tears, reached out, and grabbed Tiffany’s hand. "I’m sorry, Tiffany! Mom, Dad, and Julian love you the most. I was ready to take the fall for you so they wouldn't be hurt! It’s all my fault for misspeaking... I didn't stop the cats in time, and now your animal abuse is exposed... Hit me, please! It’s all my fault!" Tiffany’s eyes turned bloodshot. Her mask cracked completely. She looked ready to tear me limb from limb right there on the ballroom floor. The surrounding socialites looked at her with utter disgust. "Wow, Tiffany Sterling is a total psycho." "Well, she isn't an actual Sterling, is she? God knows what kind of trashy blood runs in her veins." "Abusing defenseless animals is sick enough, but framing her newly returned sister? Karma is real..." Tiffany opened her mouth, but not a single sound came out. Seeing her look so utterly helpless, Julian’s rational anger began to crumble into pity. He cleared his throat and stepped in front of her. "I know Tiffany's character best. There must be some kind of—" Before he could say the word "misunderstanding", I threw myself between them, crying out, "Julian! Tiffany made a mistake and hurt the family name, but she’s lived with you for over ten years! Could you really bear to kick her out?" My wails made Julian’s expression freeze. The surrounding guests immediately scoffed. "Funny how Mr. Sterling was ready to disown his biological sister without blinking, but the second the adopted golden child commits fraud and abuse, he's making excuses." "How touching. Cold-blooded to his own flesh and blood, but hopelessly devoted to a charity case." "Guess the rot in the Sterling family starts from the top..." Julian was backed into a corner. If he didn't publicly cut ties with Tiffany right now, the family business would suffer catastrophic backlash. Yet Tiffany, slumped on the floor, let out one single, agonizing cry: "Julian..." That was all it took. Julian’s heart softened completely, and he shielded her anyway. "Everyone, there has clearly been a misunderstanding. Once I investigate this thoroughly, I will release a public statement on Tiffany's behalf..." The gala was ruined before it even started. Guests walked out in droves. Back at the Sterling estate, the air was suffocating. "Tiffany, forging a degree is bad enough, but abusing animals?" Dad’s voice cracked with deep disappointment. "We can accept that you aren't the brightest, but how could your morals be this rotten?" Tiffany glared daggers at me, weeping hysterically. "Dad, Mom, I didn't abuse them! It was the maid! I'll make her pay, I swear! And Aria—she planned this whole thing to destroy me!" Julian cut in coldly, "Enough! We blindly trusted you because of our bias against Aria, but that doesn't excuse your behavior! You were the one who tried to frame her first!" Seeing Tiffany rendered speechless, I dabbed my eyes and said softly, "Tiffany, just admit it. Don't make Dad and Julian even angrier. If you didn't abuse the cats, why did you wipe all the security footage from the hallway cameras beforehand?" Driven to madness, Tiffany lunged forward and grabbed me by the collar. "Shut up! I deleted the footage of you treating the cats so people would think you were hurting them! I only did it so you couldn't prove your innocence—" Before she could finish, Julian grabbed her arm and ripped her off me. "Tiffany!" Julian roared. "So you admit you were deliberately framing Aria? You risked the entire Sterling reputation just for that?" Mom and Dad sighed heavily, leaning back on the sofa, and summoned the head butler. "From now on, Tiffany is confined to the estate. She is not allowed to leave without our explicit permission." Dad looked at Julian. "Julian, take the company divisions Tiffany was managing and hand them over to Aria. Let Aria run them." In that instant, Tiffany snapped completely. "No!" she shrieked. "My inheritance! My status! Why should I give anything to this filthy charity case from the gutter?!"