Poor Girl Discovered Her True Identity, Gaining Three Brothers and the Love She Deserved
Part 1: The Promise in the Mud
The mud in Willow Creek Village had a way of clinging to everything it touched, but on the morning her parents left, six-year-old Ellie Shaw only cared about the grease-stained tires of the long-distance bus. Rain poured in grey, relentless sheets, blurring the exhaust fumes into a ghostly mist.
“Mom, Dad, don’t go!” Ellie sobbed, her small plastic boots sinking deep into the clay. She reached out with little hands, her red canvas jacket already soaked through.
Her mother, Sarah, knelt in the sludge, ignoring the dirt ruining her only presentable trousers. She took Ellie’s tiny, freezing fingers into her warm palms. “Be a good girl, Ellie. Listen to Grandma at home. We’re going to the city to make a real living. We’ll be back for the new year.”
“I can’t bear to be apart from you,” Ellie cried, her voice cracking against the roar of the bus engine. “Please let me go work in the city with you! I can carry things! I can clean!”
Her father, Arthur, stood behind Sarah, his face worn by years of failed harvests. He reached down and smoothed Ellie’s wet hair. “When we come back for you, we’ll take you to the city for good. Our whole family will stay together forever and always.”
Ellie wiped a mixture of tears and rain from her nose, looking up with wide, hopeful eyes. “Really? Let’s pinky swear.”
Sarah smiled through her own tears, locking her little finger with Ellie’s. “Okay. Whoever tells a lie will sink down to the bad place and never rise up again.”
The conductor yelled from the bus door, his voice sharp against the storm. Arthur pulled Sarah up. Ellie watched them step into the crowded, noisy vehicle. As the bus lumbered down the winding mountain pass, Ellie ran along the embankment, waving until the red taillights faded into the grey mist.
Three days later, the rain didn’t stop. It loosened the mountainside above the highway.
The news reached the village by evening: the long-distance bus had been swallowed whole by a massive landslide. There were no survivors.
Ellie stood under the eaves of her grandmother’s porch, clutching a worn wooden doll Arthur had carved for her. When the village chief brought the news, her grandmother collapsed onto the dirt floor. Ellie didn’t cry right away. She just stared out at the rain, her little heart waiting for the bad place to open up and swallow the liar who had broken the pinky swear.
Within two years, her grandmother passed away from grief and illness, leaving Ellie entirely alone. Her uncle, Clyde Lee, and his wife, Brenda, moved into the house under the guise of “taking care” of the orphan. In reality, they seized her parents’ small compensation fund and turned eight-year-old Ellie into an unpaid servant.
For ten years, Ellie’s life was defined by heavy buckets of well water, mountain firewood that cut into her shoulders, and the icy water she used to wash her aunt’s family’s laundry. While her cousin, Amy Miller, wore new clothes and spent her days studying, Ellie was forced to cook, clean, and chop wood before she was allowed to open her second-hand textbooks.
Yet, Ellie possessed a fierce, quiet intelligence. Through sheer willpower, studying late under the dim glow of a kerosene lamp, she scored at the top of her county on the national college entrance examination.
One humid afternoon, eighteen-year-old Ellie wiped sweat from her forehead as she carried a heavy basket of freshly washed clothes back from the river. As she neared the edge of the woods near the village entrance, she heard a faint, distressed groan.
Setting the basket down, Ellie rushed into the thicket. An elderly woman sat collapsed against the root of an old oak tree, clutching her chest, her face pale and damp with cold sweat.
“Auntie! Are you okay?” Ellie rushed to her side, kneeling in the dirt. She recognized the signs of severe heat stroke and heart distress from a health booklet she had read. Quickly, Ellie unbuttoned the woman’s collar, raised her head slightly, and pulled a bottle of fresh, cool spring water from her basket.
Ellie carefully trickled water onto the woman’s dry lips and fanned her gently with a large lotus leaf. She stayed by her side for nearly an hour, speaking softly to keep her conscious until the older woman’s breath stabilized and color slowly returned to her cheeks.
“Much better now,” the woman murmured, taking a deep breath. She looked at Ellie with sharp, perceptive eyes that belied her gentle appearance. “Thank you, young lady. Without you, I might have died out here in the wilderness.”
“It was nothing, Auntie,” Ellie said, offering a relieved smile as she stood up. She wiped her muddy hands on her apron. “If you’re all right, I should get going.”
“In such a hurry?” the woman asked kindly. “Going back to cook for your parents?”
Ellie’s smile wavered, a subtle shadow falling over her eyes. “My… my parents passed away a long time ago.”
The woman’s expression shifted, filled with a deep, quiet sympathy. “So, she’s an orphan,” she whispered to herself. “No wonder she has such capable hands.”
“I really have to hurry,” Ellie said, picking up her heavy basket. “If I’m late, my uncle and aunt will get angry again.”
Ellie ran all the way back to the village, her heart pounding. But as she approached her uncle’s courtyard, she heard loud, unfamiliar voices inside.
Standing near the gate was a sleek, black luxury sedan—a sight entirely alien to Willow Creek. Ellie peeked through the wooden fence and saw her Aunt Brenda whispering excitedly to an older, slickly dressed man wearing a heavy gold ring.
“So, this is her,” the man said, looking at a photograph of Ellie on Brenda’s phone. “Not bad looking, and a good figure. We can negotiate the price.”
“She’s been tough and resilient ever since she was little,” Brenda boasted, her voice dripping with greed. “I’m sure she’ll give birth to a big, healthy baby boy for your buyer. You have nothing to worry about.”
Ellie froze, the heavy basket slipping slightly in her hands. The blood in her veins ran cold as she realized what her family was planning to sell her into.
Part 2: The Contract of Blood and Ash
Ellie pushed open the rickety wooden gate, her jaw set, her fists clenched tight against her sides.
“Ellie! You’re just in time,” Aunt Brenda called out instantly, putting on a fake, sugary smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Your uncle just found you a great job in the city!”
Ellie stared directly at her aunt, ignoring the slick-looking broker standing by the porch. “A job? I just graduated from high school. I’m supposed to go to college. I checked with the village head today—my admission letter from Yun University arrived.”
Uncle Clyde stepped out from the doorway, holding a thick paper envelope. Without a word of hesitation, he ripped the envelope in half, then into tiny pieces, tossing them into the dirt.
“It’s just some no-name, worthless university!” Clyde barked, his face red from cheap liquor. “Studying there is useless! It costs money we don’t have!”
Ellie looked down at the shredded pieces of her dream scattered in the mud. “Even if you think it’s a no-name school, I still want to go! I earned that spot!”
“We brought you up for over a decade!” Brenda shouted, stepping up to glare at Ellie. “We’re not obliged to pay for your college! Now it’s time for you to repay us. Bear a child for a wealthy family in the city, and we’ll get 200,000 yuan! It’s such a wonderful job opportunity.”
Ellie felt a bitter laugh bubble up in her throat. “If it’s such a wonderful opportunity, why didn’t you recommend it to your own daughter, Amy, instead?”
Brenda’s face twisted in rage. She raised her hand as if to strike Ellie. “If we hadn’t adopted you, you would have starved to death ages ago! How dare you be so ungrateful!”
“All these years,” Ellie said, her voice shaking with years of suppressed pain, “I’ve been your family’s servant! Washing clothes, cooking, chopping firewood, carrying water from the river while Amy sat in her air-conditioned room! I’ve long since paid back whatever debt I owed you! You took the deposit money for this ‘job’—you figure out how to solve it!”
Ellie turned around to sprint out of the yard, but Clyde snapped his fingers. Two burly men who had been waiting outside the gate stepped forward, blocking her path.
“Hey! You’re not allowed to leave!” Clyde sneered, advancing on her. “I’ve already taken the money and spent half of it! If you want to leave, you’ll have to give birth to that child first!”
Cornered, Ellie grabbed a heavy wooden chopping axe resting against the firewood pile. She raised it in front of her, her arms trembling, her eyes burning with fierce determination.
“Don’t come any closer!” Ellie shouted, her voice echoing across the quiet village lane. “If you come any closer, I’ll destroy us both!”
The broker chuckled darkly, stepping behind the two hired thugs. “Blame your parents for dying early, little girl. Leaving you a helpless orphan with no one to back you up.”
“Oh? Is that so?” a cold, authoritative voice cut through the tension.
Every head turned toward the yard entrance. Three men in immaculate, dark suits stepped through the broken gate. Behind them walked a dozens-strong line of black SUVs blocking the narrow village road.
The man in the lead was towering, with sharp, aristocratic features and eyes like ice. Beside him stood a broader man with a intimidating aura, and behind them was a younger, highly refined man holding a encrypted satellite phone.
Uncle Clyde dropped his cigarette in terror, shrinking back. “Sir… sirs… we’re just honest farmers! We’ve never offended anyone! Are you sure you have the right people?”
The eldest son, Ethan Reed—though no one in Willow Creek knew his name—scanned the yard before his eyes settled on Clyde. “We’re looking for the people who reside here.”
Brenda immediately pointed a trembling finger at Ellie. “It must be Ellie! She’s always showing off and pretending to be a good person outside! She must be the one who offended you! Every grievance has a cause, every debt a debtor! If she’s in the wrong, go after her! This has nothing to do with us!”
“We are indeed here because of her,” Ethan said softly, taking a pair of leather gloves from his pocket. “But as for the trouble she’s in… all of you relatives are implicated. At best, you’ll lose everything you own. At worst… you’ll lose your limbs.”
Clyde fell to his knees, clutching his hands together in desperate prayer. “Please! Have mercy!”
“However,” Liam Reed, the second brother, chimed in with a smooth, dangerous smile, “we’re not unreasonable people. As long as you sever all family ties with her right now, her future affairs will have nothing to do with you.”
“Talk is cheap,” Noah Reed, the third brother, added coldly, producing a legal document from his briefcase. “To avoid accidentally harming you in the future, sign this severance agreement.”
Clyde didn’t even read the paper. He grabbed a pen from Noah’s hand, signed his name wildly, and dragged Brenda down to press her thumbprint in ink. He shoved the document back into Noah’s hands. “Take her away! Take her away! She has nothing to do with the Lee family anymore!”
As the hired thugs and the broker scrambled out of the yard in sheer panic, Clyde looked up, trembling. “Are we… are we done here?”
Ethan looked down at him, his face completely expressionless. “Who said that?” He turned slightly to his men. “Hit him.”
Before Clyde could even scream, two bodyguards dragged him into the barn, and the dull thuds of a swift beating echoed through the yard.
Ellie stood frozen, the heavy axe still held awkwardly in her hands. Her head was spinning. Who were these people? Why had they intervened?
Ethan stepped closer to Ellie, his cold demeanor softening instantly into something gentle. “It’s all settled now. You’re okay.”
“Please, sir… spare my life,” Ellie whispered, her strength finally giving out as she dropped the axe. “I’m truly a law-abiding citizen. If I’ve offended you in any way before, I apologize… please don’t kill me.”
A light, warm laugh sounded from the gate. “Don’t be afraid, little girl.”
Ellie looked past the three intimidating men. Walking into the yard with the help of a cane was the elderly woman she had saved in the woods an hour ago.
Part 3: A Family Built on Lies
“Auntie?” Ellie gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“These three aren’t bad people,” the elderly woman, Evelyn Reed, said with a warm, comforting smile. “They’re my sons. And they came here because I called them to save you.”
Ellie looked back and forth between the frail woman and the three imposing men in black suits who stood at attention the moment Evelyn entered.
“Little girl, meeting you today was fate,” Evelyn continued, taking Ellie’s cold hands into her warm ones. “Now that you have no family left in this dreadful place… would you like to become my daughter?”
“Huh?” Ellie blinked, completely bewildered. “Your… daughter?”
Evelyn turned slightly to introduce her sons. “This is my eldest son, Ethan Reed. This is my second son, Liam Reed. And the youngest, Noah Reed.”
Ellie bowed her head instinctively. “Hello, everyone. My name is Ellie Shaw.”
Ethan, Liam, and Noah looked at the young girl in front of them with mixed expressions. While Evelyn’s heart was full of gratitude, the three brothers—accustomed to the ruthless corporate wars of Chicago City—were deeply suspicious.
“Mom,” Noah stepped forward, his voice low and guarded. “Didn’t you come to the countryside just to relax? What’s going on here?”
“I did come to relax,” Evelyn replied firmly, “but my heart condition flared up just a few steps into the woods. If it weren’t for Ellie, I might have died out here in the wilderness. Ellie saved my life. Whatever she wants, Auntie can give it to her.”
“No… no need!” Ellie protested quickly, waving her hands. “I just did what anyone would do.” Suddenly, her old button-up phone buzzed in her pocket. She stepped aside anxiously. “I… I need to take a call.”
As Ellie walked toward the far side of the yard, Liam leaned into his mother’s ear, his voice tight. “Mom, this girl’s background is totally unclear, and she has such snobbish, money-grubbing relatives. As they say, bad company corrupts good character. She might not be as kind-hearted as you think.”
“Right,” Noah agreed, scanning the ragged girl. “Maybe she knew who you were and deliberately got close to you to target our family’s fortune.”
Evelyn glared at her sons with fierce disappointment. “Ellie is nothing like what you think! She doesn’t even know who I am!”
On the other side of the yard, Ellie answered her phone. It was the village chief’s daughter, her voice frantic over the poor static. “Ellie, it’s bad! Your cousin Amy found out you caused your uncle and aunt’s injuries! She’s sending her city boyfriend’s people back to catch you right now! You need to run quickly! Otherwise, if they catch you, they’ll beat you to death!”
Ellie’s face turned pale. She hung up the phone, her hands trembling. She turned back to Evelyn and her sons, who were watching her closely.
Evelyn walked up to her softly. “Have you decided what reward you want, child?”
Ellie swallowed hard, taking a leap of faith. “Can you… can you take me to the city?”
Liam sneered slightly under his breath, thinking his suspicions were confirmed. But Evelyn merely smiled. “Going to the city is fine. But I have one condition.”
“What condition?” Ellie asked nervously.
“Agree to be my daughter,” Evelyn said warmly. “I’m also considering your needs. Think about it—a young girl alone in the city with no one to rely on? If your cousin catches you, the consequences would be unthinkable.”
Relief washed over Ellie, overwhelming her fear. “Okay… I agree. Thank you, Auntie.”
“Call me Mom,” Evelyn corrected gently.
“Mom,” Ellie whispered, a lump forming in her throat. It was a word she hadn’t spoken in twelve long years.
“All right! Let’s go back to the city right now and take you home!” Evelyn declared happily.
As Evelyn pulled Ellie toward the convoy, Liam muttered to Ethan, “She’s playing hard to get to win Mom over. Wrapping Mom right around her finger… that girl’s really got a sharp mind.”
They loaded into the cars. To test Ellie, Ethan ordered all the luxury sports cars and armored SUVs sent away, claiming they were borrowed. They arranged for an ordinary, battered minivan to drive them to Chicago City.
During the long drive, Ellie sat quietly in the back seat. She looked at Ethan, who was driving, and said softly, “I didn’t mean any harm by asking to come to the city. Once I find a job, I’ll send you money every month as compensation for helping me.”
Liam, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around. “Compensation isn’t necessary. Having one more person at home just means one more pair of dishes. But our family situation isn’t great. As you can see, our jobs aren’t very respectable…” He gestured vaguely to Ethan’s plain suit. “…and those guys earlier were just friends from the street helping us put on a show. I’m afraid you’ll have a hard life with us.”
Ellie smiled faintly, her eyes clear and untainted by greed. “I’ve never had much to eat growing up, but I’m used to hardship. As long as we work hard together, we can make things better.”
Ethan caught her reflection in the rearview mirror. His sharp eyes softened just a fraction. She’s really holding her own, he thought. Way more genuine than I gave her credit for.
When they finally arrived at the outskirts of Chicago City, Ethan had his assistant, Larry Cross, hastily purchase the cheapest, most run-down apartment complex under the Reed family’s massive real estate empire—a modest residential unit in the Larry Cross District.
As they pulled up to the apartment building, Ellie looked at the towering structures in awe. “You live here? The rent for a place like this must be a lot per month, right?”
“Uh…” Ethan paused, clearing his throat. “This complex belongs to a friend from our circle, so he rents it to us cheaply.”
Before they could step into the lobby, a harsh, shrill voice rang out behind them.
“Ellie? Is that really you, you little country rat?”
Part 4: Masks in the City
Ellie turned around to see her cousin, Amy Miller, dressed in expensive brand-name clothes, holding hands with a young man in a tailored suit who smelled of cheap cologne and unearned arrogance.
“Amy?” Ellie said, her voice dropping.
Amy sneered, stepping closer and looking Ellie up and down with disgust. “I can’t stand poor relatives like you showing up in the city out of nowhere just to beg for money! You must be really desperate! Let me be clear: I don’t have a single cent to give you!”
The young man beside Amy, Dale Vance, puffed out his chest. “Ellie, Amy told me about you. You were once a top student back in middle school, but look at you now. You’ve sunk this low, running around with these street thugs.”
Ellie looked at Dale coldly. “Dale Vance, moving to the city really has changed you. You’ve even learned to bark like a dog now.”
“Who are you calling a dog?!” Dale snapped, his face turning red.
“Whoever answers is the one,” Ellie replied smoothly. “Since you look down on me so much, let me make it easy for you—let’s pretend we don’t know each other from now on. Move aside.”
Amy blocked the lobby entrance, her arms crossed. “Hey! Scraps collectors have to use the back entrance! Who told you that you could enter through the front? This is an upscale complex! Rent here is 20,000 a month! Residents need high-end facial recognition to enter. You paupers probably don’t even have a face to scan!”
“I think they’re just shameless,” Dale laughed maliciously. “Coming here to pose and show off!”
Before Amy could finish her insult, Ethan stepped forward and leaned toward the scanner.
BEEP. The glass doors slid open smoothly, and a polite automated voice echoed: “Door opening. Welcome home, esteemed resident.”
Amy’s jaw dropped. “How… how is this possible?!”
Dale’s eyes widened, but he quickly sneered to cover his embarrassment. “Ellie, to get close to us, you actually rented a cheap room here? You’re unbelievable!”
Ellie stared at Dale, her patience completely exhausted. “Dale Vance, you have some nerve. You’re just a small-time executive at the Reed Group, and you really think you’re the emperor of the city?”
“The Reed Group?” Amy boasted proudly, linking her arm tightly with Dale’s. “That’s right! The Reed Group is a world-class, top enterprise! Just getting in makes Dale superior to anyone you’ll ever know! My father-in-law is even the vice president there! You poor devils will never know how good it feels to be rich. Like right now—Dale can have security throw you out immediately!”
Ethan, standing quietly behind Ellie, narrowed his eyes. He slowly pulled out his phone and made a quiet call, stepping back slightly. “Larry. Is there an executive in the marketing branch named Dale Vance?”
“Yes, Chairman Reed,” Larry Cross’s voice came through instantly.
“Fire him,” Ethan said coldly. “And tell his father-in-law, Todd Drake, that his entire family is under review.”
Dale heard Ethan talking on the phone and burst out laughing. “What? You think you’re some domineering CEO? Firing someone with just one phone call! How laughable!”
Not ten seconds later, Dale’s phone rang loudly. He looked at the caller ID—it was Larry Cross, Chief Assistant to the Chairman of the Reed Group.
Dale’s attitude flipped instantly. He bowed deeply toward the phone, his voice sickeningly sweet. “Chief Assistant Cross! To what do I owe the honor of your personal call? Is there something you need?”
Larry’s voice was as cold as liquid nitrogen over the speaker: “It’s a small matter. You’re fired. Effective immediately.”
Dale froze, the color draining entirely from his face. “Chief… Chief Assistant Cross… you must be joking! Who… who reported me?”
“You don’t need to know,” Ethan said softly, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “You just need to know that she’s not someone you can afford to offend.”
Amy panicked, grabbing Dale’s arm. “Honey! What’s happening? Call my father! My dad is Todd Drake, the deputy general manager! No one dares to fire you!”
Dale frantically dialed Todd Drake’s number. “Dad! Come to my apartment complex right now! Someone is bullying me and pretending to be a big shot!”
Within fifteen minutes, three sleek black cars screeched to a halt outside the lobby. Todd Drake, a heavy-set man in his fifties, stepped out with six hired guards.
“Who dares to bully my daughter and son-in-law?!” Todd bellowed, storming into the lobby.
Amy pointed directly at Ethan and Ellie. “Dad! It’s this stinking beggar and her fake thug brothers!”
Todd marched up aggressively, but the moment his eyes landed on Ethan’s face, his knees buckled. His eyes bulged in pure terror. “Ch-Chairman… Chairman Reed?!”
The entire lobby went dead silent.
“Chairman Reed?” Todd stuttered, sweating profusely as he fell to his knees. “W-where is… what are you doing here?”
Amy, completely ignorant, tugged on her father’s sleeve. “Dad! Why are you kneeling to this thug? He’s just Ellie’s fake brother!”
Todd turned around and delivered a thunderous slap across Amy’s face, sending her sprawling onto the marble floor. “Shut your mouth, you foolish girl!” He turned back to Ethan, trembling uncontrollably. “Chairman Reed… I apologize! My daughter is ignorant! Please spare us!”
Ethan looked at Todd coldly, keeping up the charade for Ellie’s sake. “Since you look down on country people so much, take your family and get out of my sight. Don’t let me see you in the city again.”
Todd dragged the crying Amy and the pale Dale away like beaten dogs, vanishing within seconds.
Ellie stood there, her eyes wide with total confusion. She looked at Ethan, then at the luxury lobby, then back at Ethan. “Ethan… why did Vice President Drake call you Chairman Reed?”
Part 5: The Game of Pretend
Ethan froze for a split second, but Liam quickly stepped in, placing a arm around Ellie’s shoulder with an easy laugh.
“Oh, that!” Liam said smoothly. “Vice President Drake was just terrified because Ethan used to work as a high-level bodyguard for Chairman Reed! Ethan looks a lot like him from behind, and Drake was so scared of getting fired that he panicked and mistook him!”
Ellie blinked, processing the explanation. “A bodyguard? Really?”
“Of course!” Noah added, pulling out his phone. “Look, our family is totally broke. Ethan just borrows Chairman Reed’s prestige sometimes to scare off bad guys. Right, Big Bro?”
Ethan cleared his throat softly. “Yes. Don’t worry about them, Ellie. Let me take you upstairs.”
They moved into the spacious apartment. Though Ethan tried to make the place look modest, the high-end Italian furniture and pristine marble countertops were impossible to completely hide.
“Such a big house… such a nice sofa,” Ellie murmured, running her hand over the supple leather. “You guys really aren’t some kind of secret millionaires?”
“How could that be?” Evelyn laughed, coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of warm soup. “It’s all thanks to Ethan’s employer letting us stay here. We’re just ordinary people, Ellie.”
Ellie looked around at her new family, her eyes shining with warmth. “When I start making good money later on, I’ll definitely get us a proper house of our own. You, second brother, third brother, and Mom can all move in. We’ll never have to take anyone’s nonsense or suffer unfair treatment ever again!”
The three brothers exchange subtle, guilty glances. For the first time in their lives, the ruthless titans of Chicago’s corporate world felt a deep sense of shame.
That night, Ellie sat up late in her room, studying her old textbooks under a desk lamp. Noah knocked gently and walked in, holding a brand-new, high-end smartphone.
“What are you doing up so late?” Noah asked softly.
“I’m looking for a job,” Ellie replied, offering a warm smile. “Finding a job early means I can start earning money sooner to help the family. I don’t want to be a burden.”
Noah looked at her, his heart aching slightly. “Want to get into the Reed Group? I know they’re hiring interns.”
“The Reed Group?” Ellie sighed softly. “I like design, and the Reed Group is top in the industry. But my education level… my admission letter was destroyed, so I only have a high school diploma right now. They probably wouldn’t even look at me.”
“Try anyway,” Noah said, handing her the new phone. “Here. Use this. Submit your resume through their online portal.”
Ellie stared at the sleek phone in awe. “This… this is for me?”
“Yeah,” Noah muttered, looking away to hide his embarrassment. “Just a cheap phone.”
Ellie clutched the phone to her chest, her eyes brimming with tears. “Thank you, Third Brother! This is the first time anyone has ever given me a gift… I’m going to treasure this phone for the rest of my life.”
Noah cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very emotional. He quickly walked out of the room and texted his brothers: We need to give her more things.
Within an hour, the apartment living room was stacked high with luxury boxes.
Liam had ordered a custom Cartier ruby bracelet set worth 50 million yuan, handcrafted by Master Caesar. Ethan had arranged for haute couture dresses designed by Adam. Evelyn had brought out a velvet box containing a magnificent, gleaming diamond ring.
When Ellie came out of her room the next morning, she gasped at the mountain of luxury items. “Mama… these things must cost a lot of money, right?”
Evelyn smiled innocently. “Not expensive, dear! Just a few hundred million—”
Liam instantly coughed loudly, cutting his mother off. “A few hundred yuan! She meant a few hundred yuan! Ellie, to be honest… we occasionally do part-time work in wholesale markets. These are just fakes! High-quality replicas!”
“Fakes?” Ellie picked up the ruby bracelet, marveling at the craftsmanship. “These are much more exquisite than the fakes my aunt buys in the village! You guys are so talented!”
“Right, right! Skillful hands!” Liam laughed nervously, wiping sweat from his forehead.
That morning, Ellie received an email notification on her new phone: her resume had been exceptionally approved for an interview at the Reed Group’s design department.
Excited, Ellie dressed in her neatest clothes and headed straight to the Reed Group headquarters. But when she arrived at the massive skyscraper, she ran directly into Connie Ford—the daughter of a wealthy business partner—and her old classmate, Henry.
Connie sneered, blocking Ellie in the hallway. “A poor country girl who didn’t even go to college dares to interview here? My father is a major partner with the Reed Group! I’ve already secured my spot. You’re just wasting your time.”
When they entered the interview room, the chief interviewer looked at Ellie’s resume, then glanced at a private message sent directly from Ethan’s office.
The interviewer cleared his throat. “Connie Ford—failed. You may leave.”
Connie gasped in horror. “What?! My father is—”
“Ellie Reed,” the interviewer announced loudly, using the legal family name Ethan had already quietly registered for her. “You are hired immediately as a project intern!”
Part 6: Shadows at the Banquet
Ellie’s first days at the Reed Group were a blur of hard work. She was assigned to the luxury product packaging division as a temporary assistant under a stern manager named Mr. White.
However, her cousin Amy Miller had also managed to sneak into the company as an administrative clerk by using Ellie’s stolen academic credentials and identity.
When Amy spotted Ellie working in the display showroom, her face twisted with malice. She cornered Ellie near the breakroom.
“Ellie Shaw!” Amy hissed, grabbing Ellie’s arm. “How did you sneak in here? Reed Group never hires people without a bachelor’s degree!”
Ellie pulled her arm back coldly. “You and your parents stole my identity, attended the university I was supposed to go to, and took the life that was rightfully mine. You have some nerve confronting me.”
Amy sneered leaning close. “Our family raised you! That diploma is the compensation you owe us! If you don’t keep your mouth shut and do my work for me, I’ll tell everyone your brother is involved in shady underworld dealings!”
Ellie glared at her, her jaw tight, but chose to focus on her work rather than engage in Amy’s petty games. She spent the entire night in the office, single-handedly redesigning a major product proposal for Bodri, an international luxury partner whose CEO, Harold Green, was visiting the company.
The next morning, Mr. White presented the proposal to Mr. Green. Impressed by the traditional Chinese landscape painting aesthetic woven into the design, Mr. Green asked to meet the creator.
Amy immediately stepped forward to steal the credit. “It was my design, Mr. Green!”
“Oh?” Mr. Green said, studying the complex artistic concepts. “Then please explain the philosophy behind the brushwork imagery on the outer packaging.”
Amy stood frozen, her face flushing red as she stammered incoherently.
Ellie, standing in the back, stepped forward calmly. “Recently, we noticed a decline in traditional product sales. Based on our analysis, the issue wasn’t the product itself, but rather outdated packaging. We drew inspiration from Huang Binhong’s landscape paintings to evoke a sense of timeless elegance.”
Mr. Green’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Mr. White, I will sign the contract today, but on one condition—this young lady must be in charge of the entire project!”
To celebrate the upcoming deal, Henry and Connie hosted a massive evening birthday banquet at a private mansion in Chicago City, inviting all the young elites, including Amy. Wanting to humiliate Ellie, Connie forced Ellie to attend under the threat of sabotaging her trial period at the company.
When Ellie arrived at the opulent mansion wearing a simple dress, Connie and Amy immediately targeted her in front of the wealthy guests.
“Everyone, look!” Connie announced loudly, holding up a glass of champagne. “This is Ellie Shaw—a country girl who sells shoes by day and pretends to be high class by night!”
Amy laughed loudly. “She even brought her fake brothers along to put on a show!”
Ellie stood tall, her voice calm and firm. “Earning a living with your own hands is never shameful. Unlike parasites who rely entirely on their parents’ money to bully others.”
Connie’s face darkened. “Grab her! Make her kneel and apologize for ruining my mood!”
Two heavy security guards stepped forward, grabbing Ellie’s arms. But before they could force her down, the massive iron gates of the estate were blasted open.
A fleet of black vehicles rolled onto the pristine lawn. Ethan, Liam, and Noah stepped out, followed by dozens of high-ranking corporate executives and security detail.
Henry’s father, Mr. Smith, and Connie’s father, Nike Ford, rushed out of the mansion, their faces white as sheets.
“Chairman Reed!” Nike Ford screamed in terror, falling to his knees right on the imported grass. “What brings you here?!”
Ethan walked straight past the crowd, his eyes fixed on the guard holding Ellie’s arm. Without a word, Ethan raised his hand and delivered a devastating strike that sent the guard flying across the lawn.
Connie screamed in horror. “Dad! Who are these thugs?!”
Nike Ford slapped Connie so hard she fell onto the grass. “Shut up, you brainless fool! This is Chairman Ethan Reed! The owner of the Reed Group!”
The entire party erupted into complete chaos. Henry, Connie, and Amy stared in absolute horror as the three “thugs” Ellie lived with were revealed to be the most powerful brothers in the entire state.
Ethan took off his suit jacket and placed it gently over Ellie’s shoulders. He looked down at Nike Ford and Mr. Smith, his voice dripping with ice.
“You allowed your children to touch my sister,” Ethan said softly. “From this moment on, your companies are bankrupt.”
Part 7: The True Heir
Ellie stood on the lawn, the warm suit jacket wrapped around her, her mind completely blank. She looked at Ethan, then at Liam, then at Noah, who were all standing around her like protective gods.
“Ethan…” Ellie whispered, her voice shaking. “They… they called you Chairman Reed. You’re not a bodyguard?”
Ethan turned to her, his sharp, intimidating aura melting away completely. He looked deeply nervous—more nervous than he had ever been during multi-billion-dollar corporate negotiations.
“Ellie…” Ethan began softly. “We… we lied to you.”
Noah stepped forward, looking down at his shoes like a guilty child. “We were worried at first that you had ulterior motives for saving Mom… so we pretended to be poor.”
Liam rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. “Yeah… the apartment, the fake job, the replica jewelry… it was all real. We’re the Reed family.”
Ellie stared at them for a long, silent moment. The wind rustled the leaves around the silent estate.
“You’re… the super, super rich family?” Ellie asked softly.
“Yes,” Ethan admitted quietly, bracing himself for her anger. “If you’re angry, you can hit us, Ellie. We deserve it.”
Ellie looked at the three powerful men who had built a wall of protection around her, who had eaten cheap hot pot with her, who had pretended to be broke just to make her feel comfortable, and who had brought her into a loving home when she had nobody.
A small, genuine smile broke across her face, tears shining in her eyes. “I was a little angry at first… but when I think about how rich my family is, I don’t seem to be angry anymore.”
The three brothers let out a massive, collective sigh of relief, breaking into bright, joyful laughs.
Within three days, the Reed family’s legal team completely dismantled the Lee family’s fraudulent claims. Amy Miller’s stolen admission to Yun University was officially revoked by the board of education, and her name was erased from the system. She and her parents were forced to leave Chicago City in disgrace, entirely broke and facing criminal charges for fraud.
A week later, a convoy of sleek, elegant cars arrived at Willow Creek Village.
The village chief and the locals had gathered at the entrance, expecting a wealthy donor. When the door of the lead car opened, Ellie stepped out, dressed in an elegant pastel dress, holding Evelyn’s hand.
Behind them walked Ethan, Liam, and Noah, carrying heavy boxes of supplies, educational funds, and rebuilding plans for the village school.
Aunt Brenda and Uncle Clyde, who were packing their remaining belongings into a rusty handcart to leave the village forever, stopped in their tracks, watching in utter disbelief.
“Ellie?” the village chief gasped. “You… you’re the donor?”
“Yes, Village Chief,” Ellie said warmly, offering a gentle bow. “I’ve come back to renovate the roads, rebuild the school, and restore my parents’ resting place.”
Ellie walked up the winding mountain path to the quiet hillside where her mother and father rested under the shade of two large pine trees. The rain had cleared, leaving behind a bright, endless blue sky.
She knelt in the soft green grass, placing a bouquet of fresh white lilies against the gravestone. Ethan, Liam, Noah, and Evelyn stood quietly behind her, giving her space.
Ellie touched the cool stone, her heart finally at peace.
“Mom, Dad,” Ellie whispered softly, her voice carrying across the quiet valley. “I made it to the city. I found a family who loves me, and we’re going to stay together forever and always… I kept my promise.”
The gentle mountain breeze rustled the pine needles above, sounding almost like a soft, loving whisper in reply. Ellie wiped a single, happy tear from her cheek, stood up, and walked back toward her family waiting in the sunlight.
