After the True Heiress Returned

: I'll Back You Up

After the real heiress returned, I packed my things and left on my own.

But the next thing I knew, my childhood friend was taking me home with him.

"From now on, this is your home. I'll have your back."

I was stunned and was just about to say that this wasn't really appropriate.

Then he cornered me at the door. "If you feel that's not appropriate, you can just be my wife to pay me back instead."

'Damn, talk about an outrageous demand!'

1

The true heiress, whose life was switched with mine, had returned.

Apparently, over twenty years ago, we were born in the same hospital, and a nurse mixed us up, causing our lives to be completely swapped.

When Mrs. Sterling heard the news, she cried her eyes out in her room.

My brother: "Pause the meeting. I'll go get her."

On the day Charlotte Sterling returned, the family cook pulled out all the stops, preparing a table overflowing with dishes.

The house was scrubbed spotless. Even my dog was sent to the groomer's, and when he came back, he huddled in my arms, looking utterly wronged.

Charlotte Sterling arrived in the evening, wearing clothes Mrs. Sterling had taken her to buy at a mall on the way over.

She looked around at the three-story villa and tugged at her clothes, clearly ill at ease.

Mrs. Sterling took her by the arm, telling her not to be nervous.

"Let me introduce you. This is your father, the one driving earlier was your brother, and this is..."

When she came to me, Mrs. Sterling suddenly faltered, then spoke in a low voice.

"This is your sister."

When I found out I wasn't really a member of the Sterling Family, I'd seriously considered it: should I pack my things and leave the moment Charlotte Sterling returned?

'After all, I'm an adult now and can earn enough to support myself.'

'But my heart ached at the thought. After all, I'd lived here for more than twenty years.'

Charlotte Sterling gave me a long, hard look, tears welling in her eyes. After a moment, she whispered, "Hello, Sister."

But anyone could see the reluctance and hurt in her eyes.

And so, after we all had dinner together that night, I quietly packed my things and left the Sterling home.

All I had was a small suitcase and my dog.

Just me and my dog, shivering together in the cold wind.

Earlier, my brother had even pressed his car keys into my hand.

But then Charlotte Sterling, sitting at the dining table, had suddenly asked my brother if she could learn how to drive.

"Watching you drive today made me so envious, Brother. Back in my village, the whole place only had two cars. I never knew there were so many beautiful cars in the world until now."

My car was a birthday present from my father just last month.

A small, custom-pink sports car.

'A sudden wave of shame washed over me. If it weren't for that nurse's mistake, Charlotte Sterling should have had this life.'

So I put the car keys down, leaving with just a few changes of clothes and my dog.

This was an exclusive neighborhood full of villas, so catching a cab was difficult. While I was still trying to figure out what to do, a car suddenly pulled up in front of me.

My dog instantly shot forward, running in excited circles around the car door. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar face.

"Are you trying to reenact *The Wanderer's Tale* or something? Come on, get in the car."