Chapter 1— in the house

Hi, by the way, I'm Anika, and I'm also the secret queen of the underground world. And now, I want to go back home to where my real parents are—I mean, they are truly my parents. Also, as they say, we were swapped by a woman who gave birth at the same time as my mother did with her child.

And as I was saying, I am going back now, and they adopted a girl. Actually, I also have a father now, and they don't know who I really am because we were swapped. I was always yelled at and hurt, so I ran away. And now, look at me; the King of the Underground took me in and taught me everything. Actually, I became the very first Queen here in the underground.

FAST FORWARD

Here I am right in front of my real parents' house, carrying my things. Suddenly, the door opened, and I saw my real parents there. They looked like they had been crying. When they reached me, they immediately hugged me, so I hugged them back. While we were talking, there was a girl and a boy standing by the door—which is the adopted girl and my real brother—but they didn't even bother to come near me. Maybe they were just shy, but I think not, because the way the girl looked at me was so cold and mean.

"Come on, let's go inside first, we've been standing here for a while," my mother said.

"Okay, Mom," I replied. She went ahead while Dad followed behind.

As I walked in, I saw the sharp look the girl gave me, as if she was furious. Maybe she's mad because I came back. Interesting... I think I'm going to like this family.

"Come here Anika, sit down first, child," my Dad said and gestured for me to sit.

"I am Jermany, your Dad, Anika," my father introduced himself.

"And I am Mercy," my Mom said.

"From now on, you are a Dela Cruz, child," Dad announced.

While we were talking, the girl suddenly appeared.

"Oh, so you're the real daughter of Mom and Dad?" she asked me while holding a cup of hot coffee.

"Here, this is for you," she said, sitting beside me and offering what she was holding.

But honestly, I already knew what she was planning to do.

I was about to take it, but before I could even reach it, it was as if she threw it. The hot liquid spilled on her hand instead because I moved it back towards her. she then said,

"Are you mad at me? I can just leave if you are angry, no need to do that," she said, acting like she were about to cry. Immediately, my brother went to her side, while my parents rushed towards me, looking worried.

"Have you no shame! Huh! You just got here and you're already acting like you're the queen!" my brother shouted.

"I didn't do that," I said to him coldly.

"Then who did?! You, huh? Don't be so full of yourself! You just came from the countryside!" my brother yelled.

Suddenly, my father slapped my brother hard across the face.

"You! Let me tell you the truth! You aren't our child either! So don't you dare shout at my real daughter like that! If this is how you're going to treat her, then get out of my house! I don't need any of you! You're useless!" my father shouted. And at that moment, I could feel his emotions; it was as if his heart was aching.

"Is it true, Mom?" he asked my mother.

"Yes, it's true. We only have one child, and it's a girl. And to be honest, you two are actually siblings. Furthermore, if this is how you treat her, never show your faces to us again!" my mother added.

"Get out now!" Dad shouted. Then, they both looked at my hand which had a burn mark.

To be honest, it didn't even hurt, but I didn't want them to suspect anything, so I cried. I faked the tears, of course. I know exactly how to act.

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