Our live-in nanny’s daughter has been acting a little strange lately. She keeps giving me these hateful looks—subtle, but definitely there—and blaring her phone in the living room with videos about “switched heiresses.” My brother, Wesley, couldn’t take it anymore and came to complain. “Natalie, do you think Riley Harper has convinced herself that you and she were switched at birth?” “She’s been looking at me with these weird, ‘maternal’ eyes, and honestly, it’s freaking me out.” I laughed. Did she really think our family’s annual health checkups didn’t include DNA testing? Content I’m Natalie Channing, the only daughter of Victor and Elizabeth Channing, owners of Channing Enterprises. Like most heiresses, my parents are often away for work, so they hired a live-in nanny, Margaret Harper, to take care of me and my younger brother, Wesley. Margaret has a daughter around my age, Riley Harper. She’s lived with us since we were kids, eating, sleeping, and growing up under the same roof. But Margaret doesn’t seem to like her own daughter. It’s painfully obvious to everyone in our family—her disdain is written all over her actions. Once, I asked my parents if we should step in and address their mother-daughter relationship. After all, Riley is often ignored or treated harshly, and it’s honestly pretty pitiful. But my parents told me not to meddle in other people’s lives. And when I tried to stand up for Riley, Margaret—who was usually polite to me—coldly shot me down: “That’s our family business.” After that, I let it go. But recently, Riley’s behavior toward me has become strange. And I mean really strange. First, she kept asking Wesley when our parents, who were on a vacation, would return. Then, she started glaring at me with outright contempt. And finally—Wesley’s personal favorite—she took to blaring “switched heiress” videos in the living room for everyone to hear. As Wesley put it, “It’s like her every thought is just written all over her face.” I couldn’t help but laugh. How ridiculous could she get? There’s no way. Even if we’re close in age, her mom treats me better than she treats her own daughter… Wait. Could I actually be the one who was switched at birth? In a panic, I ran to the study and dug through my eighteen years’ worth of health checkups. Thankfully, my parents were wise enough to include DNA testing in every annual exam. Looking at the reports confirming our family ties, I breathed a sigh of relief. Riley must’ve just overdosed on her “switched heiress” fiction. I decided to drop the matter. At least, until dinner the other night when Riley sweetly asked Wesley, “Hey Wes, don’t you think you and I look a little alike?” Wesley, fork mid-air, froze. “Riley, are you out of your mind? What do I have to do with you? My real sister is sitting right here.” Margaret nearly choked on her food. “You ungrateful brat!” Margaret snapped, smacking Riley on the head with her chopsticks. “How dare you? “Mr. and Mrs. Channing aren’t home, and the fact that Natalie and Wesley let us eat with them is a privilege. What makes you think you can speak so recklessly?!” Riley’s eyes filled with tears. “When Mr. and Mrs. Channing come back, you’ll regret this!” she spat before storming off. What had I even done? Margaret turned to us with an apologetic smile. “Miss Natalie, Master Wesley, I’m so sorry. Riley’s been getting more and more out of hand. I’ll make sure to discipline her.” I raised an eyebrow and said pointedly, “Margaret, maybe you should try a different approach. After all, she is your daughter. Shouldn’t you be treating her better?” I emphasized the words “your daughter” just to see if she was aware of Riley’s delusions. But Margaret only laughed lightly. “You’re right, Miss Natalie. People like me from the countryside don’t know much about raising kids. “Back home, girls Riley’s age would’ve already been married off to help their brothers afford a wife. “But here, Mr. Channing even pays for her to go to school. Instead of being grateful, she’s behaving like this…” I didn’t know what to say to that. Margaret clearly didn’t care whether Riley was really her daughter or not. Curious, I asked, “Margaret, why have you always treated me so kindly?” Her face lit up. “Because Mr. and Mrs. Channing have been so good to me. I’ve watched you grow up, and to me, you’re more important than my own daughter.” At that moment, I actually felt a little bad for Riley. “Margaret, maybe you should start paying more attention to Riley,” I said with a smile. “It might save you some trouble in the future.” With that, I left the dining room, ignoring Margaret’s puzzled expression.
My ears were practically blistered from Wesley’s complaints about Riley Harper. Even though I knew Riley had always found excuses to be around him, things had definitely escalated recently. “Natalie, she’s straight-up stealing my laundry to wash it, lingering outside my study after her late-night showers, and hanging around my classroom at school. I let that slide. “But now she’s acting like some kind of doting grandma—always giving me food and staring at me with these unsettling, ‘loving’ eyes. I can’t take it! What is she up to, Nat?” For the millionth time, Wesley poured out his frustrations. I couldn’t take it anymore either. I promised him that the next time I saw Riley, I’d talk to her. My dad, ever the charitable boss, had enrolled Riley in Fairfield Academy—my high school—as a part of his “employee benefits” program. To top it off, he even put her in my class, saying it would help us “look out for each other.” But in reality, I hadn’t seen Riley in days. It felt like she was actively avoiding me. Whenever I was somewhere, she made sure to be anywhere else. Even at school, running into her felt like a game of chance. Today, though, luck was on my side. The moment I stepped into class, there she was—decked out in designer clothes, surrounded by a curious crowd. “Riley, your outfit! And that bag—those must’ve cost a fortune!” “Oh, not really,” Riley replied with a coy smile. “I just saw them while shopping and figured, why not?” “Wow, I always thought you were, like, from a regular family like the rest of us. Turns out you’re some heiress or something?” Riley gave a humble laugh. “What’s an heiress, really? What’s meant to be mine will always be mine. Unlike some people who force their way in and pretend—only to end up empty-handed.” She cast a pointed glance my way. One of my friends leaned closer to me, whispering, “Isn’t Riley your nanny’s kid? Do the Channings pay their staff that well? Or did her mom win the lottery? She looks like some tacky nouveau riche.” “What’s she trying to say? Switched at birth? Her real parents are loaded?” “Natalie, she’s obviously implying you. What’s her deal?” I didn’t know what to say. More importantly, I had no idea where Riley was getting all this money. Only a handful of classmates who’d visited my house knew Riley was the daughter of our live-in nanny. Everyone else had politely gone along with the assumption that she was just another student. Out of respect, no one ever brought up her actual situation. “She seems… a little delusional,” I finally said. That seemed like the most logical explanation. I walked over and called out to her. “Riley, can we talk outside for a moment?” Riley froze, clearly caught off guard. She’d been avoiding me for so long, she probably didn’t expect me to confront her outright. After all, in her “switched heiress” stories, the imposter usually cowered and avoided eye contact with the rightful heiress. The class erupted into hushed murmurs. “What’s Natalie talking to Riley about? They’ve never interacted before.” “Did you hear what Riley just said? Do you think Natalie and Riley were switched at birth?” “Could Riley actually be the real Channing heiress?” “Don’t be ridiculous. No one benefits from upsetting the Channing family.” “But Riley’s been awfully close to Natalie’s brother, hasn’t she? Would actual siblings act that way?” “Maybe Riley really was just brought home recently. Did you see her outfit? Looks like she’s trying way too hard.” Ignoring the chatter, I strode out of the classroom, and Riley—after adjusting her clothes and regaining her composure—followed. I turned to face her. “You know why I’m here, don’t you?” Riley’s expression shifted into one of smug satisfaction. “Since you already know you’ve taken my place, I suggest you come clean to your parents. If you’re lucky, I might even put in a good word for you. Maybe they’ll give you a decent severance package.” My brain momentarily short-circuited. “Riley, what nonsense are you talking about?” She sneered. “Don’t act clueless, Natalie. You’ve known all along that I’m the rightful Channing heiress. You’ve had eighteen years of my life—eighteen years I suffered through for you. Natalie, you owe me, and you’ll never be able to repay it.” “What proof do you have that you’re the Channing daughter?” I asked, my tone sharp. “Proof?” Riley smirked, confidence radiating off her. “Oh, I’ve got proof. When my parents get back from their trip, the truth will come out. And when it does? You’ll be on your knees, begging. But I’ll make sure you and your pathetic mother are kicked out anyway.” I was about to ask where she got the audacity when a sharp voice cut through the tension. “Riley Harper!” Margaret Harper stormed up to us, her face livid. SMACK. The sound of the slap echoed through the corridor.
The commotion drew the entire class out of the room. I stood frozen in shock, watching as Riley clutched her cheek, tears streaming silently down her face. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. Margaret’s face was flushed, her eyes blazing as she grabbed Riley by the hair. “You little ingrate! Did you steal my money? Did you take everything I had on that card?!” “That money was for your brother’s wedding!” Margaret’s voice broke with a sob. “Do you want to ruin this family? How could I have raised something as selfish as you?” The pieces clicked into place. Riley’s flashy new wardrobe? Her sudden spending spree? It all came from Margaret’s savings. I hurried forward to pull them apart. “Margaret, stop! This is a school.” Margaret, seeing the crowd of onlookers, dramatically collapsed onto the floor. “God, what did I do to deserve this? I worked my whole life to save that money, and she’s gone and squandered it all! How am I supposed to go on?” The whispers around us grew louder. “Wait, that’s Riley’s mom? She doesn’t look rich at all.” “Did you hear her? Riley stole her mom’s savings to act rich.” “She always seemed kind of vain, but this? Yikes.” “She only got into this school because someone sponsored her.” “Enough!” Riley’s furious glare landed on me. “This is your fault, Natalie! I’ve already suffered for your sake, and now you’ve got her humiliating me too? Just wait. I’ll make sure you regret this for the rest of your life.” She shoved past us and ran, tears still streaming down her face. “Hey! Watch your mouth when you’re speaking to Miss Natalie!” Margaret yelled after her. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned to me. “Miss Natalie, are you alright? I’m so sorry about her behavior.” “Wait…” a classmate murmured. “Is she… Natalie’s real mom? She’s treating Natalie better than her own kid.” “No way. She’s the Channings’ nanny, right?” “Still, doesn’t this kind of favoritism make you wonder? Maybe Riley’s the real daughter.” “Or Margaret switched them on purpose.” Before I could react, a calm, familiar voice interrupted the chaos. “Margaret, maybe you should go check on your own daughter.” Everett Hughes stepped forward, his tall figure commanding attention. “Natalie,” he said, his tone softening, “class is starting.” “OMG, OMG, I’m shipping them so hard!” “Even if Natalie isn’t the real Channing heiress, who cares? She’s still going to be Mrs. Hughes. Talk about living the dream!” “Everett Hughes is just so perfect. Honestly, he and Natalie look amazing together.” Everett Hughes is my boyfriend, and that’s no secret. In fact, both of our families fully support us. With similar backgrounds, education, and looks, we’re practically the perfect match. Plus, a partnership between the Channing and Hughes enterprises is nothing short of a power move. Margaret awkwardly let go of me and hurried after Riley, leaving me to my thoughts. I didn’t care much for the gossip surrounding us, but after everything that had happened recently, I couldn’t help but wonder what Everett thought about it all. Back in the classroom, I turned to him. “Everett, if I weren’t the real Channing heiress, would you still like me?” He looked at me like I’d just said the funniest thing he’d ever heard and burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” I was genuinely curious. “Given everything that’s been going on, there’s a real chance I’m not the Channing family’s biological daughter.” Everett reached over, gently ruffling my hair. His clear, steady gaze locked onto mine. “Whether or not you’re the Channing heiress doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that you’re Natalie. As long as you’re you, that’s enough for me.” That afternoon, Riley Harper returned to school. But instead of toning things down, she showed up in an even more luxurious outfit than before. Her transformation left everyone scratching their heads. She walked straight toward me—no, not me. She stopped in front of Everett. “Everett,” Riley said, her voice laced with a mix of nerves and newfound boldness. “I’m sure you’ve realized it by now—I’m the real Channing heiress.” The classroom collectively gasped, stunned that she would just blurt it out.
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