Chapter One

Laura's POV.

 I sit anxiously in my Mercedes, the type of luxury for which I have worked so hard. But right now, what interests me the most is the cool air coming from the car's rolled-down window.

It tickles my skin, flickers my lashes, and brushes my eyebrows. This is how I like it; it kind of prepares me for what I am about to do.

What am I about to do?

I am about to intrude on a coronation party and steal the queen's crown.

Vanessa, my step-sister, the queen, is going to be the CEO of the company.

Her crown is now mine, and I am going to claim it.

Did you, as I requested, pay the paparazzi? I say to my assistant sitting beside me.

Absolutely, ma'am, I gave them instructions. Also called the media, the inauguration ceremony will be just how you want it." She responds, face buried in her iPad.

I brace myself for what's about to happen.

This is the moment I had been waiting for my entire life. The look on their faces is so gonna make my day.

I am going to relish every second of it.

I hear the buzzing sound emanating from the building as the car comes to a sudden stop.

Lifting my head, I see the name in big, bold letters. "Whitehood Enterprise"

My spine tingles at the name.

I signal to the driver, and he gets down to open the door.

"Thanks, Austin," I say to him, patting his shoulder. As I take a step down and straighten my silk dress, numerous paparazzi start to focus on me.

Whoa, this will be entertaining.

I cat walk into the building, holding a microphone. As I enter the hall, I make my way straight to the stage.

"Madam, ma'am, who are you? You were not supposed to be here." I hear the security personnel muttering under their breath.

"Hey, do not stop there!!" Another security staff protested.

He made no effort to stop me.

Monica did an excellent job. She had greased her palms before now.

They practiced a little protest and resistance.

I see Vanessa standing there giving her speech, holding a bunch of flowers in her arms. Oh how I want to swipe her face with it.

As soon as she notices me, her face is filled with confusion.

Her puzzled look is soon replaced with a frightened one.

Looks like she knew who I was.

I am a step away from her now, and she is shaking with terror. It is as if she saw a ghost or met death.

My demeanor alone is enough to raise her blood pressure.

"I will take it from here," I say to her in a low tone.

I take over the podium, pushing her nub figure to the side.

"Good day, everyone." Sorry for the minor commotion over here, but I need to convey some critical information.

My name is Laura Whitehood, the daughter of Leonard Whitehood. I'm indeed the first daughter and the heiress to the Whitehood firm and enterprise." I say and give a pause, loving the disgust on Lucy's face.

" My apologies for the sudden disruption, but I must bring to your notice that I'm the legal benefactor of this great firm.

As the first daughter of the Whitehood clan, my grandmother and legal owner of these properties willed them to me.

I have been met by unfair treatment given to me by my father, stepmother and sister.

I only seek that this matter will be reinvestigated and the rightful heiress given the inheritance.

I will take legal actions against whoever tried to deprive me of my well deserving rights." I say the last words loudly. I smile as the continuous buzzing from the crowd seems to serenade me.

I noticed an obvious cheer from my grandma, right now she seems to be the only person that got my back.

" What the fuck do you think you doing Laura? I dare you ruin this for me," Vanessa snaps, causing the smirk on my face to expand.

" Shush baby sis, see you in court," I snap back at her as I grab the bouquet from her arm.

I walk down the stage feeling like Beyonce.

The paparazzi and media staff flock around me, hitting my face with the flashes of light from their camera.

"Ma'am, are you really a Whitehood?

Where have you been all these while?

Why did the family keep you hidden?" The paparazzi throw questions at me, not giving me a chance to give a reply.

I keep a stern face and say loudly, " I'm the first daughter of Leonard Whitehood and legal benefactor to his properties.

I was kept hidden because I'm his illegitimate daughter." The crowd's loud chatter turns into whispers.

I motion to my body guard Pablo and he paves a way, walking past the crowd I run into him. The man that started it all, Leonard Whitehood.

"Laura, I…" he says and stops midway, noticing my already agitated face.

"I'm sorry things have to be like this, I'm sorry you and your sister aren't seeing eye to eye. But this is not the way to go about it Laura. What will the media and people say?"

I kissed my teeth as he spoke, thinking of ways to make him feel the same pains he put my mother through.

" You don't dictate how I act, Mr Leonard.

I'm not like you. I have never really cared about what people say, I mean they're always going to talk. I just gave them something fun to talk about." I say trying to curtail my anger.

He tries to reach for my arm and I move a step back.

"Why are you trying so hard? Is it because of Lucy and her daughter?

Save your strength, I'm gonna make sure they get nothing." I snarl, looking straight into his eyes.

I walk right pass him and head towards my car.

I step into my car and breathe out in relief.

"Where to ma'am?" Austin asks, looking at me from the rear view mirror.

"The Whitehood mansion, there's someone I need to see." I say as I place a warm towel on my neck.

I arrive at the mansion and the person at the gate doesn't bother to ask who and what I'm here for.

I guess my frequent visits lately gave him a clue.

I walk down the curtilage and I notice that the cherry blossom tree has bloomed.

The tree reminds me of my mother, she told me a story about it. She loved it as much as it loved her.

I walked into the hall and the whole family was seated.

 I see, they were expecting me, I did make a remarkable impact.

I smile at my own thoughts.

" Why are you here? Haven't you caused enough drama?" Lucy states as she blocks me from going towards grandma.

"You should be glad I only asked for the company, soon I will have this house too." I say and she glares at me with anger.

Grabbing on my arm she attempts to pull me out of the room.

Pablo tries to step in but I tell him not to.

Lucy isn't a lot to handle.

I swing my arm, removing it from her grip, causing her to lose balance.

" I have a black belt in judo. Laying a finger on you is going to get you bedridden for months." I say as Vanessa rushes to her side.

I roll my eyes at their silliness.

Reaching grandma I squat to her level.

Smiling at me she pats my hair gently with her hand.

She had dementia and can hardly remember what happened in the past.

But she sure remembers my mother, she remembers Amber.

Mother told me how close they were.

I have exactly the same physical attributes as my mother. Same face, same voice, same eyes. The only thing different was our strength. Mom was always weak, she cared for everyone and loved deeply.

She had always acted with her heart.

I'm not like that, my heart does not always influence my actions. I'm not as weak as her.

Grandma kept insisting I was Amber on the first day we met.

 It gladdened my heart knowing she had a good relationship with her. Good enough for her to remember her.

I met her at a restaurant, she was dumbstruck when she saw me.

I started visiting her often, any time she went for brunch or went to watch golf.

That's when I found out the whole firm is in her name. Apparently grandfather willed to her before his death.

Before much time, my plan began to set into place.

I got her to will the properties to me.

Do I feel bad for using her?

Absolutely not, it's for a good purpose. I'm sure she would also want mom to get avenged. Besides she is the only Whitehood I have emotion towards.

" Hey grandma, I could speak to you earlier today. How are you doing?" I ask as I stand up to sit beside her.

" I'm fine dear, you look really beautiful today." She says as she smiles gently at me.

" Why grandma? Why did you have to will the firm to her?

Goddamn it, I have been working my ass off for this company, only to wake up one morning to find out that my dearest grandma has willed everything to my evil step sister " Vanessa growls as she walks towards us. Her remark causes me to smile. I don't mind being called the evil step sister.

" Mind your words Vanessa, she's your elder sister. Who else deserves the firm if not her?" Grandma snaps right back at her.

" Georgia, she's not Amber. Amber is dead.

 I'm sure she tricked you into signing those documents. She appears to be as shrewd as her mother." Lucy says.

I frown at her words. She has no fucking right to say my mother's name.

"What are you glaring at?

I know you Laura, just like I knew Amber.

She has trained you well. You are a golddigger all on your own now." She continued spitting out, and her husband sits, watching as if in a theater.

" I have nothing to say to you Lucy. But I promise, we will have a little chit chat in court." I say to her, standing up, I place a kiss on Grandma's cheek.

Walking out of the hall, Lucy grabs me by the arm again.

"You want to see in court? You have no case. You obviously tricked Georgia, she sees you as that slot Amber.

You are illegitimate, my daughter is the true heiress. The judge will be crazy to rule the case in your favor." She snarls, in a very fast pace, hardly breathing in-between words.

"You never listen do you? Do not touch me or I will make you regret it." I start grabbing her hand in a tight grip and removing it from my arm.

She grimaces in pain as I tighten my hold.

" Keep my mother's name out of your mouth." I say as I let go of her hand.

Walking towards the door, I met my father's eyes. His face says so many things. Sadness, anger. Most apparently, fear. 

Fear for the raging chaos, probably fear for my approach and aura.

He has always kept me at arm's length, probably because I look exactly like my mother.

I step into the car, giving what Lucy said a thought.

She seemed confident, who knows what she has planned under her sleeves.

Never thought it will get to this point, but I have to go all out.

I pick my phone and dial his number, my back up support.