The Fake Bag Exposed Her Real Family

CHAPTER 3 - The Life Chloe Pretended to Have

Chloe did not attend school for the rest of the week.

Without her carefully chosen clothes and confident smile, she felt exposed.

Her friends filled the silence with rumors. Some claimed her father was secretly richer than everyone believed. Others posted pictures of the fake bag.

Chloe begged Daniel to correct them.

Instead, Daniel told her to remain quiet.

"The attention will disappear if you stop feeding it."

Daniel earned money by convincing clients that he was a successful property investor. His clothes, rented cars, and family photographs were part of the image he sold.

The school video threatened that image.

He told Chloe to say Mia had replaced her real handbag with a fake one after the fight.

"You want me to lie?"

"I want you to protect your family."

Chloe looked toward Vanessa.

Her mother said nothing.

That silence hurt more than Daniel's demand.

Meanwhile, Laura finally told Mia the full truth.

Daniel had offered to visit when Mia was younger, but only if Laura stopped asking him to contribute financially. Laura refused.

Mia had blamed herself for years.

"Why did he choose Chloe?"

"He did not choose her," Laura said. "He chose the life that made him look successful."

Later that evening, Vanessa came to their apartment alone.

Laura did not invite her inside.

Vanessa admitted that she had learned about Mia shortly after marrying Daniel. He convinced her that Laura was bitter and that Mia wanted nothing to do with him.

"Did you believe him?" Laura asked.

"For a while."

"And after that?"

Vanessa looked down.

"After that, I was afraid to lose my marriage."

Laura's voice hardened.

"So my daughter lost her father instead."

Mia listened from the hallway.

Vanessa did not ask for forgiveness. She only told Laura that Daniel planned to blame Mia at the next school hearing.

Chloe had heard him practicing the story.

The following morning, Daniel drove Chloe to school.

Before they entered, he gave her one final instruction.

"Say Mia attacked you because she wanted our life."

Chloe looked through the window.

Mia and Laura were waiting inside.

For the first time, Chloe understood that the girl she had tormented had never wanted her life.

She had only wanted the truth.

Chloe opened the car door without promising her father anything.