novelxo Chapter 1
Chapter 1“Mira, back from the race already?” Mrs. Thompson called out as she stood in the doorway of her quaint corner store.As the old lady’s voice caught her attention, Mirabella, decked out in sleek black cycling gear, smoothly applied the brakes to her bike. With a practiced toe-touch to the ground, she removed her helmet, and her long ponytail cascaded down, giving her an air of effortless grace and cool beauty.Mrs. Thompson couldn’t help but sigh internally as she watched Mirabella.
She really was something special. Even riding a bike, she exuded an aura that set her apart from the rest.“Oh, by the way, it looked like you had visitors at home – they arrived in a car so fancy, it’d make your head spin! My son said it’s worth a fortune, probably more than any car in our whole town…” Mrs. Thompson exaggerated with her hands as she spoke.Mirabella listened thoughtfully, her delicate features betraying no particular emotion.Noticing Mirabella’s silence, Mrs. Thompson cautiously looked around before leaning in closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially, “Mira, tell me the truth. How did your family come to know such wealthy folks? Or did you… perhaps offend someone?”Mrs. Thompson remembered that there was also a commotion involving a fancy car at Mirabella’s house last year.Mirabella’s eyelids twitched slightly, and she couldn’t help but give a wry smile at Mrs. Thompson’s wild speculation. To avoid any misunderstanding, she replied softly, “Maybe they’re like, distant cousins or something.”As soon as she said this, confusion spread across Mrs. Thompson’s face, but before she could probe further, Mirabella had already put her helmet back on and waved goodbye. “I better get going, Mrs. Thompson.”Mrs. Thompson watched Mirabella ride away, murmuring to herself, “Wasn’t her family known for being hard up?”Where did these wealthy distant cousins come from?***As Mirabella approached her house, she could already see the fancy black sedan parked in the alley outside the gate. It bore the majestic emblem of an eagle in flight, with a stately and dynamic body. It’s a Bentley, no less, worth a pretty penny.
A mysterious smile played at the corners of Mirabella’s lips as she dismounted her bike and deftly pressed a few clips. In the blink of an eye, the bike folded down into a size that was even more compact than an 11-inch laptop.With the gate ajar, she easily picked up the folded bike and stepped onto the property. She hadn’t even reached the main house when a series of sharp voices cut through the air.“Mom, why are you so stubborn? What’s so precious about this old place that you insist on staying?”“I’ve told you, I bought you a big, beautiful house in the city, complete with a caretaker to look after you. It’s far better than here in every way.”“Just look at this dingy floor, the faded walls, and the leaking roof whenever it rains. Does any of that scream ‘comfort’ to you?”“Your health isn’t the best, yet you choose to live in this damp, moldy old house. Others might think we’re poor, or worse, that your children are neglecting you…”Still in the yard, Mirabella paused thoughtfully as the words reached her. But then, she lifted her chin with resolve.Truth be told, since she’d body hopped into this body, she hadn’t really taken a good look at the place she was living in.The house was a quaint two-story cottage with a yard, the kind you’d find out in the countryside. It had red brick walls topped with black shingles, and the walls were untouched by paint or tiles. In some areas, due to the passage of time, dark, moldy streaks had etched their presence into the surface. All in all, it was the epitome of 1980s architecture—undeniably old and tattered.Mirabella touched the tip of her nose and mused that she had lived in these rough conditions for over a year with relative ease.Just then, the shrill voice inside the house ceased. Mandy emerged, dressed in a black lace gown and a violet silk scarf tied around her neck. Her makeup was impeccable, her hair pinned up with a diamond clip, exuding an aura of a high-society lady. She paused upon seeing Mirabella standing in the yard, taken aback.But quickly, Mandy gathered her wits, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes, and asked with indifference, “What are you doing here?”Mirabella regarded Mandy calmly, her eyes a serene pool, her mind drifting.A year ago, she’d jumped in this body for reasons unknown.
Back then, the original body wasn’t called Mirbella but Mirabelle, a pampered daughter of a newly wealthy family in Ashford.A few months ago, she was abruptly informed that this body was not a true Gilbert family child but was switched at birth by a nurse. Her biological parents were just an ordinary working couple, not only lacking in wealth and influence but also burdened with four seemingly unmotivated sons to support—a heavy load by any measure.Mandy, her foster mother standing before her, discovered that her biological daughter lived in poverty while she raised a poor family’s child in luxury. Perhaps Mandy felt her dormant maternal instincts stir due to this stark contrast. She saw her biological daughter appear gracious and sweet-spoken, so she quickly brought her back home, renaming her and inviting her to the family with haste as if to compensate for any past neglect.As for the faux heiress Mirabella, though born into wealth, she was never truly cherished by the Gilbert family. She spent her childhood in a small town, raised by Mandy’s mother, and was rarely visited, even once a year.With the real daughter reclaimed, the counterfeit had to step aside. So, before the Davis family came to reclaim Mirabella, Mandy told her she didn’t deserve the Gilbert name nor to stay there—a sentiment as clear then as Mandy’s cold demeanor now.Mirabella collected her thoughts and nonchalantly withdrew her gaze from Mandy.Mandy, noticing the shift, furrowed her brows, her anger flaring. “What kind of attitude is that?” she snapped.Hearing the rage in the question, Mirabella raised an eyebrow playfully and replied with a sly smile, “And what, may I ask, is your current title?”At that, Mandy’s well-maintained face darkened instantly. Clearly, no matter how long you raised someone else’s child, they remained wild and without a shred of manners or propriety.At that moment, Mandy’s thoughts turned to her biological daughter, Summer. Raised in a modest household, she exuded elegance and grace, excelled in her studies, and possessed diverse talents. Now scouted to be a star, Summer was seemingly born to bring pride to the Gilbert family. In contrast, Mirabella, the foster daughter, was no match for Summer in any way, save for her looks.Mandy took a deep breath, recalling the purpose of her visit. Her eyes hardened as she pondered for a few seconds, then she reined in her anger.”Since you’re here, there’s something I want to make clear today, and I hope you can take care of it,” Mandy declared with a return to her aristocratic demeanor. Though she spoke of hope, the undercurrent of her words suggested a command rather than a request.Mirabella chuckled, and before she could respond, her grandmother, Catherine – who had raised her from childhood – made her presence known. Catherine gently patted Mandy’s arm, signaling her to tone it down before turning her softened gaze to Mirabella. “Mira, you’re back. How did the competition go?”With a nonchalant hum, Mirabella replied, “Not too bad, I guess.”“Did you win?” asked Catherine, the excitement clear in her voice.“Yeah, first place,” Mirabella responded casually, without a hint of pride in her eyes, as if clinching the top spot was a walk in the park for her.Upon hearing this, Catherine was so delighted that she wiped away a tear. “Good girl.”
Mandy frowned, not understanding, and questioned Catherine, “First place in what competition?”Catherine turned to her with a proud smile and began, “You might not know, but Mira is not only a stellar student but also…”Losing interest as Catherine didn’t directly answer her question and instead started praising Mirabella’s academic achievements, Mandy interrupted with impatience. “Okay, I get it. You don’t need to prop her up in front of me. She didn’t even qualify for the county high school with her grades. If it weren’t for the Gilbert family footing the bill, she’d probably be stuck in some party school.”Pausing, Mandy cast a scornful glance at Mirabella. “A fake stone will never be mistaken for a diamond, no matter what.”Catherine looked worriedly at Mirabella, fearing the words might have hurt her. “You haven’t been involved in her life for years. You have no idea what Mira is like now…”Mandy sneered dismissively, cutting her off again. “Mom, she’s not my biological daughter nor your real granddaughter. Her name is Davis, and whether she does well or not is none of my concern, and I don’t want to hear it.”Catherine’s face tensed, harsh and dry words stuck in her throat. After a moment, she managed to mutter, “Mira is my granddaughter!”Mandy massaged her temples, perplexed by Catherine’s delusion. “She’s been living off the Gilbert family for seventeen years while my daughter suffered. Mom, get a grip. Don’t just recognize anyone as family! You see her as kin, but she might just be using you, trying to swindle some money to send back to her real parents…”“You stop!” Catherine trembled with rage. “I raised Mira myself.
I know exactly what kind of person she is, so don’t you dare cast your malicious suspicions on her.”Mandy’s face turned ashen with anger. “You can’t tell right from wrong. Mom, I think you’re really sick in the head.”Now in her sixties and with a heart condition, Catherine grew pale and clutched her chest tightly in response to Mandy’s harsh words. Seeing this, Mirabella placed what she was holding on the ground and quickly moved to Catherine’s side. She helped Catherine to a nearby wicker chair and took her wrist in her hand, checking her pulse.