Chapter 1

On the very day my billionaire grandfather passed away, my family showed their true colors. Everyone was fighting over his estate.

My dad couldn't stop them, so he dragged my mom and joined the chaos.

When I arrived at the estate, Grandpa Charles was still lying on the bed. They hadn't even bothered to change his clothes.

Some relatives were tearing each other's hair out over a luxury high-rise deed. Others were rolling on the floor, wrestling for his Rolls-Royce keys.

This bunch of usually sophisticated, upper-class snobs was now fighting like animals at a Black Friday sale.

My mom hugged a heavy metal safe and screamed at me. "Hailey. What are you standing there for? Take the diamond ring off your grandfather's finger."

I rubbed my hands together and knelt beside the bed, ready to slide the ring off.

But the moment I crouched down, I saw Grandpa's pinky finger twitch.

I rubbed my eyes. Grandpa Charles's hand was completely still again.

My heart did a flip. I didn't dare touch the ring anymore. Instead, I gently squeezed his finger.

It was freezing cold. It didn't feel like a living person's hand at all.

Just to be safe, I stood up and yelled over the noise, "Everyone, stop fighting! We need to get Grandpa to the hospital right now!"

The shouting temporarily died down. My aunt, Mary, rolled her eyes at me. "Your grandfather was literally just discharged from the hospital to die at home. What hospital?"

I hesitated. "What if... what if he's not actually dead?"

My uncle, Mark, snatched a piece of paper and threw it right in my face.

"He had terminal brain cancer, Hailey. He was going to kick the bucket sooner or later. Now that he's finally gone, why are you trying to ruin things with your bad vibes?"

I picked up the death certificate and stared at it.

It looked completely authentic.

Did I really just hallucinate? Was Grandpa actually dead?

Mark's wife, Chloe, curled her lips in disgust. "Dead is dead. But the old man didn't even leave a proper will! If he had, would we even need to be here tearing each other apart?"

"My son, Leo, is the only grandson who carries the Miller name. Who else is the fortune supposed to go to?"

Mary instantly lost her temper. "My son is also a boy! Why shouldn't he inherit? If anyone is disqualified from the family trust, it's Hailey!"

She shot a venomous glare in my direction.

"Hailey is going to marry some guy and change her last name anyway. She won't even be a Miller. Giving her a piece of jewelry or two is already more than generous."

My mom went berserk. She lunged forward and shoved Mary.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Mary? You married out and changed your name too! Charles loved my daughter the most when he was alive. If anyone deserves the lion's share, it's Hailey!"

Seeing them about to claw each other's eyes out again, I covered my ears in sheer frustration and looked back at Grandpa.

This time, I saw it clearly. His eyelid twitched.

It absolutely wasn't an hallucination. Grandpa was alive!

But why was he faking his death?

My throat went dry. I swallowed hard and tugged at my mother's sleeve.

"Mom, please, stop fighting. I don't want any of the inheritance, okay? Let them have it."