Fake Heiress 20

Posted by admink, ? Views, Released on March 18, 2025

Chapter 20

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Quinlyn had never received a thank–you gift before. And this one was a house–worth millions of dollars.

With Claude’s help, they got all the paperwork done in less than an hour. By the time Quinlyn was holding her brand–new property deed, her birth certificate was ready too. She was now a homeowner in her own right.

She wanted to include Matthew’s name in the deed, but she knew records for people who’d passed away didn’t count. So she put up a wooden sign in the yard, like a welcome mat, to show he was there in spirit.

As they were about to say goodbye, Claude shook his head with a touch of disappointment. “I was planning to take you guys out for dinner, but this city project is urgent. I’ll have to do it another time.”

Turning to Stanley, he added. “You mentioned Quinlyn goes to Manldon International School, right? My daughter Mandy is there too. I’d love for them to meet and maybe become friends.”

Joseph, knowing how much effort it took for Claude to make this visit, smiled and nodded. “I’ll pick Mandy up from school tomorrow, and they can meet then,” he said.

“Great,” Claude replied, patting Joseph on the shoulder with a grateful smile. Thanks, man.”

Once the car pulled away, the three of them headed back into the villa, which was decked out in high–end decor.

Stanley whistled as he finished his tour. “Wow, these fat cats surely know how to throw money around.”

Joseph just shrugged. “Claude’s no–nonsense approach is exactly why his business keeps booming.” he said, clearly impressed.

Stanley winced and dropped onto the couch, his lips pursed. “Do we really need to get the kid involved? If he finds out Quinlyn isn’t an Anderson, he’s gonna lose it,” he said, shaking his head.

Joseph sighed and shook his head. “It’s not about Quinlyn’s identity. Claude’s daughter, Mandy, is super shy and unhappy at

school.

“He’s mentioned it a few times. He thinks Quinlyn’s level–headed personality could help, so he wants Quinlyn to look out for Mandy.”

“Huh? Quinlyn’s just a kid herself. How’s she supposed to look out for others?” Stanley was skeptical, thinking Joseph had to be joking

But Joseph shook his head. “Quinlyn’s more capable than you think.”

Stanley had to admit Joseph had a point. Whether it was dealing with robbers in the mall or exposing a drug ring, Quinlyn had shown she was way more capable than he was.

Stanley and Joseph looked out the window at Quinlyn, who was standing by the pool with a serious expression.

She’d been fixated on the pool since they started looking at the house. After closing the deal, she didn’t even go inside; she just kept walking around the edge of the water.

“Wonder what she’s looking at?” Stanley asked, stretching his neck to get a better view. “Is there some treasure in the water?”

Joseph shook his head, just as puzzled. But before they could figure it out, Quinlyn took a sudden, fearless leap into the pool. A huge wave broke the surface, followed by a trail of bubbles.

The two boys in the living room froze for a second, then burst out with a simultaneous “Oh

my

God!

They sprinted to the window and leaned out to pull her out. By the time they got her out. Quinlyn had already swallowed a

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Chapter 20

bellyful of water

Stanley’s eyes widened as he stared at Quinlyn. You can’t swim Then why the heck did you jump int Are you serious? He gave her back a few firm pats to help her cough up the water, his face enched with concern.

Joseph stood there, looking just as bewildered. He glanced at Quinlyn, probably thinking he should take back that “level- headed” comment he’d made earlier.

Finally, Quinlyn stopped coughing and turned to stare at the pool, like the was already thinking about diving back in

Stanley realized what was going on. “You want to learn, don’t you?” he asked.

Quinlyn nodded, water still dripping from her face.

Stanley shook his head and sighed. “You could’ve just told us you wanted to learn. Joseph and I would’ve helped. You didn’t have to nearly drown yourself to figure out how to swim.” He gave her forehead a gentle tap. “What were you thinking?”

Quinlyn just stared, her mind going blank. The thought of learning from others had never even crossed her mind

In her town, the only water they had was a tiny, shallow stream. When she was little, the other kids would dunk her head underwater, teasing that she needed to drink before she could swim.

In winter, the thin ice on the stream would give her headaches, and she’d end up swallowing mouthfuls of icy water. shivering and confused.

Eventually, she learned to hold her breath for a long time, thinking that was the secret to swimming. But today. Stanley and Joseph were telling her she’d been wrong all along

The boys‘ clothes were already soaked, so they figured they might as well teach her something. They started on the shore. showing her the basic swimming strokes before helping her into the water.

The sun dipped low, painting the sky orange and casting a golden shimmer on the water. Quinlyn was in the middle of it all. dog–paddling furiously, her head bobbing just above the surface. She was grinning like crazy, her eyes sparkling with pure

joy.

Stanley and Joseph, keeping a close watch on her, couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.

“You’re doing awesome,” Stanley said, clearly impressed. “Next up, I’ll teach you freestyle.”

Joseph cut in, shaking his head. “That’s a bit fast. Let’s nail the basics first.”

Stanley just rolled his eyes. “I know what I’m doing, dude. Stop worrying

Quinlyn paddled over to the edge of the pool and grabbed onto the white tiles, watching them banter back and forth. For the first time, she felt that learning to swim didn’t have to be a struggle–it could be an exciting experience.

Later that night, after they’d grabbed dinner at a restaurant, Stanley dropped Quinlyn back home.

As soon as they got through the door, Harriet was up from the couch, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Stanley, I heard you took Quinlyn to the bank. Did she hit the jackpot or something?”

Stanley glanced at her, catching her not–so–hidden agenda. He felt a pang of irritation and rolled his eyes. “What difference does it make to you?” he snapped, sharper than he intended.

“Stanley…” Harriet’s lip jutted out in a pout. It was clear she didn’t like being shot down like that.

Tina stepped in, her voice calm and even. “Hey, Stanley, Harriet’s just curious. How’d it go with the birth certificate today? You guys were gone for ages.”

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Chapter 20

Stanley’s irritation flickered again at the veiled question. He shrugged, trying to keep it casual. “Yeah, it went fine. But the new term’s starting soon. We should get Quinlyn over to Grandpa’s place, right?”

He was dying to spend more time with Quinlyn, but with everyone in the house scrutinizing her every move, he figured it’d be better to move out sooner rather than later.

Tina would’ve loved that idea before, but this time, she hesitated, her smile strained. With the new term starting soon, it makes more sense for her to stay home,” she said carefully

After a pause, she added, “Plus, Harriet and Quinlyn are good together. Maybe we should hold off on sending her over for

Tina’s feelings had shifted since finding out Quinlyn wasn’t a biological child. The old hostility was gone, but she had a new angle.

She wanted Harriet to get close to Quinlyn so Harriet could eventually move to Edward’s place, charm him, and maybe secure a bigger inheritance in the long run.

Doing as her mother had instructed, Harriet forced a smile and took Quinlyn’s hand. “Hey, don’t worry about anything. I’ll look out for you when we’re in school. No one will mess with you once they know you’re my sister.”