Chapter 1The Legacy of the Split

By the time my mother was pregnant, my parents had already reached a firm consensus on education.

If it was a girl, she would be raised in luxury. If it was a boy, he would be raised in hardship.

They never expected twins.

So, they made a radical choice: they split us up.

I stayed in the city as a pampered heiress, while my brother was sent to a remote farm with our mother to work the land.

Eighteen years later, I followed my father to the countryside. In the distance, I saw a young man with sun-bronzed skin hauling two heavy crates of vegetables.

I asked, "Dad, are we here on a charity mission?"

My father looked the boy over and nodded with satisfaction. "Charity? No. Get to know him—this is your brother."

* * *

I stared at the boy. His features were strikingly similar to my father’s.

Then, a woman dressed in simple, rugged clothes stepped out of the farmhouse.

My world tilted.

Wasn't this my mother, who was supposed to be on a permanent business trip in Europe?

The boy looked confused. "Mom, is this your new boyfriend or something?"

My mother laughed, ruffling his hair. "Don't be smart. This is your father. And this is your twin sister, Aria."

The boy looked even more lost. "My dad? You told me he died in a construction accident to pay for my baby formula..."

My mother beamed. "Well, you just got into a top-tier university, so he’s risen from the grave. Aren't you happy?"

Neither my brother nor I found the joke funny.

My mother handed Silas’s acceptance letter to my father and finally laid out the truth.

Eighteen years ago, they saw too many of their friends fail as parents.

The wealthy kids around them were becoming soft and entitled.

They were terrified.

So, they drafted a plan.

A daughter would be raised in high society, making her untouchable to the common man.

A son would be raised in poverty, hardened by manual labor to eventually lead the family empire.

To prevent us from influencing each other, they kept us apart.

I received an elite education in the city.

Silas received a "tough-love" education on a farm.

My father was only here because Silas had finally "proven himself" with his college acceptance.

I watched my parents look at Silas with such adoration, and a bitter taste filled my mouth.

I knew that tonight’s celebration wasn't for me. It was for the return of the king.