Chapter 7 Lana is this family real daughter
**Rachel's POV**
*Family?* Did my mother just call that evil, jealous bitch *family*?
I couldn’t believe my ears. My mother was utterly clueless, and they were using her ignorance against me!
I decided then and there—I’d tell her the truth later. For now, I had to face the conniving woman who destroyed my marriage and nearly ended my life.
“Get away from my grandfather, you conniving whore!” I snapped, my voice filled with venom.
“What are you saying, Chelle?”
My eyes widened, and for a moment, it felt like I was in some melodramatic TV drama. Lana's face crumpled into a pitiful expression, her eyes already red, as if she were on the verge of tears.
I scoffed. *She’s still playing this stupid game?*
“Still putting on this fake act? What are you even pretending for?” I growled. She had already won. She’d taken David, and judging by the looks of it, he was madly in love with her. What more could she want?
“I don’t understand,” she whimpered, her voice trembling as tears rolled down her cheeks. One by one, they cascaded down like a river, painting her as the meek, innocent victim.
She looked like someone who had never done a single wrong in her life.
“Stop that, Rachel!” my mother yelled suddenly. “Lana is your best friend and part of this family! What are you doing to her?”
*What?*
I froze, stunned. My mother had yelled at me.
In my twenty-four years of existence, she had *never* raised her voice at me. But now, because of this manipulative bitch, she just had.
“Mum...” I tried, my voice shaky, but I was interrupted by my grandfather’s booming voice.
“I can see you’ve completely lost your manners, young lady. For that, you will be punished!”
I barely registered his words. I was too shocked. My mother had yelled at me—for the *first time in my life*.
I glanced at her, hoping for some support, but she didn’t even flinch at my grandfather’s harsh statement. She just stood there silently, as if Lana had taken my place in her heart.
I sniffled, fighting to hold back my tears. I wouldn’t let them see me cry. I wouldn’t give Lana the satisfaction of having the last laugh.
“Why did you call me here?” I demanded. My voice cracked, but I pushed forward.
My aunts, uncles, and cousins murmured amongst themselves, their hushed voices blending into a cacophony of judgment.
From the corner of my eye, I saw my father sigh heavily, as though the situation was already too much for him.
“If this is about David—” I began, but my grandfather cut me off with a single statement that shattered my world.
“You’re not this family’s biological daughter.”
Time stopped.
My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from my chest.
“What?” I managed to whisper, my voice trembling.
“Is this a joke?” I asked, panic lacing my tone. “This isn’t the time for jokes.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” my grandfather said, his voice cold and unforgiving.
I stared at him, searching for even a flicker of humor or humanity, but his face was like stone.
He wasn’t joking.
And suddenly, everything made sense—his relentless criticism, his cold indifference. He had never treated me like I belonged, and now I knew why.
For as long as I could remember, my grandfather had disapproved of me. If it wasn’t my grades, it was my attitude. My mother had always been my shield, the one person on my side.
But now, I wasn’t even sure about her.
I looked at her, silently begging for her to refute it, to say it wasn’t true. But she only lowered her head.
I was the fool. I was the clueless one in the room.
“Is this because of David?” I asked, my voice a whisper.
No one answered.
The silence was deafening. I looked around the room, desperate for someone to speak, but everyone just stared at me.
“Can someone explain what’s going on?” I choked out.
My grandfather stood, leaning heavily on his cane. He beckoned Lana to come closer.
My heart sank as Lana hesitated, glancing around nervously. My mother gave her a gentle push forward, and my cousins nodded in encouragement.
I watched the scene unfold as if it were a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.
Lana moved to stand beside my grandfather. For a brief moment, they looked like the perfect picture of a doting grandfather and his cherished granddaughter.
No. It couldn’t be.
“Rachel,” my grandfather began, his voice steady and unwavering, “Lana is this family’s real daughter.”
I froze. The words echoed in my head.
Then I burst into laughter—loud, hysterical laughter.
“Ha! Good one,” I said, chuckling nervously. “You almost had me. Right?”
No one joined in.
My mother walked up to me, placing her trembling hands on my shoulders.
“Rachel,” she began softly, her voice breaking. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but...”
Her words faded into the background as my grandfather’s voice repeated in my mind.
*Lana is this family’s real daughter.*
My knees wobbled as I tried to process the revelation.
“How is this possible?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
My mother sniffled, wiping her tears. “Twenty years ago, we lost our daughter in an accident. The car plunged into the river. They found the driver’s body, but they couldn’t recover hers. Weeks later, the authorities declared her dead.”
I stared at her in shock, my tears falling freely now.
“I couldn’t bear it,” she continued. “So I went to the orphanage and adopted you. You filled the void in my heart.”
She paused to catch her breath, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
My father stepped in. “When you introduced Lana to us, I felt a connection. Just a few days ago, we confirmed it—Lana is our biological daughter.”
He said it so matter-of-factly, like it was a weather report.
I snapped.
“So the family I’ve known my whole life... isn’t my family?” I asked, my voice rising.
My grandfather shrugged.
“Did you know this?” I turned to Lana, who looked at me with wide, pitiful eyes.
“Rachel, I...”
“Don’t say my name with your slutty lips!” I screamed, cutting her off.
“You ruined everything! First my marriage, and now this!”
“Stop this!” my father barked. “Lana is your sister—”
“My *sister*?” I sneered, spitting out the word with all the sarcasm I could muster.
The room felt like a twisted theater, with me as the unwilling star.
“Yes,” my mother said, stepping forward. “You may not be my biological daughter, but I love you just the same.”
I scoffed bitterly.
“And it was Lana’s idea that you remain part of this family,” my grandfather added, his tone dismissive. “You should be thanking her. If not for her, I would’ve had you thrown out by now.”
*Thanking her?*
I clapped slowly, my sarcasm sharper than a blade.
“Congratulations, Lana. First, you slept with my husband—”
Gasps filled the room, but I pressed on.
“Then you had him divorce me. Now, you’ve taken my place as the family’s daughter. Well done.”
“Rachel, I didn’t mean for this to happen! I—”
“Lying bitch!” I lunged at her, my nails aiming for her perfect face.
Before I could land a scratch, a loud slap echoed through the room.
Pain radiated across my cheek as I stumbled back, stunned.