Three Systems Made the Fake Heiress Unstoppable

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Miles York Curries Favor with Chloe York

”Hasn’t Chloe come back yet?” The first thing Miles York did when he got home was look for Chloe York. Thanks to the good deed she’d done, tons of potential partners were now approaching him, eager to collaborate. Even one notoriously difficult prospect that his company had been trying to win over for ages had suddenly agreed to a deal. Right now, Chloe York was his golden goose!

”No,” Alice Cole replied, her tone cold and utterly unconcerned.

”What? Still not back? It’s past eight! You’re her mother, for crying out loud. Aren’t you even a little worried that she’s out so late? Can’t you at least pretend to care?”

Hearing that Chloe York wasn’t home and seeing that Alice Cole had no intention of worrying, asking after her, or even suggesting they look for her, Miles was instantly filled with resentment.

Miles’s words completely set Alice off. She shot to her feet. ”Seriously, Miles York? Are you blaming me for this? Her mother? I’m *Brooke York’s* mother! That girl enjoyed years of luxury that belonged to my daughter. You should be glad I haven’t thrown her out on the street already.”

”If I’m her mom, then you’re her dad. Have you ever given a damn about her? And you have the nerve to criticize me.”

Thinking about it, Alice was full of pent-up anger. Miles only ever cared about his business, never about the children at home. Whenever there was a problem, he’d blame her. She’d been putting up with it for a long, long time.

Unable to win the argument, Miles could only retort, ”You’re being unreasonable.”

”Me, unreasonable? Who’s really being unreasonable here? The only reason you’re so worried about Chloe York right now is because her ’good deed’ is profitable for you. What about all those times she wasn’t back by nine before? Did you ever care even once?”

”Dad, Mom, please don’t fight,” Brooke York said, standing beside Alice to mediate. ”Chloe would be heartbroken if she saw you arguing because of her.” Her words seemed designed to make peace, but bringing Chloe into it again only fanned the flames.

”The way I see it, she’s staying out this late on purpose,” Alice sneered. ”Just because she’s a ’celebrity’ now.”

”But she *is* a celebrity now, isn’t she? Do you have any idea how many new contracts the company has landed because of her? They’re all lining up to work with us because of Chloe. The value she’s bringing to this company is nothing to sneeze at.”

After all, Chloe York had been the York family’s daughter for years and had attended countless banquets. Many business leaders recognized the girl who went viral online for the rescue as Chloe York. Even if she was now the ”fake” one, she was still living in the York residence and was, in name, still a daughter of the York Family.

Miles’s words made Alice reconsider. If the girl was actually bringing profit to the company, then of course she would be happy about it.

”Well, why didn’t you just say she was so useful now? If you’d told me earlier, I’d have definitely made sure she was safe!”

Seeing Alice’s complete reversal, Miles couldn’t even look at her. His gaze shifted to Brooke York. ”Brooke, didn’t I tell you to come home with her?”

Suddenly put on the spot, Brooke saw the displeasure on Miles’s face, and a flicker of panic crossed her own.

But she quickly composed herself. ”She refused to ride in the same car as me.”

”She refused to ride with you?” Miles thought about Chloe York’s personality. It wasn’t surprising. Since she was a child, she’d never let anyone else touch her things. He figured that with Brooke in the car, Chloe refused to share, probably feeling that Brooke’s presence would have ”dirtied” it.

”She doesn’t have the birthright of a pampered heiress, but she sure has the attitude,” Alice scoffed. ”If you ask me, even as a celebrity, that good reputation of hers won’t last long.”

”Miss, you’re back!” Just then, a maid’s voice called from the doorway.

Hearing that Chloe York had returned, Miles instantly concealed his anger and put on a smile. He looked toward the entrance and, sure enough, saw Chloe walking in with her schoolbag. ”Chloe, you’re home.”

Seeing the smile on Miles’s face, Chloe immediately grew wary. ’A smile like that means he wants something from me.’

”Chloe, dear, you don’t like the car that takes you to and from school, do you? Why don’t you go to the garage and pick out a new one? Or, Dad can buy you another one and arrange a personal driver just for you. How does that sound?”

Miles’s tone was practically fawning. His smile caused all the wrinkles on his face to bunch together, but even so, Chloe could still see the scheming glint in his somewhat murky eyes.

Hearing Miles’s offer, Brooke York could no longer maintain her calm expression. A trace of coldness and resentment became visible on her face.

’I’ve been back for so long, and Dad has never once spoken to me like that,’ she thought. ’They’re the ones who wronged me, yet I’m the one who has to curry favor with them just to get by. If I don’t, my life here is miserable. Chloe is just the fake, but in this house, she’ll always seem more like a true York than I ever will.’

”There’s no need.”

Chloe had no intention of lingering. She needed to go upstairs and pack her belongings. Her plan was to move out of the York residence, and after the college entrance exams, buy a house near the university she’d be attending.

”Chloe, what do you mean there’s no need? Dad worries about you traveling to and from school by yourself every day!”

”You worry about me?”

”Yes, I do.”

”Chloe, you don’t know this, but Dad was so worried when he came home and you weren’t here,” Brooke chimed in. ”So please, just accept the car and driver. It’s the only way he’ll be able to rest easy!”

Despite how he’d just spoken to Brooke, she was still being so sensible and helping him persuade Chloe. Miles nodded in approval. ”Brooke, you too. If you’re not happy with your current car or driver, Dad can get you new ones as well.”

”I’m fine, Dad. We should focus on my sister right now. Besides, my car is perfectly fine, and the driver is great.”

’Great, my ass,’ Brooke fumed internally. ’It’s a hand-me-down from Chloe.’ She was furious but had to force herself to endure it.

She couldn’t help but wonder. ’It used to be me who always got a rise out of Chloe, but lately, she’s the one who keeps getting under my skin.’

Watching the two of them go back and forth, Chloe silently rolled her eyes. ”Do whatever you want. I’m going upstairs.”

”Hey, I’ll take that as a yes! I’ll get you a new car and a driver!” Miles shouted after her retreating back, but she didn’t answer or even slow her pace as she headed up the stairs.

Once she was gone, disappearing around the landing, the smile vanished from Miles’s face. He turned to Alice Cole. ”From this day forward, you will all treat Chloe as a member of this family. Treat her like one of the Yorks.”

He knew Alice couldn’t stand the sight of Chloe right now, but however she felt, she was going to have to suck it up.

He planned to use this opportunity to elevate the York Family to even greater heights.

Alice could tell Miles was warning her, which only made her feel worse. ”That’s rich. You think I’m not treating her like one of the Yorks? The real question is whether *she* even considers herself one of us anymore.”

”Whether she considers us family is irrelevant. What’s important is that for now, she *must* be a York. She is a daughter of the York Family, and she will live in this house.”