The afternoon sky was blue and exceptionally clear as the white saloon car belonging to the Smith family sped across the highway.
Inside it was an 18-year-old girl with a striking, but yet delicate beauty. Her smooth skin had a natural rosy glow and her downturned gray eyes made her seem aloof.
She had her eyes outside the car's window before she heard her phone buzz and turned to it.
She read the message and threw the phone beside her. After a three hours journey from the countryside to the city, the car finally pulled to a halt in the Smith family villa.
The first thing she saw was a smiling family of three just outside the villa. The smiles on their faces looked forced and didn't seem welcoming at all.
Nevertheless, the girl stepped out of the saloon car once the door was opened by the driver.
Her fair, slender hands slowly slid into her pockets as she unhurriedly walked towards the three people who were said to be her biological parents and the girl she was switched with at birth.
Kate Smith, the switched daughter of the Smith family, had been expecting an ugly country pumpkin with poorly maintained skin.
Seeing how flawless and beautiful Zoey Anderson was, the smile on her face slowly withered away.
"Sister! You're finally here. I'm so excited to finally meet you!" She quickly pulled on a wide grin and reached out her hand to touch Zoey once she got closer.
"I don't like people touching me." Zoey avoided Kate's hand.
Kate's face sunk and she sneered in her heart.
How dare a country pumpkin give her attitude?
So what if she was the biological daughter of the Smith family?
As long as she was around, she'd always be the beloved, well-bred daughter of the Smith family who was raised and trained by them!
On the surface, Kate's eyes instantly reddened as she stepped aside with a sniffle.
"I know sister is angry I lived her life while she towed away helplessly at the countryside. So I reasoned that trying to befriend you would lower your anger towards me… i-i'm so sorry."
Her lips quivered as she completed her sentence, and instantly, her mother came to her side and draped a hand around her shoulder comfortingly.
Seeing this, Henry Smith stepped forward and chastised his daughter who he hadn't seen ever since she was born.
"I know you harbour resentment towards your sister, but I need you to know that what happened to you is none of her fault!"
"She was just as helpless as you when it happened and as such you will now learn to peacefully co-exist with her now that you're here. Is that understood?"
Zoey's lips curled up in disdain. It was her first time meeting Kate, but she already knew what kind of person this sister of hers was.
She was even yet to have the Smith name as her last name and her 'loving' sister was already antagonizing her? Worse still her biological father seemed to be morally blind.
She tapped the fingers in her pockets a impatiently.
While the family of three were rendered speechless at how aloof she seemed, she was debating taking the saloon car and driving back to the country side.
Zoey was about to turn around when she recalled her foster mother's words to her this morning about being obedient and docile in front of her biological family. When she didn't answer, she got her ears painfully dragged.
Recalling the pain, she subconsciously rubbed her right ear and shifted her attention to Henry again. "I understand."
Kate who had begun to see looks of displeasure on her parents' faces when it looked like Zoey had no intention of responding, gritted her teeth angrily when she finally responded.
From the corners of her eyes, she saw her mother take a step towards Zoey, so she immediately grabbed Zoey's arm with a friendly smile.
"I'm glad we can come to an understanding, sister! Let's go into the house together. The chef made different dishes in hope that one of them would be your favorite."
Zoey glanced at Kate's hand on hers and sucked in a deep air. She was having the strong urge to kick her away, but maybe she was judging Kate too quick.
She calmed her turbulent emotion and looked away from her hand.
The four of them took their seats in the dining and Kate immediately got to work by drawing closer most of her favourite foods.
However, Zoey refused to move her spoon.
"Is anything the matter, sister?" Kate asked when she realized Zoey wasn't making any move to eat.
Zoey was silent for a moment before she parted her lips to say, "I'm allergic to every food on the table."
"We exhausted our chefs by making such a feast for you and none of them turned out to be your favourite?" Gina Winchester was bewildered.
She exchanged a puzzled look with her husband, then settled her gaze on the quiet Zoey.
"I know that the foods you've eaten at the countryside seem like the best to you, but you should know that the Smith family isn't a pauper who can't afford a good meal. So go ahead and eat. I assure you that they taste very good, Zoey."
Kate's words sounded like she had Zoey's interest at heart, but anyone could notice the underlying mockery it came with.
Zoey stared at the food for a long time before she finally reached out and grabbed the bottle water in front of her.
Twisting the cap, she revealed, "It's a good thing I ate before coming."
Henry and Gina exchanged relieved glances. At first, they were worried Zoey would be hard for them to control, but so far, she seemed entirely submissive and quiet.
So they deemed it fit to move on to their agenda.
Henry cleared his throat briefly before he began speaking.
"For decades, the Smith family has been doing business with the powerful number one family here in New York."
"But to make the alliance between both families stronger, a marriage alliance was proposed between both families and since it was in our best interest we accepted it."
He paused and stared at her face for any reaction, but saw none. So he continued.
"Previously, your younger sister was the one to marry into the Leith family, but now that you're back, you can assume responsibility of it since it was your duty to begin with."
Only after he had finished speaking did Zoey look at him. Her cold gaze sent a shiver down his spine, causing him to swallow hard in response to the intensity of her stare.
He was the head of the Smith family and yet he was cowering in fear at being looked at by an 18-year-old?!
Henry gritted his teeth in anger and frowned. "Do you have any objections?"
Zoey nodded lazily, briefly turning to Kate beside her. "The Leith family is the number one family in New York and marrying into it sounds like you'll be regarded as someone of high importance. Why would you want to give that away?"
Kate hid her clenched fist away from sight as she replied forcefully, "Because you're the first daughter of the Smith family and only deserve the very best!"
Zoey's scrutinizing eyes made her palms sweaty and she feared her giddy expression would give away the truth.
Just before she caved in to the pressure coming from Zoey, Henry grimaced.
"This is a rare opportunity, Zoey. Given that you've been gone for 18 years and have only returned, people won't respect you even if you bear the Smith family name as your last name."
"But if you get married into the Leith family, no one would dare to look down on you. This is in your best interest. So how could you think we're trying to swindle you?!"
"And you're not just getting married to any member of the Leith family, you're getting married to Alden Leith, the Leith family heir." Gina quickly added.
Zoey almost scoffed.
The Leith family heir, huh? The man who got into a car accident the year before and has been diagnosed to be a cripple for the rest of his life? Of course he sounds very promising!
But what did it matter who she married. Marrying him meant she'd stay out of the spotlight at least. And staying out of the spotlight was exactly what she needed.
The three people in the dining room impatiently waited for Zoey to say something.
Just when Henry was about to lose his patience, he heard Zoey say, "Okay."
"Don't be so quick to reject him. It's an honor to be married into the–" Gina was saying when Zoey's consent registered in her head.
"Okay? You agree?" Realizing the surprise in her voice was obvious, Gina quickly cleared her throat and smiled.
Without wasting time, Henry hurriedly beckoned onto the butler who came running with a contract.
Zoey stared at it blankly.
"What is this?"
Henry scratched his beardless jaw and handed her a pen, shamelessly explaining, "Oh, that? Nothing you should be worried about. Your mother and I are yet to know you very well."
"So we're rightfully afraid that your yes may mean no. Signing that contract will serve as reassurance that you won't change your mind later on."