Chapter 3 Greener pasture

Elena's POV Elena left Clara's house and returned to the nearby garden close to the orphanage home. She sat there thinking about what to do next and what her next line of action should be. She also thought about how to sort out her bills. After thinking for a while, she decided to go job hunting the next day instead of going to the tutorial. The next morning, she woke up very early to do her usual chores at the orphanage and left in search of a job. She tried different places, including shops and restaurants. However, because it was a countryside community with few people, no one was in need of staff. The businesses did not have enough sales to pay additional staff. She searched for hours, yet she couldn't find anything. Out of frustration, she decided to leave the countryside with the little savings she had and head for New York. Her aim was simple: it was a big city, and there would be plenty of job opportunities. She rushed back to the orphanage, packed the only good clothes she had, and penned down a short note saying: "No one wanted me, not my parents, not my family members. Nature also decided to be cruel to me these past few days, and I have left hoping to find a greener pasture outside this community." She signed the note:Elena Grace She left the note on her bed and vanished.

The Whitmore POV

With a heavy mind, Alexander arrived at their villa and called his wife to discuss everything that had been happening since his accident. They discussed the discovery of their actual biological daughter and how to explain the situation to their children before bringing the girl home. Alexander was still trying to understand everything. "No Whitmore blood stays in the countryside." Isabelle looked at him. "How on earth is this possible?" "I don't know either. I still feel very strange and confused." "Then how did I end up with another woman's daughter while my own daughter stayed and grew up in the orphanage home?" "That's the most confusing part because the results say Vivienne is neither yours nor mine." "Then who are her parents?" "I have had someone look into what happened on the day you gave birth because they have the same date of birth." Isabelle became emotional. "Now what do we do, my daughter can't continue to grow up in an orphanage while I raise another woman's daughter. And how will my little angel, Vivienne, take this news?" she asked, sobbing. "That's why I called you first to discuss this and then find a solution. We need to inform the children before bringing Elena back here.

Later That Night Later in the night, right after dinner, Alexander called all his children together for a discussion in his study room. "There's something I need to tell you guys. It's important, and I want it to remain confidential. Just us as a family." Everyone looked at him. "Remember the other day when I had an accident and someone donated blood for me? My donor is my biological daughter." Julian, who was known for having a very hot temper, immediately shouted. "Dad! So you have a mistress somewhere? Are you cheating on Mom?" Adrian looked at his father. "Dad, is that true? Do you truly have another family aside from us?" Vivienne stared at him. "So I'm not the only daughter of this family?" Julian turned to his mother. "Mom, why aren't you saying anything? Didn't you hear what Dad just said?" Isabelle sighed. "Hear your father out, please." Julian became angry. "You still defend someone who cheated on you?" Alexander shouted. "Quiet, everyone! First, I didn't cheat on your mother, and I don't have a family outside. I don't have a mistress either." Adrian asked: "Then how come the donor is your biological daughter? And have you confirmed it?" Alexander nodded. "Yes, I have confirmed it. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't made my findings. The truth is, she is biologically your mother's and my daughter." Julian looked confused. "But Mom only had three children. How come? Mom, say something. Isabelle sighed. Alexander continued. "The truth is, one of you is not our own biological child. We don't know how the situation happened, and we are still investigating it. But we are still your parents regardless of the situation." All the children looked at one another in confusion. "Who is the person? they asked. Isabelle and Alexander exchanged a look. They both sighed. "Vivienne," they said together. All the children stared at Vivienne. "Whattttt?! they exclaimed.

Vivienne POV

Vivienne left the study room immediately after hearing the news. She rushed to her room, locked the door, and began crying nonstop. It came as a shock to her that she wasn't a Whitmore. All these years, she had lived as the only princess and daughter of the Whitmore family. She cried more and more. If I'm not a Whitmore, then who are my parents? Will they send me out of this lifestyle after the real daughter arrives? Will the two brothers I grew up with abandon me and rush to their real sister? How will I tell my friends that I'm not a Whitmore? How will I continue the lifestyle I'm used to? And, most importantly, how will I get the man I badly want, Sebastian Kingsley, without being a Whitmore? She kept crying while, outside her room, her brothers and mother were banging on the door, asking her to open it. "Vivienne, open the door!" "You are still and will forever be our little princess!" But she didn't listen to them. She kept crying.

Elena POV

Elena arrived in New York and looked around, admiring the beauty of the city compared to where she came from. She saw different cars, houses, and even store buildings made of glass. Everything seemed new to her. Unknown to her, one of the thugs had been observing her. However, she was lost in admiration of her surroundings when suddenly her phone rang. She looked at it and saw that it was a call from Clara. Clara asked why she hadn't come for tuition the day before or that day. Elena was just about to start explaining when the thug suddenly snatched her bag. The bag contained all her clothes and the little money she had left. She began shouting. "Thief! Thief!" But nobody paid much attention to her, especially because of the way she was dressed. She was devastated.

The Whitmore POV

The morning was quiet, unlike the usual atmosphere. Even the maids and guards could feel the change. Julian was sitting on the sofa, while Adrian was dressed to go out for a workout. Alexander walked into the room and announced that he was going to the countryside with Julian to bring the girl back to the villa. Julian immediately objected. "I won't accept this or go with you, Dad. Just because of a random stranger? Vivienne has been crying nonstop. I won't accept that. Vivienne will be and remain my only sister." Alexander looked at him sternly. "You either follow me or lose your position in the Whitmore Company. Nothing will change the fact that this random stranger is a Whitmore, just as you are. You should all be nice to her. Her name is Elena." Just then, Vivienne walked into the conversation, fully dressed in her uniform. Hearing the conversation, she immediately rushed out to the car and headed to school. Julian and Alexander headed to the airport to travel to the countryside, while Adrian sighed and continued with his day.

Vivienne's POV

Vivienne was deep in thought, wondering how people would look at her when they found out she wasn't a Whitmore. She felt overwhelmed by different thoughts. However, she remained lost in her thoughts until the driver announced that they had arrived at her school.

Westbridge Academy

She got down from the car, carrying her backpack. Being the school queen, she quickly shook off the family drama and reminded herself: I can't let anyone know I'm not a Whitmore. They will look down on me. She started walking into the school compound. Her friends, Sienna Blake and Madison Clarke, were more like her followers because they always obeyed her orders and followed her instructions. Their families were wealthy, but Vivienne's family was wealthier than theirs. She sometimes gave Sienna a chance to talk because Sienna was closer to her. Madison, however, was the puppet of the trio. She carried out the dirty work that Vivienne and Sienna wanted to do without people knowing that they were behind it. The trio was known as the school bully queens. They always bullied scholarship students and students from lower classes. Seeing her friends, Vivienne changed her mood and maintained her usual aura while they discussed a scholarship student, Maya Bennett, who was a usual target of the trio. When Vivienne saw Maya, she saw it as an opportunity to vent her anger on someone. She called Maya over and ordered her to clean her shoe. "Clean my shoe!" She shouted at her, insulting her. "People like you don't deserve a place in Westbridge." She bullied Maya for some minutes before ordering her to leave. "This is Westbridge Academy. Only the rich have a place here." Her friends noticed the unusual way she was shouting because, even though Vivienne bullied people, she had never gone to this extent before. Sienna looked at her suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?" Vivienne quickly dismissed it. "It's nothing." She also had a secret that she had not told them. Sienna suddenly smiled. "I heard you're engaged to Sebastian Kingsley." Vivienne smiled proudly. "One and onlyyyy." Sienna became excited. "Girl! You bagged him right there! How were you able to pull that off? Rumour has it that no woman has ever been seen with him." Vivienne smiled. "The power of the Whitmore, yayyy!" Sienna smiled. "I'm so happy for you." Madison interrupted them. "Let's go to class.

Alexander's POV

Arriving in the countryside, Alexander asked for directions to St. Aurelia's Children's Home. When they got there, he asked to see the head of the home, Mrs. George. Inside the head's office, Alexander asked if they had anyone by the name of Elena Grace. Mrs. George nodded. "Yes." Alexander looked relieved. "Sorry to ask, but how long has she stayed here, and where are her parents?" Mrs. George answered. "She has been here for twenty years, right from when she was still a baby. We don't know her parents. They found her at the entrance with a letter beside her." Alexander looked surprised. "What letter?" Mrs. George opened Elena's file and brought out the note. Alexander collected it and began reading. "Her name is Elena Grace because I hope she sees grace in life. Born on the 3rd of March. You deserve a good life, but my daughter deserves the best, which is why I have to switch you. I'm so sorry." Alexander was stunned. "They deliberately switched her at birth," he thought. "But who could have done that?" He looked at Mrs. George. "Please, can we see her I'm here biological father! Alexander brought out the DNA results and explained how he had gotten Elena's sample. Mrs. George: "Oh, my poor Elena. She's been through a lot. If you had come yesterday, you could have met her, but we found a note on her bed this morning." She handed Elena's note to Alexander before telling him about her departure. Alexander took the note and looked at it. "Where did she go? Where could she be? A whole Whitmore looking for greener pastures... Where could we find her?