Bye Loser! Love, Daddy's Heiress - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

The moment we stepped out of the party, I turned to Taurus with a quiet exhale. "Thanks for having my back in there," I said, genuine gratitude coloring my tone.
He adjusted his suit cuffs with a smirk. "Anytime, Cressida." His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Though I've got to admit, watching you play with him was pretty entertaining."
I gave a dry chuckle. "Lothario used to be my pet, but I'm done with strays."
Taurus let out a deep laugh. "Brutal."
I smiled but stayed silent. He didn't need to know that beneath my frosty exterior, part of me still twisted at seeing Lothario crumble. That some small, stupid piece remembered the man he'd been before greed hollowed him out.
"By the way," Taurus continued, studying me with razor-sharp focus, "I know your old man asked me to play boyfriend for now, but I hope you realize I'm enjoying this way more than I should."
I arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
He leaned in just close enough to make my skin prickle. "You're something else, Pearl. Haven't been this intrigued in years."
I stepped back with a smirk. "Careful, Sullivan. I don't do distractions."
His chuckle was dark. "Then I'll just have to make myself unforgettable."
Rolling my eyes, I let it go. Taurus was dangerous territory, but for now, he was a useful player in my game.
Next morning brought an interesting call from one of my contacts.
"Alessia's losing it," the voice crackled. "She's got investigators crawling through your past like ants at a picnic."
I hummed. "And?"
"She found the truth."
I stilled. "Which truth?"
"That you're Alexander Anderson's real daughter."
A grin spread across my face. So the idiot finally connected the dots.
Alessia must be seething. All that time playing dress-up as Alexander's "long-lost heiress," only to discover her worst enemy was the genuine article. Poetic justice.
And completely predictable.
"Let me guess," I said, crossing my legs as I leaned back. "She panicked and fed some bullshit to the press?"
A pause. "...Not exactly."
My frown was instant. "What did she do?"
"She leaked that you're Alexander's daughter—"
I smirked. "Hardly scandalous."
"—but twisted it," they continued. "Claimed you're just some high-class escort he keeps around. Says you slept your way into his fortune."
For a heartbeat, I just sat there.
Then I laughed—deep, genuine, belly-aching laughter.
"Oh, Alessia," I murmured, wiping an amused tear. "You just signed your own death warrant."
Then Dad called.
I answered, knowing he wouldn't ring unless it was critical. "Yes, Dad?"
"Turn on the news."
His clipped tone said everything. I grabbed my phone and pulled up the headlines. My lips curled at what I saw:
BREAKING: Cressida Lancaster—Not Anderson's Daughter But His Paid Companion?
I didn't know whether to laugh or groan at the sheer desperation. This was Alessia's big play?
Taurus peered over my shoulder. "Wow," he deadpanned. "Creative. 'Escort'? Really?"
I exhaled sharply. "Amateur hour."
"She's backed into a corner," Dad said through the phone. "But she just handed us exactly what we needed."
I smirked. "Let me guess—press conference?"
"Immediately."
Pushing off the railing, my heels clicked against marble as I moved inside. "Then let's give them a show they'll never forget."
Within hours, Dad's team had everything set up—his people worked like a Swiss watch. By the time I reached Anderson Corp headquarters, the media circus was in full swing.
I stepped out of the black town car, ignoring the camera flashes and shouted questions. Taurus shadowed me, a silent enforcer as we entered the building.
Inside, Dad stood at the podium—all steel and authority. He didn't need to command attention; the room fell silent the moment he cleared his throat.
"The woman you know as Cressida Lancaster," he declared, voice cutting through the air, "is not an escort. She is my daughter."
The crowd erupted, but Dad wasn't done.
"Her name is Pearl Anderson. My only child. The rightful heir to this empire."
Cameras exploded. Reporters scrambled. Social media went nuclear.
I stepped forward, joining Dad at center stage. Meeting the cameras head-on, I let my smirk speak volumes.
"Next time someone wants to come for me," I said coolly, "they'd better bring more than cheap rumors."
Somewhere out there, I knew Alessia was watching—choking on the ashes of her own destruction.
As for Lothario? I hoped he was paying attention. The woman he'd tossed aside wasn't someone he could ignore anymore.
I'd become invincible.