Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 73

Mr. Norwood listened his son and daughter-in-law trying to coach him on how to be nicer to Lydia. He immediately lost his appetite. “Fine, fine, it’s all my fault. Happy now?” He pushed back his chair and left without another word.

Lucinda looked down, her voice shaky with guilt. “I’m sorry, Dad, Mom. This is all because of me. If I hadn’t been switched with Lydia at birth, none of this would have happened.”

Kylie hurried to comfort her. “Lucinda, how could this be your fault? Your grandfather has always been stubborn, and Lydia... well, she may seem cold, but she’s warm inside. That’s why they didn’t see eye to eye. Give him some time, he’ll figure it out.”

Lucinda nodded, still looking at the floor. “Yeah, they will get along eventually.” But inside, she was hoping they’d keep fighting. If Grandpa ever took Lydia’s side, where would that leave her?

Lydia didn’t feel like riding her motorcycle today. Instead, she picked the cheapest sports car in the garage, though to anyone else it would still look like a luxury ride.

When she got to the address her parents had given her, she looked up at the building—a ten-story office with sleek glass windows—and raised her eyebrows. She’d thought her parents were just letting her mess around with some tiny startup, but this was no small company. It looked pretty legit, more like a mid-sized enterprise.

She walked into the lobby and saw the company’s name in big, shiny gold letters over the reception desk: Greenward Power Apparel Co.

Behind the desk, two receptionists in matching uniforms were giggling and scrolling through their phones. When Lydia walked in, they glanced her way, then went right back to their conversation, acting like she wasn’t even there.

She walked up to them and asked, “Isn’t it working hours right now?”

One of the girls shot her a glare. “Who are you to care about our working hours?”

Both girls burst out laughing. “Could you be here for business? You don’t even look like you’ve started college. Don’t try to use work as an excuse to hit on him. Just leave.”

Suddenly, a new voice came from the entrance. “What’s going on here?”

The two receptionists instantly snapped to attention, standing up straighter with bright, polite smiles. “Ma’am, good morning! It’s all good, just someone who came to the wrong place.”

Their whole attitude changed in a heartbeat, nothing like the lazy, snarky way they’d treated Lydia.

Lydia turned around and saw a woman walking in with serious presence. She wore a dark green LYLX dress, big sunglasses, and carried an LV bag. She walked with her head held high, jewelry sparkling everywhere. She had three strands of pearls around her neck, each one more dazzling than the last, and a sapphire pendant that matched her sapphire earrings. All her fingers except her thumbs and pinkies were covered in rings, each one more eye-catching than the next.