Part 1After My Daughter Was Switched by My Cousin, I Laughed

My cousin secretly gave birth to a daughter and then switched her baby with mine.

I knew all along, yet I raised her daughter in luxury, treating her as if she were the most precious jewel in the world.

Years later, that daughter became the Crown Princess, soaring to unimaginable heights of power and prestige.

On the day of the royal wedding, my cousin arrived at the palace gates, dragging along my real daughter—who had long been sold into a life of misery as a courtesan in a seedy brothel.

With a smug, triumphant sneer, my cousin declared, "I am the true mother of the Crown Princess, while you’re nothing but the lowly birth mother of this girl. Don’t even think of claiming what isn’t yours!"

I had been waiting for this moment for years. Without a flicker of surprise or anger, I smiled graciously and nodded.

"Then let’s switch them back," I said calmly.

"Dear cousin, I’ve tailored two dresses myself. Hurry and bring Kara out to try them on."

It was the first day of spring, and my cousin Nora showed up at my home uninvited. She waltzed in as if she owned the place, making herself comfortable in my sitting room without so much as an invitation.

She wasted no time calling for my daughter, Kara, as though she had every right to summon her.

But I knew why she acted so boldly. She wasn’t just here for a casual visit—she was here for her daughter.

Kara, the cherished young lady of my household, was not my biological daughter. Sixteen years ago, Nora, who had been staying at my home, secretly gave birth to an illegitimate child after an affair with a man she refused to name.

To cover her shame, she switched her baby with mine.

The wet nurse who witnessed the swap immediately came to me with the truth. But instead of exposing Nora’s treachery, I gave the nurse a generous sum of silver and sent her off to live out her days in peace. I kept the secret to myself, biding my time.

Now, here Nora was, playing the role of a doting cousin, dragging along a lame servant girl named Skylar.

Nora claimed Skylar had been raised by her since childhood, but one look at the girl’s face told me the truth. Skylar’s features mirrored my own—she was the child Nora had stolen from me.

Within moments, Kara came fluttering into the room like a butterfly, dressed in the new gown Nora had brought for her.

"Mother, look, look! Isn’t it beautiful? I love this dress so much!" Kara exclaimed, twirling in delight as she ran to my side, her voice full of laughter.

But Nora wasn’t satisfied.

She reached out and grabbed Kara’s arm, gently pulling her toward her. "Oh my, Kara, you truly are stunning," Nora said, her voice dripping with faux affection.

"This dress suits you so much better than anything your mother has ever given you," she added, shooting me a smug glance.

Then, with a sly smile, she leaned closer to Kara and asked, "Kara, wouldn’t you like to call me your mother instead?"

Kara, still a child at heart, giggled innocently and replied, "No way! My mother isn’t you!"

Her playful response was like a dagger to Nora’s pride.

The room’s lighthearted atmosphere abruptly shattered with a sharp, resounding "SMACK."

Nora had raised her hand and slapped Skylar across the face without warning.

The poor girl staggered from the blow, her cheek swelling almost instantly. Tears welled in her eyes, but she bit them back, dropped to her knees, and begged for mercy.

Nora smiled coldly and turned to us as if nothing had happened. "This wretched girl doesn’t know her place. I caught her staring at Kara’s dress, and I had to teach her a lesson before she starts getting ideas."

Skylar’s tears fell silently, dripping onto the floor.

All she had done was glance at Kara’s gown, a fleeting look of admiration that had earned her a brutal slap.

The injustice of her life was plain to see. Among all the maids and servants in my household, Skylar was treated as the lowest of the low.

Nora gave her nothing but scraps to eat, scraps so foul even beggars would turn their noses up at them. Her clothes and shoes were tattered hand-me-downs, and whenever Nora was in a bad mood, Skylar bore the brunt of her anger, enduring beatings that left her bruised and battered.

Now, with her true nature revealed, Nora’s cruel temper frightened Kara. My daughter clung to my side, her earlier excitement replaced with unease.

Seeing Kara lean into me only fueled Nora’s jealousy. Her resentment flared, and her malice erupted in full force.

She pulled a silver hairpin from her head, its sharp end glinting in the light, and without hesitation, drove it into Skylar’s crippled leg.

"You worthless brat!" Nora hissed through gritted teeth. "You dare humiliate me in front of my cousin? You’ve been nothing but a disgrace since the day you were born!"