7

452words
She scanned the room,and seeing no one,she made her way to the desk,opening the safe to photograph documents.
She was stealing company secrets—despicable!
From my hiding place behind the sofa,I recorded everything.

After she left,I took the tea leaves for testing.
The results?The tea was laced with a mild toxin that,over time,caused organ failure and brain damage.
Sophia was poisoning Mr.Harper while stealing secrets.Pure evil!
Day after day,she brought that posioned tea to the office,finding ways to siphon more secrets.
Every lunch break,I would secretly swap out the tea leaves in his cup.
Until one day,I entered the office,and the door opened behind me.

It was Mr.Harper.
He stared at me in shock, then his expression turned suspicious.“What are you doing here?”
He reached for security,but I blurted,“Sophia isn’t your real daughter!”
“What!”

“Call Mrs.Harper.I’ll explain.”
The three of us sat in the office,the atmosphere thick with tension and silence.
I cleared my throat.“Mr.Harper,Mrs.Harper,Sophia isn’t your child.”
I played the recordings and videos on my phone and presented the hospital's report on the poisoned tea.
All the evidence I’d gathered lay before them.
Mr.Harper’s chest heaved,veins bulging,eyes brimming with grief and guilt,lips trembling wordlessly.
Mrs.Harper sobbed,eyes bloodshot,trembling hands caressing my face.
I sighed,holding back tears,and continued,“Mr.Harper,I have been swapping your tea.You’re safe now!”
He hugged me,choking,“My dear child,you’ve suffered so much.I…I’ve failed you!”
“No wonder I felt such a connection to you.You’re my real daughter!”
Mrs.Harper collapsed into my arms,gasping.
Reflecting on years of pain,I forced a smile,comforting them.
“It’s okay.The past is gone.From now on…”
“We’ll live well as a family.Mom and Dad will love you dearly!”
Mrs.Harper finished,voice shaking.Mr.Harper nodded,pulling me close.
For the first time in my life, I felt the warmth of true parental love.
“Mariam,what’s next?Sophia must face justice!”
“She doesn’t deserve the Harper name!”
Mrs.Harper’s eyes burned with resolve.
“Dad,let’s turn her trap against her…”
Mr.Harper leaned in,hearing my plan,a smile forming.
As expected,Sophia grew impatient.
She barged into Mr.Harper’s office,sneering,“I’m here to watch the Harper empire fall!”
“Sophia,you…”
“I’m not your kid!Your real daughter’s long been sold to a trafficking ring!”
Mr.Harper feigned despair,slumping.
“What!”
“Oh,and your daily tea?Poison to speed your death.”
“And your company?I've got all its most valuable secrets!”
“Why would you do this?”
“Why?”
Sophia cackled,glaring.“For all your wealth,of course!”
“Hand over all Harper assets,or I’ll leak the secrets,and your family wiill be ruined!”
Mr.Harper bowed his head,acting broken.
Sophia squatted,grabbing his face.
“Mad?Blame yourselves for being fools,losing your real kid.You all deserve to die!”
“One day to decide.Don't test my patience.”
She strutted out.
Watching from my hiding place behind the office partition,my heart ached.I rushed out to help Mr.Harper up.
“Dad,just hold on a little longer.Sophia’s days are numbered!”
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