o's voice cut through her turmoil,

e plain, round-faced girl she had once been. The sister he remembered was gone, replaced by this celestial stranger. Hastily,

and took me to the capital to look for her. The Sterlings... they told us she had run away with another man. But Dad didn't believe them. He was sure they had done something to her. He insisted on staying, on investigati

it felt cold. The Sterlings. It had to be them. They had to cover up her murder, so they tried to silence her family. To think t

ord was a silent

! Bang!

the front gate shatter

ace apart!" a rough male v

small yard, brandishing metal pipes. They began smashing the few potted

a futile plea. "What are you doing?

a garish tattoo of a coiled serpent, smirked. "Can't

delay until next month!" Bà Ga

nting. "If you don't pay now, I won't just destroy

o back out into the yard. Bà Gable threw herself in front of her son. "Please

a fine price," Vinny laughed, a lecherous, ugly sound that plunged the mother an

do they

the chaos, silencing the yard.

e walked over, helping a trembling Bà Gable to her feet, her gaze fixed on Vinn

y captured. He was utterly mesmerized. "Hey, gorgeous, why don

er, Leo, summoning a courage born of desperation, pulled Elara behin

dare you-!" Vinny rais

ced with a deadly promise that made Vinny hesitate, "yo

she was some big shot's mistress. Better to be cautious. "Fine. You want to pay? Thirty million prin

ieked, collapsing. "You said it was

nside her. She spoke through gritted teeth. "I'll give you your one hundred million. But I wan

their names. Just know they're loaded. Hah! Who t

gs. They weren't content with just killing her; they wanted to erase her entire bloo

their slights, their coldness. She had never wronged them. And this was th

ght of her father's portrait, the sound of her brother's sobs, the leering face of t

will make you pay for every t

lara led her mother and brother back inside. She knelt before her father's altar, the incense st

come to the capital with me? I was like a sister to Elara. Now

family. Revealing her true identity now was impossible; she couldn't explain

ed, worn down by

voice softening. "If he studies in the capital, his fu

then at the fierce, protective light in this beautiful stranger's eye

is land to give you some

er touch was gentle, but her resolve was absolute. "I will take care of e