Chapter 1

It was already late at night, yet Serene was still buried in her review notes for tomorrow's exam. She wanted nothing less than a perfect score.

She was a graduating Education student, and in just a few months, she would begin her internship. Letting out a quiet sigh, she leaned back in her chair.

Just a little longer...

Soon, she would finally be able to help her parents.

Her father had left early that morning, saying he would look for money to cover the expenses she would need for her internship. She didn't even own a single internship uniform yet.

That was exactly why she studied so hard.

She had seen the hardships her parents endured every single day. She had watched them work from dawn until dusk, sacrificing everything just to keep food on the table.

Her mother earned a living by washing other people's clothes, while her father worked as a hired farm laborer.

Thinking about their situation only strengthened her resolve. She wasn't chasing her dream for herself alone. She was doing it for her parents... and for her two younger siblings.

Her gaze drifted to the old clock hanging in the living room.

It was almost eleven o'clock at night, yet her father still hadn't come home.

He had left early that morning, and until now, there was no sign of him.

Earlier, her mother had wanted to stay awake and wait for him, but seeing how exhausted she was, Serene insisted that she would be the one to wait so her mother could finally get some rest.

Her thoughts wandered back to dinner.

Her youngest sibling had almost cried after seeing the tiny piece of fried mackerel they had to share.

The money her mother earned from doing laundry had mostly gone toward buying rice, leaving only enough to buy a single fish.

"I'm sorry, my children," her mother had said softly. "Most of what I earned went to buying rice."

Her siblings had remained silent.

They understood.

Their mother was already doing everything she could just to provide them with food every day.

But inside, Serene's heart broke.

She ached for her siblings.

She ached even more for her mother, knowing she never wanted her children to eat such meager meals.

A tear escaped her eye.

Countless times, she had silently asked the heavens why life had to be so unfair.

Why couldn't they at least have enough?

Why did both of her parents have to work themselves to exhaustion every single day, yet nothing ever seemed to change?

There had been countless moments when she wanted to quit school and find work instead.

She wanted to help with their daily expenses.

But her mother had stopped her.

"Just one more year," she had said.

"You're almost done. Let's endure this a little longer."

So Serene continued chasing her dream.

She wanted to repay every sacrifice her parents had made for her education.

She wiped away her tears.

One day...

She would lift her family out of poverty.

A few moments later, she suddenly jerked upright when she heard rustling outside.

Maybe Dad's home.

She hurried to the door and pulled it open.

Several men were already walking away from their house.

Her father lay face down on the ground.

"Dad!"

She rushed outside and knelt beside him.

"Dad!"

Tears streamed down her face.

He remained motionless.

With trembling hands, she carefully turned him onto his back.

"Dad!"

She gently patted his cheeks, trying desperately to wake him.

But he didn't respond.

His eyes remained shut.

"Dad!"

Her voice broke.

As the light from the doorway illuminated his face, she gasped.

One of his eyes was badly swollen.

His lips were split open.

Scratches covered his cheeks, and his clothes were stained with dirt.

The commotion woke her mother, who hurried out of the house.

"What happened?" she asked breathlessly as she rushed to them.

"Oh my God... what happened to you?" she cried, shaking her husband gently while patting his bruised face.

"What happened, Serene?" her mother asked anxiously, her brows tightly knitted.

"I... I don't know, Mom," Serene answered between sobs.

"Help me carry him."

Together, they struggled to lift him.

Although her father had grown thin over the years, carrying him was still far from easy.

By the time they managed to lay him on the bamboo chair inside the house, both of them were gasping for air.

"Get some water!" her mother instructed.

Serene immediately obeyed.

When she returned with a glass of water, her father had finally regained consciousness.

Her mother gently helped him drink.

"Berto... what happened? Who did this to you?" she asked, her voice trembling with worry.

Serene silently stood beside them, gently rubbing her mother's back.

Her father merely shook his head.

"What do you mean nothing happened?" her mother asked, frustration and worry evident in her voice. "Look at yourself!"

She sighed deeply before rubbing her face.

"We're already struggling as it is... I just wish things like this didn't happen."

Serene quietly picked up her books.

She decided to retreat to their room.

She didn't want her parents to see how close she was to breaking down.

The moment she stepped inside, tears instantly rolled down her cheeks.

Her heart ached for her father.

She still had no idea who the men were who had left him at their doorstep.

Thank God he was still alive.

What if they had killed him instead?

Who could have done such a thing?

She wiped her eyes before quietly lying down beside her sleeping siblings.

Their house was so small that it only had two bedrooms, and all three siblings shared a single wooden sleeping platform.

Exhausted from worrying, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

It was already noon when Serene finally woke the next day.

She guessed she had overslept because of everything weighing on her mind.

Her siblings were already gone.

She quickly got out of bed.

But the moment she stepped outside her room, unfamiliar voices reached her ears.

She initially thought curious neighbors had gathered to ask about what happened to her father the previous night.

However, when she peeked through the window, her eyes widened.

Several men dressed in identical black polo shirts stood outside their house.

Her parents were speaking with them, but the anxiety written across their faces was impossible to miss.

An elderly man stood in front of them, holding a document.

"If you refuse to sign this," he said coldly, "I'll have no choice but to file a lawsuit against you."

Serene's eyes widened.

She hated eavesdropping, but hearing those words made her blood run cold.

Without thinking, she marched out of the house.

Even if it made her appear disrespectful, she refused to let anyone threaten her father.

Besides, what had her father done to deserve being sued?

The man had no right.

She stepped outside, not caring that her hair was messy, that sleep still clung to her eyes, or that there was probably a dried line of drool on her cheek.

The loud bang of the door immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Serene..." her mother whispered, her voice filled with concern.

Ignoring her, Serene fixed her gaze on the man holding the document.

"What lawsuit are you talking about?" she demanded, lifting her chin.

The elderly man adjusted his glasses before looking directly into her eyes.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"You're quite brave, young lady," he remarked.

She couldn't care less what he thought.

"Leave now before I call the police," she warned coldly. "You're trespassing."

The old man chuckled before shaking his head.

"I think I'm the one who should be calling the police."

The smile disappeared from his face as he stared at her.

One corner of Serene's lips curled upward.

What an arrogant old man, she thought.

She sized him up from head to toe.

His polished leather shoes alone were enough to tell her he was wealthy.

The men standing behind him looked more like bodyguards than companions.

Just because you're rich doesn't mean you can trample on other people.

Disgusting.

"Leave," she repeated firmly.

Suddenly, she felt her mother grip her wrist.

Turning around, she saw the panic in her mother's eyes.

She didn't care if she came across as rude.

All that mattered was protecting her parents.

Just because they were poor didn't mean they deserved to be bullied—especially when she still had no idea why these people had come to their home in the first place.