Chapter 1: Lost Hope

Karina ran into the house, panting heavily as she pulled strands of food from her hair.

Once again, Jade and her friends had bullied her, and this time, she had gotten an unforgettable experience with their lunch trays.

She slipped off her shoes and was about to enter the living room when hushed voices stopped her in her tracks.

“What do we do this time? We might really lose everything. We can’t borrow any more money,” her mother said, panic lacing her voice.

Karina moved closer, straining to hear.

“We have to accept the marriage proposal from the Russells,” her father replied after a pause, resting his elbows on his knees. “It’s the only way we’ll get the investment.”

Her mother shot to her feet.

“Why would you even think about that?!” she snapped. “We can’t send Jade to that tyrant. You know his reputation.”

She sat back down dramatically, dabbing fake tears from her eyes. Then she looked up and caught sight of Karina standing by the doorway.

A smirk formed on her lips.

Karina’s heart sank instantly.

She already knew what was coming next.

“Calm down,” her father said, taking his wife’s hands gently. “I said we have to accept the proposal. I never said it had to be Jade.”

Karina tightened her grip on her bag, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

So the years of mistreatment weren’t enough.

Now they wanted to sell her too.

“But what if they find out we tricked them?” her mother asked nervously.

“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I already have a plan.”

Karina parted her lips, about to protest, when Jade walked in and shoved past her.

“Why are you standing there like an idiot? Move.”

Jade dropped onto the couch beside her mother, instantly greeted with warmth and affection.

“Ahem.” Her father cleared his throat, forcing Karina to step out from her hiding spot.

“Since everyone is here, let’s begin this family meeting.”

He motioned for Karina to come closer.

She walked forward slowly and sat opposite them, lowering her head as her fingers clenched tightly around her dress to stop herself from crying.

“The eldest son of the Russell family has returned from abroad and wishes to marry into our family—”

“The eldest son?” Jade gasped dramatically, covering her mouth before turning toward Karina with a mocking smile. “You mean Devon Russell? The same Devon Russell rumored to have murdered his brides?”

Karina’s head snapped up.

“Thank goodness you’re not the one marrying him,” her mother said lovingly, stroking Jade’s hair. “I heard he’s old and terrifying too.”

“Ahem.” Her father cleared his throat again, throwing them an annoyed glance before turning back to Karina.

“As I was saying, the wedding ceremony will take place tomorrow.”

He rose to his feet.

“So, Karina, you’d better prepare yourself and pack your things.”

“I—I won’t,” Karina whispered weakly.

A sharp slap landed across her face.

Karina gasped, clutching her cheek as tears spilled from her eyes.

“How dare you talk back to me?” her father roared.

“You ungrateful brat!” her mother shouted, pointing at her accusingly. “This is the least you can do after we took you out of that filthy orphanage!”

“Mom, don’t stress yourself over someone so worthless.” Jade held her mother’s hand gently before leading her upstairs. “Come inside.”

As they walked away, Jade let out a quiet laugh.

“Dad, please...” Karina cried, grabbing onto his trousers desperately. “Please don’t send me away. I’ll do anything. Please...”

“Don’t call me Dad,” he barked coldly, kicking her hands away.

Then he turned to the guards.

“Take her to the back and give her fifty lashes,” he ordered. “That should teach her not to talk back again.”

Karina’s eyes widened in horror.

“No... no, please! Let me go!” she screamed as the guards dragged her toward the back of the manor.

Devon Russell

Devon wiped the blood off his hands before tossing the stained handkerchief aside.

“Clean this up,” he ordered coldly.

His men moved swiftly, and within minutes, it was as if no one had ever been there.

“Your wedding is tomorrow and you’re already getting blood on your hands. Aren’t you afraid of bad luck?” Leon teased as they walked toward the waiting car.

“I never took you for someone who believes in superstitions,” Devon replied calmly.

“And I never took you for the type to marry at first sight,” Leon shot back as he slid into the car. “Seriously, you met her once. Once. You don’t even know what kind of person she is.”

“My judgment has never been wrong.”

Devon reached for the necklace around his neck and pulled it out from beneath his shirt, revealing a small cupcake-shaped charm dangling from the chain.

“I’m certain of it.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips as his thumb brushed gently over the charm.

Leon stared at him in disgust before pretending to gag dramatically.

Devon sent him a cold glare, but Leon merely rolled his eyes and reached into his bag.

“Let’s just hope she agrees after hearing all those rumors about you,” he muttered, pulling out his tablet to continue his work.

Devon’s expression darkened instantly.

His gaze dropped to his arm.

It had started spreading. He pressed one hand over the other to control the tremor in his right hand.

He turned toward the window, his reflection staring back at him.

Regret flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by hatred.

This city was filled with secrets.

Secrets he had once been too afraid to uncover.

But not anymore.

One by one, he would drag every hidden truth into the light.

And he would make sure he protected her from the dangers of his world.

“Arrange everything properly. Make sure nothing goes wrong tomorrow,” Devon instructed as he put the necklace back on.

“Of course,” Leon replied, patting his shoulder lightly. “It’s your big day after all.”

Devon turned back toward the window.

“I wonder how she’s doing right now,” he muttered under his breath.

Karina Garcia

“Arrgh!”

Karina bit down on the cloth to muffle her screams as Betty treated the wounds on her back.

“H-How could they do this to you?” Betty cried, her hands trembling as she applied the medicine carefully.

“I-I’m fine,” Karina whispered weakly.

Her face had gone completely pale, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead while tears streamed endlessly from her eyes.

Betty’s heart ached at the sight.

Karina already had a terrible fever, and after the lashes…

She wasn’t even sure the girl would survive the night.

“Let me take you to the hospital.” Betty hurriedly packed the medicine back into the box and moved toward her, but Karina pushed her hand away.

“You shouldn’t even be here,” she murmured. “I’m fine. I don’t want anything happening to you because of me.”

She pulled the blanket over herself and turned away.

“Stop saying that,” Betty snapped, angrily wiping the tears from her face. “You can’t keep living like this anymore.”

She lowered her voice.

“I’ll help you escape. James is waiting outside, and he’s going to help us too. Don’t worry about us. We’ll quit after we make sure you’re safe.”

She paused before pleading softly,

“So please… let’s leave this hell.”

Karina stayed silent.

She knew how dangerous this was.

If they were caught, Betty and James would suffer because of her.

But more than anything—

She wanted to leave.

To escape the place she had called home for the past fourteen years.

Slowly, she sat up with Betty’s help and glanced around the basement.

She had lived there for years, with only the faint light slipping through the tiny window to keep the darkness away.

For the longest time, she had slept on the cold floor before finally begging for a bed—though even that had been old and worn out.

Her gaze shifted to the few belongings scattered around the room.

Nothing was new.

Nothing was truly hers.

Just old clothes and shoes handed down so many times they were practically falling apart.

Karina slowly shut her eyes.

Then, after gathering what little courage she had left, she finally spoke.

“Let’s go.”

“Stay here. I’ll get James.” Betty hurried out of the room, nervously glancing around to make sure no one had noticed her.

Karina crawled toward the small box containing her belongings and carefully packed the few things she owned inside.

Then she leaned against it weakly, waiting for them to return.

“Quickly, she’s here,” Betty whispered urgently as she led James inside, repeatedly checking over her shoulder.

“Oh my God…” James breathed out as he carefully picked Karina up. “Are you—”

“Questions later,” Betty cut him off anxiously. “We need to leave before someone sees us.”

Betty grabbed the box and followed James outside toward the waiting car.

Hidden within the darkness, a figure watched them leave.

“They’ve taken the bait,” the figure murmured.

“Now… onto the next phase.”