Chapter 2

2

In this house, I never really owned much.

I suddenly thought back to the day I was first adopted.

Silas had walked ahead, holding Seraphina's hand, while I followed behind like a ghost.

He took Seraphina to the third floor to change. He left me downstairs, alone and terrified.

It took them hours to remember I existed.

Seraphina's words from back then still echoed in my ears.

"You're just greedy for the Shaw family's money. That's why you try so hard to suck up to me."

"I've seen plenty of people like you!"

Silas never defended me. He only looked at the girl throwing the fit with pure adoration.

Then Seraphina pointed at the corner and told me to stand there until she felt better.

It wasn't until she went upstairs that Silas finally spoke to me.

"Seraphina just has a bit of a temper. You need to be patient with her."

"Just do whatever she says. Don't make her angry."

"Don't worry. I'll make it up to you."

So, I was allowed to go to the same elite private school as her. I let her insult me every single day.

I had to tutor her and take the blame for her mistakes.

If she got into trouble, I was the one Silas scolded.

When high school ended, Seraphina secretly changed her college choice and fled to California.

Silas was furious.

"Seraphina said it's because you're here. You make her angry every day."

"Are you trying to seduce me to get ahead?"

That was the night he dragged me into his bed.

Afterward, he apologized and promised me a position at the company.

Over the years, the compensation he gave me was endless.

Designer bags and jewelry filled my room.

But none of it was what I actually wanted.

I had secretly sold those items and deposited the cash into a private bank account.

The things I actually wanted to take with me were pathetic. They fit into one small suitcase.

As I pulled my suitcase out of the room, Silas actually looked at me. He frowned.

"That's all you're taking?"

"Where are all the clothes and jewelry I bought you?"

I looked at him with a blank expression.

"I've kept track of every cent the Shaw family spent on me since I was a child."

"I've converted those gifts into cash. I'll pay you back."

He let out a mocking laugh.

"The Shaws don't take back gifts."

"Keep it. Stop playing hard to get."

"You earned it. It's your compensation."

He pushed open my bedroom door and scanned the empty space.

His eyes landed on a small music box on the desk.

It was a gift he gave me for my eighteenth birthday.

He had bought it on a whim, but I had treated it like a sacred treasure for years.

"You don't even want this?"

"No. Throw it away."

His expression shifted into something complex, but he quickly forced a smirk.

"Annie, Seraphina is back. I'm just asking you to stay away for a bit. It's not like you're banned forever."

"Is all this drama really necessary?"

"Fine, stop acting like a child..."

Before he could finish, I was already on the phone. I was hiring a cleaning crew.

I wanted every trace of my existence scrubbed from that room.