Chapter 3

3

It was a share transfer agreement for YorkTech. YorkTech was now the crown jewel of York Industries.

How did he find out I was the majority shareholder? I had kept it a secret to protect his fragile ego.

If he knew I was the one who saved him, why was he doing this? Why was he calling my help a "plot"?

I stared at him, heartbroken. "Since you know I helped you, why are you being so cruel?"

"You want the shares? I would have given them to you! Why hurt my father?"

Zev's grip on my throat tightened until I saw spots. He looked truly insane.

"You think I would've gotten them easily if I asked? You acted like a saint with your investment, while your father insulted me the next day!"

"You're just like the others. You look down on me! Did you think I'd be your little lapdog forever because of your charity?"

"Sign it, or he dies right now!"

I struggled for air, my face turning a dark purple. But I didn't beg for my life.

I only felt a deep, hollow sadness for loving such a pathetic man. My father's "insults" were just a father's protective warnings to his daughter.

Zev had nursed a grudge for three years, waiting for the power to destroy us. He was too small to ever understand love.

My father saw me gasping for air and screamed at Zev. "Let her go! You'll regret this! Sera is actually..."

Before he could finish, Zev kicked the cage hard. The dog attacked again, and the sound of my father's suffering filled the air.

Zev smirked. "Sign."

I looked at the papers, a cold smile forming in my heart. I knew my father was about to reveal my true identity.

I was the princess of the Sterling family, the most powerful dynasty in the country. The Yorks were nothing compared to us.

But Zev was too stupid and arrogant to listen. He thought my father was trying to threaten him with the shares.

"I'll sign. But you have to let him out of that cage first."

"Fine. There are two sets of documents. Sign them both."

I watched as the guards dragged my father out of the cage. I let out a breath of relief.

I signed the first document, transferring the shares. Then, I looked at the second one.

Before I could read the fine print, my father screamed again. A guard was pressing his boot into my father's open wounds.

"Hurry up and sign!"

I suppressed my rage and scribbled my name on the second paper. Before I could even drop the pen, Zev snatched it away.

His eyes were dancing with a frantic, manic energy. "Sera, do you know how long I've waited for this? Finally, no one can touch me!"

Looking at his madness, I felt a shudder of fear. But I also felt lucky.

Thank God I hadn't married this lunatic. I just wanted to get my father to a hospital.

As I tried to move toward him, Zev grabbed my hair for the third time. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I signed the papers, Zev! Let us go! My father needs a doctor!"

Zev leaned in and whispered in my ear, his voice like a snake. "Oh, Sera. Since you signed, you can never leave."

"Did you even read the second paper? It's a heart donation consent form."

"You just signed your father's death warrant. You gave me permission to take his living heart!"