Chapter 1

When my sister Leticia Barnett was fourteen, she was adopted by the richest family in Criamore—the powerful Morrow family. Overnight, a poor village girl became the beloved daughter of a wealthy household.

The first year after she left, she secretly mailed me a letter along with a stack of books.

In the letter, she told me to study hard, to find a way out of the mountains and come join her. She said the world beyond these hills was full of wonders, that life with the Morrow family was good, and I didn't need to worry about her.

But that was the last I ever heard from her. No more letters. She disappeared from my life like a dream.

Years later, I got into a university in Criamore and went searching for her—only to find out the Morrow family never had an adopted daughter.

Later, I started dating a guy named Preston Morrow—the Morrow family's only son, spoiled and adored.

One night, after too much to drink, he let a secret slip: he once had an older brother. The boy died young, and after that, his parents brought home a girl whose birth chart matched his, to keep their dead son company in the afterlife.

I suddenly remembered the day the Morrow couple drove their luxury car to our village. Leticia and I were out in the mountains chopping firewood when our parents called us back in a hurry.

They said the Morrow family wanted to adopt Leticia, take her to the city, give her a better life.

But Leticia hesitated. She clutched my hand and stood in front of them, saying, "Please take my little sister instead. She's more obedient, more thoughtful, and even prettier than me."

But they didn't even glance at me. One of them simply reached out, patted my sister's head, and said with a faint smile, "We want you."

My father shoved her toward the house. "Leticia, go pack your things."

I wiped away my tears in secret and watched them hand my parents a bank card. They said it had 300 thousand dollars on it. Their only condition? We were never to contact Leticia again.

My parents took the card, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're selling her!" I cried. "This isn't adoption—it's selling your daughter!"

My father turned and kicked me hard. "What do you know, you little brat?

"She's lucky! Getting picked by rich folks is a blessing. What's wrong with becoming a young lady in a big-city mansion?"

I wiped my tears and thought about it. Maybe... maybe he was right.

Being the daughter of a wealthy family had to be better than growing up unloved and unwanted in a poor mountain village.

The Morrow couple glanced at the bundle of things Leticia had packed, frowning in mild disgust. "We'll replace all of it once we're home."

Leticia got into their luxury car. As it started to drive away, she rolled down the window, reached out to me, eyes filled with tears.

I pulled a half-finished woven bracelet from my pocket and slipped it onto her wrist.

"Leticia, this is for you. I didn't finish it in time—I was saving it for your birthday. But... I guess I won't get the chance now."

I choked up, tears streaming down my face.

As the car pulled away, my sister leaned out the window and shouted, "Alisa! Study hard!"

It felt like Leticia said something else after "Study hard."

But the car sped off too fast, kicking up a tail of dust behind it.

The roar of the engine drowned out her voice—I never heard what she said after that.

Two months after she left, she sent a big cardboard box to my school.

Inside were stacks of books, a few brand-new undershirts in my size, a letter, and a perfume scented with roses.

[Alisa, life with the Morrow family has been good—no need to worry about me.

I bought you a bunch of books that should help with school. Make sure to wash the undershirts before wearing them.

The bracelet you gave me—I finished it. It turned out really pretty. I love it, and I wear it every day. I made this rose perfume myself, using freshly dried flowers. Whenever you smell it, just imagine I'm right there with you.

Criamore is beautiful—tall buildings, busy streets. The world outside these mountains is even more amazing than the books say.

Work hard in school. Get into college. Come find me. I miss you so much.

—Love, Leticia.]

As I read her letter, big fat tears fell onto the page.

I held the perfume to my nose and took a deep breath. It smelled so sweet—just like her.

Every year around this time, she used to pick fresh roses, dry the flowers, and make me a perfume.

Even this year, she didn't forget.

But after Leticia left, life at home didn't get any better—despite that 300 thousand dollars.

Dad took the money and started gambling. He claimed he could double it, buy us a bigger house.

But the deeper he got, the worse it became. It was like he was possessed.

In the end, he lost every cent. Worse yet, he fell deep into debt with loan sharks.

They came knocking, threatening to break his legs if he didn't pay up.

Then one night, Mom ran away. She didn't even take me with her.

The next morning, when Dad realized she was gone, he completely lost it—screaming and smashing things in the house.

Before I left for school that day, he told me, "Come home early tonight."

There was something strange in his eyes. The way he looked at me chilled me to the bone.

So after school, I didn't go home. I hid out all night in an internet café near campus.

The next morning, the police called my teacher. That was when I found out my dad was dead.

The debt collectors had come and attacked him. He collapsed at home and bled to death.

I still didn't know why he wanted me home that night. Just thinking about it sent a cold wave through me.

With no other family, I became an orphan overnight.

After learning about my situation, the school stepped in. They helped place me in a welfare home and covered all my tuition and living expenses through the rest of elementary and middle school.

I was ten years old that year.