Chapter 4
"What are you looking at? It's just some worthless books. Let your brother buy you new ones," Michal said.
"Exactly," Harper chimed in. "You're a rich heiress now. Why bother with those junk books? Your brother can hire the best tutors for you. Isn't that way better than studying on your own?"
I didn't even bother responding to them.
I spun around and bolted out the door, running straight to the recycling station downstairs.
In a corner piled high with old newspapers and cardboard boxes, I spotted my study materials, all tightly bound together.
The corners of the books were worn, and the pages of my notes had turned yellow with age.
Those were the fruits of countless sleepless nights, every word written by hand, every page a piece of my soul.
They were my one and only ticket to the future.
And now, they were treated as junk and dumped here.
I crouched down, my hands trembling as I tried to hug them to my chest.
Just then, a pair of polished leather shoes came to a halt in front of me.
It was Maddox.
He glanced at my messy state, then at the pile of "junk," and a flicker of mixed emotions crossed his face.
He didn't say a word. He just bent down and helped me scoop up the books.
His suit picked up some dust.
I sat in the car, silent, hugging my books to my chest and staring out the window.
Maddox quietly took a bottle of water from the trunk and handed it to me.
"So, will you let me help you now?" he asked gently.
I took the bottle, twisted off the cap, and chugged a deep gulp.
The icy water cooled me off, steadying my nerves.
I looked up at Maddox, meeting his gaze.
"I accept," I said. "But there's one thing I need first."
"What is it?" Maddox asked.
"I want to take them to court," I said.
"I'm suing Harper and Michal for taking my stuff—for grabbing what belongs to me," I added.
Maddox was stunned.
He probably thought I'd ask him to stand up for me, or maybe just hand me some cash.
But what I wanted was to take them to court.
"Look, they did take care of you all these years," Maddox said.
"That's a separate issue," I cut him off.
"Raising me is about morals. Taking my stuff? That's about the law," I said. "I want them to know that nobody gets to touch my things without consequences."
My eyes were more determined than ever—unwavering and full of resolve.
In the end, Maddox finally agreed to what I asked.
He got me the best lawyer from the Harrison Group's legal department.
The lawyer was Alyssa Wood, a sharp, professional woman in her forties.
After I told her everything, Alyssa checked the bank records and listened to the recording of Michal admitting he'd sold my books.
She nodded. "Miss Harrison, this case is pretty straightforward.
"From a legal standpoint, those study materials are your rightful property. Michal sold them without your consent. That's breaking the law and violating your rights.
"And since Ms. Smith was your guardian, she's also on the hook for what happened.
"We can ask them to return the property. If that's not possible, they'll have to pay compensation and make a public apology."
I shook my head and said, "I don't want compensation."
Alyssa looked genuinely surprised.
"Then what are you after?" she asked.
"I want a public apology from them," I said. "And I want to apply for a restraining order."
I wanted everyone to know that I was severing all ties with the Harrison family.
I was going to use the law to protect my future peace, to make sure I could finally live undisturbed.
Alyssa's eyes lit up with a hint of admiration.
"I understand, Miss Harrison," she said. "I'll get on it right away."
Once I handed everything over to Alyssa, I moved into the penthouse duplex Maddox had arranged for me.
It was perched atop a luxury downtown complex, spacious and full of light.
The place was decorated in a sleek, minimalist style, and through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the city was aglow with countless lights.
Maddox had even set up an expansive, private study just for me.
One entire wall was lined with bookshelves, there was a broad solid wood desk, and an ergonomic chair to match.
It was light years ahead of my cramped old 110-square-foot rental.
I placed my rescued, precious books—the ones I thought were gone for good—onto the shelves, one by one.
At last, a sense of peace finally settled in my heart.
Maddox watched me arrange the books with practiced ease, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.
"Anastasia, are you really that into preparing for government jobs?" he finally asked.
"It's not about liking it," I corrected him. "Right now, it's my only option. And honestly, it's the best one I've got."
This job offered stability, security, and independence.
For a girl who had lost everything, that was the most tempting thing in the world.
"But you're not left with nothing anymore," Maddox said. "Anything you want, our family can give you now."
I just smiled and didn't say anything.
What they could offer me was nothing more than a handout, born out of family ties and guilt.
But what I achieved on my own was a self-assurance etched deep into my bones.
These two things were fundamentally different.
On the very first night after I settled in, I got a call from the head of the Harrison family.