Chapter 1
My fiancé, Lucas Grant, had a knack for smoothing things over with humor. On the first day of the semester, he offered a lighthearted bet to lift my spirits.
"Ten rings. Land one on me, and tonight I'm all yours."
It was no secret how much I'd been hoping for exactly that.
Just as I was about to make my first throw, Emily Carter appeared. She was dressed as though ready for a photoshoot—Standrow University's so-called campus belle.
Without hesitation, she fastened a slim leather leash around Lucas' neck, then flashed me a polished, condescending smile. "Sorry, but the prize has already been claimed. He's spending the evening with me."
The sheer nerve of it left me speechless. Who did she think she was, treating a person like a pet?
Before I could respond, the owner of the ring-toss booth pulled me aside, his voice low and urgent.
"That's Emily Carter, the only heiress of the Carter family. Word around campus is she's the intended match for Lucas Grant, the heir to Harbor City's bigshot. Cross her, and your time at Standrow is over."
The Carter family's only heiress?
A slow, disbelieving smile touched my lips.
Turning toward Lucas, I raised an eyebrow and kept my tone light. "Funny. Since when did my father have another daughter?" I said.
*****
Masked and scowling, Lucas struggled against the leash, his words obedient despite the tension in his frame. "Babe, I've never heard of your father having another daughter."
That was strange. Did my dad have a secret child?
Impossible. My parents adored each other. My dad was practically glued to my mother, a hopeless romantic who'd never stray.
An affair was unthinkable. So who was this Emily, the campus belle of Standrow University?
I tried to explain, keeping my tone polite, "I think there's been a misunderstanding. This is my boyfriend, and we were just fooling around.
"To make up for the confusion, please feel free to choose any other prize from the stall."
But Emily completely ignored me, like I wasn't even there.
She yanked the leash hard, making Lucas stumble. "Don't move!" she snapped.
Before he could react, she'd already looped an arm around his neck and snapped a photo.
Almost instantly, a nearby post popped up on my feed: [Night market ring toss—won myself an incredibly hot guy! My new personal sidekick.]
The humiliating leash was clearly visible in the picture.
Dozens of comments flooded in immediately: [Damn, Emily! Even with the mask, that physique is insane. Is he a celebrity?]
[Only a true heiress like you could pull off a stunt like this!]
[Wait... doesn't that guy's build look familiar? Kinda like the heir of the Grant family.]
No one but me had ever dared to mess with Lucas like this.
A dangerous storm brewed in his eyes, a clear sign he was about to lose control.
I quickly warned Emily, "I suggest you let go of that leash and delete the photo now. The consequences won't be something you can handle."
If Lucas' dad, back in Harbor City, ever caught wind of his only son getting humiliated like this, he'd lose it and wipe Emily—and the whole Standrow University—off the map in a heartbeat.
But in the next instant, Emily swung her Hermès bag and slammed it right into my face.
A sharp smack echoed, followed by a stinging pain in my jaw.
She eyed my Standrow University badge and let out a cold laugh. "I thought you were some big shot. Turns out you're just a freshman?
She glanced at my Standrow University student ID and smirked. "I wondered who you were. Just a freshman, huh? No wonder you reek of poverty from 10 feet away."
Taking a step closer, she quipped, "Little girl, you haven't learned how the world works yet, have you? Let me give you a free lesson today.
"When someone from the Carter family wants something—whether it's an object or a person—"
Her gaze drifted pointedly toward Lucas.
"No one's ever had the guts to say no to me. I don't care if he's your boyfriend or whatever. If I want him, he's mine, end of story!"
Lucas' fists clenched, his eyes darkening with fury. "You've got a death wish!" he growled.
The air went dead silent, and Emily shrank back, intimidated by his presence.
Before he could make a move, I quickly grabbed his arm and gave him a look, telling him to calm down.
He froze, confusion flashing across his face.
I returned a reassuring glance.
My attention was fixed on her bag—the very one my father had given me. It was a unique piece; Harbor City's allocation had only included this single item.
The color, the distinctive wear on the lower right corner? It matched the chew marks my pet dog had left on mine perfectly.
I'd told the housekeeper to discard it. So how did it end up in Emily's hands? Could Dad really have a secret daughter?