Chapter 1

My daughter, Serenity Ryland, was attending a summer camp organized by her school. Because I was managing a 250-million-dollar project, I couldn't accompany her.

After wrapping up the project early, I rushed to the campsite but couldn't find Serenity anywhere.

After I suggested calling the police, one of the other parents finally pointed me in the right direction.

I found my daughter in a pigsty, covered in blood and struggling desperately with several pigs over food.

It was important to note that I had fully sponsored the entire cost of this summer camp.

Yet they locked my daughter in a pigsty, with the pigs.

These people, who bit the hand that fed them, had clearly had it too good for too long.

*****

Serenity's school organized a 35-day parent-child summer camp.

But I had to fly overseas for a 250-million-dollar project, so there was no way I could go with her.

Richard promised me over and over that he'd take good care of Serenity, so I finally felt okay about boarding the plane.

When the project wrapped up ahead of schedule, I rushed straight to the summer camp.

But when I got there, Serenity was nowhere to be seen.

I went to ask her homeroom teacher, Rylee Hughes, but she just gave me a snarky look.

"So you're Serenity's mom? The camp's almost over, and you finally show up. You really are a busy lady," Rylee said.

"Sorry, Ms. Hughes. Work just wouldn't let me go. As soon as I got a chance, I came straight here," I replied.

"Even billionaires aren't as busy as you. Who are you trying to impress?" Rylee scoffed.

I didn't want to get on Rylee's bad side, so I just kept a polite smile.

"I'm really sorry. I see all the kids from the class over there watching the alpacas, but I don't see Serenity. Where is she?" I asked.

"Serenity never follows instructions. She just does whatever she wants. And with no parent around, God knows where she's wandered off to," Rylee replied.

I was seriously losing my patience.

I kept my cool and tried calling Richard, but he just wouldn't answer.

"Ms. Hughes, I can't reach Serenity's dad right now. Could you please help me look for my daughter?" I pleaded.

"How am I supposed to know where she is? I've got my hands full right now. The farm's locked down. She can't leave, so she's not going anywhere," Rylee shot back.

I was burning with anger, but this wasn't the time to get into it with Rylee. All I cared about was finding Serenity, fast.

I searched the farm two more times, asking every parent around, but nobody had a clue where she was.

Desperate, I pulled out my phone, about to dial 911.

Just then, a parent came over and pointed me toward a spot.

"Try looking over there. Your kid might be somewhere around that area," she suggested.

I rushed over in the direction she pointed, but there was nothing there except a pigsty.

As I got closer, the sight that greeted me sent chills down my spine.

Serenity was crammed between a bunch of filthy, fat pigs, bent over the trough, desperately scrambling for scraps with them.

"Serenity?" I called out.

Serenity froze for a moment when she heard me call her name, but then she went right back to stuffing slop from the trough into her mouth.

Seeing that, it felt like someone was stabbing my heart.

"Serenity, stop. Mommy's here," I shouted.

While calling out to her, I tried to open the pigsty and get her out, but the whole area was fenced off with barbed wire that had been raised higher, making it impossible to reach her.

The only door was locked tight with a heavy iron padlock.

Serenity's hands were covered in blood. She must have tried to climb the wire and cut herself up.

She froze for a moment, then finally turned to look at me.

The second she saw me, she burst into tears.

Serenity sobbed, "Mom, get me out. I can't stay here anymore."

My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. I wished I could just break in and get her out right then and there.

Spotting a shovel nearby, I grabbed it, raised it, and smashed it against the padlock with all my strength.

All the parents and teachers came running when they heard the commotion.

Susan, a woman with bright red lipstick, shoved me hard. "Who the hell are you, freaking out like this?"

"Who put my daughter in there? Let her out, right now," I yelled.

Susan looked me up and down. "Oh, so you're Serenity's mom, huh?"

She sneered, "Your kid's a picky eater, and she even flipped her bowl.

"I locked her in the pigsty to teach her a lesson. She needs to learn not to waste food. Every single grain is hard-earned."

"No matter what she did, that doesn't give you the right to lock her up in here. Let her out, now," I yelled.

Susan spread her hands. "Oops, I lost the key. The door won't open."

She wore a mocking smile, and the crowd just stood there, eating up the spectacle like it was a show.

I didn't have time for her crap. I just raised the shovel and kept smashing at the lock.

Suddenly, she shoved me from behind. I lost my balance, and my face got caught on the barbed wire, leaving me bleeding all over.

Susan burst out laughing. "Now your face is all messed up.

"Let me remind you, everything on this farm costs a fortune. If you break anything, you couldn't even afford the damages."

"Don't talk to me about a pigsty. If I wanted, I could buy this whole farm just by saying the word," I shot back.

Susan cackled, her voice sharp. "Big talk, huh? Somebody stop her."

The parents swarmed toward me, but I started swinging the shovel at anyone who got close.

"If anyone tries to get between my daughter and me, don't blame me if this shovel hits you," I yelled, practically losing it.

Seeing how wild I looked, nobody dared to step forward.

I smashed the shovel against the padlock two more times and finally broke it open.

"Serenity, Mommy's here. I'm coming to save you," I called out.

I rushed into the pigsty, grabbed Serenity, filthy and trembling, and pulled her into my arms.

Serenity threw herself into my embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. "Mommy, I'm scared."

"Don't be scared, Serenity. Mommy's here now. No one can hurt you.

"Serenity, tell Mommy, who put you in here? How long have you been inside? And what about your dad? Why didn't he come to help you?" I asked.

Serenity was shaken, but her thoughts were still clear.

She sobbed, "On the very first day I got here, Sarai's mom locked me in.

"She said I wasn't listening and wanted me to learn how to behave."

The shock hit me like a ton of bricks. Serenity had been locked in that pigsty since day one of camp.

Twenty-eight days had gone by. I couldn't even begin to imagine how terrified and alone she must've felt every single day and night.

She was my little princess, pampered since birth. She'd never known what hardship was.

Just thinking about all she'd suffered here, it felt like my heart was being ripped apart.