Chapter 1

At the Sherman residence in Crownhill, the living room was lit up brightly. The crystal chandelier shone on every corner, making the place look like a stage set for a show.

Nina Sherman stood at the top of the stairs, a glass of warm milk in her hand.

This was her habit. Every night at nine, she'd bring Yvonne Sherman a cup of warm milk. She'd started doing this since the day she was brought back to the Shermans at fourteen, and she'd been doing it for eight years straight.

Yvonne poked her head out of the bedroom. She wore a cream-colored silk nightgown, her long hair loose, her face as delicate as a doll.

She tilted her head, eyeing the misty blue dress Nina was wearing. Her voice was soft and a little coquettish, like she was whining or maybe saying it offhand. "Nina, why are you wearing my dress again?"

Nina stopped in her tracks.

She had bought this dress herself last week. The tags were still in her closet. It had cost her 1,300 bucks. That was her entire first paycheck as vice president.

Nina said, "It's mine."

"Really?" Yvonne blinked, stepping out from behind the door and pinching the fabric of the dress. "But I could've sworn I had one like this. Maybe I'm mixing things up.

"Though with your complexion, it really washes you out and makes you look sallow. You probably shouldn't wear it."

Then Yvonne flashed a sweet smile, turned around, and headed back into her room, the door closing softly behind her.

Nina stood in the hallway, her grip on the cup tightening.

Eight years. She thought she'd be used to it by now.

Nina hadn't grown up with the Shermans.

At three, she was kidnapped by human traffickers, sold and resold until she ended up in a small town outside Crownhill, adopted by a childless couple.

Her foster father worked construction. Her foster mother stocked shelves at the local grocery store. Money was tight, but Nina thought she had finally found a home.

Then the next year, her foster mother got pregnant.

Nine months later, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

After that, Nina became the extra mouth they didn't need.

The boy got the chicken drumsticks, while she was left with the bones. He got a brand-new backpack, and she had to settle for a patched-up bag.

In winter, the heat only went to his room, so she did her homework in the living room, wrapped in two old thrift-store coats.

That winter when she was thirteen, her foster mother made her stand outside in the snow to "reflect," because she had scored first in her class while the boy ranked third from the bottom.

Her foster mother said she was showing off and making her brother look bad.

She stood in the yard for four hours at ten degrees Fahrenheit, until she was burning up with a 106-degree fever.

A teacher found her and rushed her to the hospital, which finally alerted the police. After a DNA match, the Sherman family came for her.

The first time Nina saw the Sherman residence, she felt like she'd stepped right into a fairy tale.

It was so big, the lights were bright everywhere, and the sofas were unbelievably soft.

Her birth mother, Emily Sherman, was dressed in a Chanel suit, her eyes red as she pulled Nina into her arms. "Nina, I'm so sorry. I promise I'll never let you suffer again."

Her birth father, William Sherman, stood nearby, looking sharp in his suit, his expression serious and restrained. "It's good to have you back. This is your home now."

Nina had three older brothers.

Her eldest brother, Brian Sherman, was the CEO of the Sherman Group. He was thirty, calm and quiet. When he looked at her, it was like she was a piece of luggage he needed to find a place for.

Her second brother, Eric Sherman, ran his own business out of town and rarely came home. Whenever they video chatted, he'd say, "If you ever need money, let me know."

Her third brother, Andrew Sherman, was still in grad school and was the liveliest one. On her first day back, he showed her around the whole place, introducing every room.

Nina thought she finally had a home.

But the fairy tale ended the very next day.

Because there was another daughter in the Sherman family: Yvonne.

After Nina was taken, Emily and William adopted Yvonne to fill the emptiness in their hearts.

Yvonne had been part of the Sherman family for ten years, growing up under the watchful eyes of her three older brothers. She was the darling of the whole family.

When Nina came back, Yvonne was fifteen. She stood on the stairs and looked down at Nina like she was some imposter who had no business being there.

"So you're the lost sister they brought back?" Yvonne said with a sweet smile. "Welcome home."

Her voice was gentle, her smile sweet.

Nina had spent ten years at the mercy of her foster parents. She had an animal instinct for malice.

In Yvonne's pretty eyes, she caught a glimpse of something: a threat.

She knew Yvonne wasn't about to let her settle peacefully into this family.