Chapter 1
After my father died, the illegitimate daughter he raised overseas, Shirley Cullen, immediately returned to the country to fight me for the ancestral house.
I was the only legitimate daughter. I had a will in my hands.
Yet I still lost the house.
Because my fiancé, Marcus Culver, the man who ruled Denver City with absolute power, insisted on helping Shirley fight me.
He stood in front of Shirley's wheelchair and protected her, impatiently persuaded me, "The money I gave you was enough to buy several houses like this.
"Do you have no compassion at all? Why fight with a disabled person?"
I retorted in disbelief, "Fight? The house was the only thing my mother left me."
In the end, Marcus helped Shirley win the case.
He looked at my red, swollen eyes with a hint of guilt. "Nadia, I'll make it up to you in the future."
But I knew there was no future for us anymore.
*****
Marcus said, his tone dismissive, "Add another 1.5 million dollars to your compensation and hand the house over to Shirley.
"Shirley had a car accident overseas. She'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of her days. Can't you pity her a little?"
His indifferent tone was enough to push me over the edge.
"No way! That house was my mom's," I snapped back. "Shirley's mom was just a maid in our house. Her mom hooked up with my dad while my mom was pregnant.
"Then, shamelessly, her mom paraded her pregnancy in front of my mom. My mom was so upset she went into early labor, had severe bleeding, and passed away right after having me.
"You want me to pity her? Who's going to pity me and my mom?"
Marcus took off his gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed his temples, glaring at me with impatience.
He said, "Nadia, stop making a scene. I'll give you another 6 million dollars. That's enough to buy you several houses like this. Isn't that enough for you?
"Come on, just sign the transfer contract." He pushed the papers toward me.
I stared at him in disbelief, tears streaming down my face.
I cried, "Marcus, I'm your fiancée. You're not just refusing to help me. You're actually betraying me for her?
"Is this what you meant with all that talk about loving me when you proposed?"
Marcus knew he was in the wrong, guilt flickering across his face.
After a long pause, his voice softened.
"I just pity her, that's all," he said quietly. "Nadia, if you just sign, I promise from now on, you're the only one I'll look out for."
Marcus shoved the contract toward me again, his patience clearly wearing thin.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the papers, ripped them to pieces, and hurled them right at Marcus's face.
"Forget it. I'm not signing," I said, my voice cold and firm.
"Court's tomorrow. If you're still set on backing Shirley, then we'll settle this in front of the judge!" I snapped.
I grabbed my bag and stood up, heading straight for the door.
Marcus's warning came from behind me.
"Nadia, don't push me!" he called out.
I paused.
Then, with even more resolve, I walked away.
Suddenly, I heard a commotion behind me, like something was being dragged out against its will.
Then came a familiar yelp, a sound I knew all too well.
My heart dropped. I spun around, panic flooding my chest as I stared at Marcus in utter disbelief.
"Are you out of your mind?" I screamed. "You're seriously using Olli to threaten me?"
Marcus and I had raised the dog, Olli together for five years. It was basically our kid.
But now, Olli was chained up by its paws, with two burly bodyguards pinning it to the ground. The vet stood off to the side, clutching a sharp syringe.
Just one word from Marcus and that shot would end Olli's life right then and there.
Marcus sighed, shooting me a helpless look.
"Nadia, you did this. You forced my hand," Marcus said. "I had people bring another contract. Sign it.
"Olli's life depends on your choice. You've got three minutes."
Seeing Olli chained up and threatened, I was about to lose it.
I rushed forward, grabbing Marcus's sleeve, tears streaming down my face as I cried out, "Marcus, that's Olli. We adopted it together.
How can you be so cruel? He's ten, Marcus. He's old and fragile. He can't handle this. He'll die."
My tears didn't get a shred of sympathy from Marcus.
He checked his watch, totally unfazed.
"You've got two minutes to choose. The house or Olli?" Marcus said, cold as ice.
Olli was already so frail.
It struggled desperately, panting with its tongue hanging out, its barks sharp and frantic. But the bodyguards just pinned it down even harder, and its cries grew weaker and weaker.
Olli couldn't speak, just whimpered, begging me to save it.
Its tail, once always wagging, now just drooped lifelessly on the floor. Its eyes were barely open, wet with tears, and it looked at me in pain and heartbreak.