LOGINFifteen Years Later. Morning sunlight streamed through the wide windows of the mansion, spilling golden light across the polished floors and expensive furniture. The house, once filled with the tense silence of uncertainty and fear, had changed completely over the years. There was laughter now. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, followed by the unmistakable voice of a mother who had already lost most of her patience before breakfast. “You're going to miss your first day!" Alyssa yelled from downstairs. "And going to make me late for work!” "I know!” Abby yelled back from her room. She stood in front of her mirror, straightening her hair with a straightening iron. She carefully pulled another section of her long hair between the heated plates, watching her reflection closely as the strands fell smoothly over her shoulders. Today was important. It was not just another school day. It was her first day at a completely new school, and Abby had spent almost
Days passed. Alyssa didn't hear anything from the Royal Family, but something told her that was more of a bad omen than a sign of relief. The silence was almost too peaceful, and she had learned by now that whenever powerful people stopped making noise, it usually meant they were planning something somewhere behind closed doors. Still, she tried not to think about it. There was too much to do. Boxes had been scattered throughout the mansion, their belongings carefully sorted into what they needed immediately and what could be left behind, while Harrison moved from one room to another, checking their luggage and making sure nothing important was forgotten. “Are you taking these?” Harrison asked, raising her favorite mugs in the air. “Of course. What would I do without my coffee?” She said lightly, as she stacked one of the many boxes they'd be taking with them. Harrison laughed quietly before placing the mugs into another box. She had left the Cambridges' mansion days ago, and
Julian's words hung in the air for a minute, the silence deafening.No one was sure if they had heard right as they stared at him in shock.The amount of money he had offered was already difficult enough to process, but the condition attached to it was what truly frightened them.Leave the country.Leave her life behind.Disappear before the Royal Family decided to take matters into their own hands.Alyssa dropped the paper on the table between them, shaking her head lightly.“I can't take this. I'm not going anywhere," she said, defiant.Her voice was firm, but the slight tremble in her fingers betrayed how shaken she really was.“Alyssa, listen to me—” Julian said, his voice lowering.“No! You want me to leave my life behind just because your parents can't stop being greedy! I'm not doing that!"Her frustration finally exploded, the words leaving her mouth faster than she could control them.Her breathing became laboured and heavy, her face contorted with rage."I'm tired of reducin
Alyssa's voice was firm despite the slight tremble she felt in her hands.The man scoffed.“That would be unwise,” he said. “The Royal Family would take action against you if you refuse. That's why they sent us… to warn you.”Alyssa was baffled.For a moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly.They were threatening her.In her own home.She whipped her head to Harrison, who only held her tightly as his jaw clenched.His silence told her that he was equally furious.Alyssa looked to her parents for help, but they remained quiet.That silence hurt more than she expected.Anger surged her veins as she shot herself to her feet.“Why are you guys not saying anything?! They're threatening me and you're just quiet!"“Honey—" Addison began to talk, but was cut short by the front door opening.The sound immediately drew everyone's attention.A familiar person waltzed into the living room, posture straight and his eyes burning into Alyssa's.“Julian…” she said, breathless. “What are y
The next morning, the mansion was unusually quiet. After Micheal's outburst the previous day, the other workers had started walking around on eggshells. Alyssa, still in her robe, moved groggily to the front of her vanity mirror. Her hair was slightly disheveled and her eyes had faint dark circles underneath. She sighed to herself, running her hands lazily through her hair. She had barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the contract the Royal Family sent. But what made her heart hurt more was the look on her parents' faces when they admitted they had been tempted by the Royal Family's conditions. She knew they had rejected it, Micheal had made that clear. But knowing they considered it in the first place stung her. She moved to the bathroom to wash herself and eventually went downstairs to the living room. Harrison approached her with a wide smile on his face as he handed over a glass of water to her. Alyssa smiled back. “Thank you.” She took a
With trembling hands, Alyssa stormed all the way to the Cambridges' bedroom, forgetting to knock.Her footsteps echoed loudly through the hallway, each one carrying the anger that had been building inside her ever since she discovered the contract, and by the time she reached the bedroom, her eyes were already burning with unshed tears.She pushed the door open so hard that it slammed against the wall.“What is this?” She barked, throwing the papers on the dark red rug.The documents scattered across the floor, several pages sliding beneath the edge of the bed while the first page landed face-up, the Royal Family's sigil staring back at everyone in the room.Addison's lips trembled. “Honey… it's not what you think.”Alyssa's face scrunched up with disgust. “You didn't even let me give birth to my child before setting it up for sale?!”Her voice cracked at the end, and the moment the words left her mouth, Addison's heart sank.“Alyssa, calm down. We haven't signed yet,” Addison said in







