Chapter 4

Leah's POV

When I came to again, I found myself lying in a dim basement. Fear washed over me, threatening to swallow me whole. I'd swallowed so much seawater that I could barely speak.

"Is… anyone there?" I rasped.

The only answer was a chorus of barking.

My heart kicked into overdrive. I clamped my lips shut, forcing myself not to make another sound.

Where was Mom's urn?

I groped blindly around me but found nothing. Dad had promised to give me Mom's ashes back if I jumped in and swam.

I missed Mom so much.

As I continued searching as quietly as I could, a door opened a short distance away. Light flooded into the room, stinging my eyes.

It wasn't until the person came closer that I realized it was Dad. He stood over me with his hands in his pockets, looking down at me. "How the hell did you win a championship when you can barely swim? Don't tell me your mother paid someone to compete in your place."

I shook my head. "That's not true…"

He cut me off impatiently. "Oh, shut up. You're always making excuses, just like your mother. God, you're an embarrassment. Stay here and think about what you've done."

My eyes widened in terror. I didn't want to stay in this place. I grabbed his hand and fought back my tears. "Dad, I'm kind of hungry. Can you please take me somewhere to eat?"

Dad yanked his hand away. "You still have the nerve to ask for food after that pathetic performance?"

"Oh, come on. A child has to eat, doesn't she?" Ms. Carlton smiled and linked her arm through Dad's. "I'll have someone bring some food down later. Besides, Nino hasn't had anyone to play with in ages. Why don't you stay here and keep him company? Don't go out there and cause trouble for your dad."

Nino was Ms. Carlton's mastiff. He stood behind Dad, baring his teeth at me.

I shuddered, and my voice shook. "I don't wanna stay here. He'll bite me."

Dad snapped impatiently, "Cut the act, will you? Yvie's had Nino for over ten years, and he's never bitten anyone. Quit making things up. Just stay here and behave yourself. I don't want you causing me any more trouble."

With that, he slipped an arm around Ms. Carlton's waist and walked out. Right before the door closed, she set down a tray piled with leftovers and bent to murmur a few words to Nino.

The moment the door clicked shut, a vicious gleam appeared in Nino's eyes.

Tears streamed down my face as I backed away. It wasn't until my back hit the cold wall that I realized I had nowhere left to run.

The next second, Nino let out a savage growl and lunged at me, tearing into my body. Within moments, his sharp teeth had ripped several deep wounds into my arms and legs. Warm, sticky blood trickled down my skin.

Just before I lost consciousness, Grandpa burst in with a group of men. One of his bodyguards struck Nino in the head with a baton, smashing his skull. He dropped to the ground, dead.

Grandpa scooped me up and ordered coldly, "Pull every investment we have in anyone aboard this ship who stood by and did nothing. Drive them all out of Lardenbury's business market. And bring Joseph and Yvonne back here. Those two monsters."

Grandpa then had me admitted to a private hospital for treatment and cut off all contact between Dad and me.

…

Third-Person POV

Joseph Walker and Yvonne Carlton partied at a bar until the early hours of the morning.

Joseph's assistant, Colin Green, pushed past everyone trying to stop him and hurried over. "Mr. Walker, your father wants you and Ms. Carlton to come see him immediately."

Joseph clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Did that bitch, Kimberly, go running to complain about me again? When are those two gonna stop making my life miserable?"

Colin stared at him in confusion. "Mr. Walker, what are you talking about? Didn't Mrs. Walker pass away some time ago?"