Chapter 4

I shifted away in disgust.

Seeing me retreat only riled Rosa up more. "Have you lost your mind?"

Rosa slammed her palm on the table. "Anna. Now that I'm here, this house answers to me. Starting today, you're moving into the basement. The master bedroom goes to Sophia so she can rest during her pregnancy. And from now on, all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and everything else is your job. If you don't do it right, you get out."

Leo stood to the side, his back straightening again.

"You hear that?"

I looked at the circus in front of me and almost laughed.

"Rosa," I said flatly, calling her by name. "This is my home. Spit on my floor one more time, and I'll make you lick it clean."

The room went dead silent.

Rosa froze for a few seconds, then grabbed the crystal ashtray off the table and hurled it at me. "You little witch. I'll kill you!"

I tilted my head and dodged. The ashtray smashed into the wall, shattering into pieces.

Rosa charged at me and slapped me twice across the face.

"You ungrateful bitch. How dare you talk back to me? I'll teach you a lesson today on behalf of your dead parents!

Sophia clapped her hands from the side, delighted. "That's right, Mom. Hit her. Women like her only learn when they're beaten!"

I was forced to the floor, and I struggled with everything I had. However, I was pinned down so tightly I could barely breathe.

Leo crouched in front of me, grabbed my hair, and forced my head up.

"Anna, don't blame me for being heartless. Sign a share transfer agreement right now. Every share under your name goes to me. Then, sign a property gift deed and transfer this estate to my mother. If you sign, I'll let you go and give you some money to disappear. If you don't..."

His voice dropped.

"You'll rot in the basement for the rest of your life."

I spat out a mouthful of blood and glared at him. "In your dreams."

Leo seemed to remember something. He turned and lifted a necklace from the mantel.

It was my mother's keepsake.

"You always loved this necklace, didn't you? If you don't sign, I'll destroy it."

"No!" I screamed, my voice raw and hoarse.

"Leo, why are you wasting time talking to her?" Sophia urged from the side. "Just throw it into the fireplace already."

Leo tossed the necklace toward the hearth. He lit a sheet of newspaper and moved to throw it in after.

"Leo! Rosa! Sophia!" I roared each name, my throat filled with the taste of blood.

"If you burn it, I swear I'll tear your limbs apart and feed you to the sharks!"

Leo's hand jerked. The newspaper slipped from the edge of the mantel. Flames licked up instantly, catching the necklace.

I used the moment to break free and lunged for the hearth.

I grabbed the necklace with my bare hand.

The fire scorched the back of my hand, but I felt nothing.

I crushed the necklace against my chest and smothered the flames with my body.

Luckily, only a small part of it was blackened.

I collapsed to the floor, curled around what I was protecting. My hair was a mess, my clothes torn, the back of my hand burned black.

Slowly, I lifted my head.

Leo had been about to kick me, but the look in my eyes made him freeze in place.

It was pure, murderous hatred.

"Leo," I said, my voice hoarse but steady. "You just tried to burn my necklace."

Leo stepped back, then pointed a finger at me and yelled, "So what? It's just a dead woman's necklace. If you care so much, sign the papers and get out with that worthless thing!"

A furious shout thundered from the entrance.

"Try touching her again. I dare you!"

The front doors were kicked open.

Seven or eight men in black suits poured in, taking control of the room in seconds.

Then, a middle-aged man in a tailored suit stepped inside.

It was my father, Fritz Orlen, the Don of the Orlen Family.

My father saw me, disheveled and clutching the necklace, and his face darkened. He strode forward, draping his coat over my shoulders.

"Who dared lay a hand on my daughter?"