Chapter 1

Aria’s POV

I signed my name on the agreement from the rival gang, agreeing to be delivered to them in five days as a hostage, until my family paid off the debt they owed.

In five days, I would become a prisoner. I had no idea what awaited me—would they kill me? Or worse, humiliate me?

After I signed the contract, I went to find my father and mother.

They were sitting in the living room, discussing where they would go for spring break. Emily, our family’s adopted daughter, was sitting next to them.

They didn’t seem affected by the rival’s threat at all. And why would they be? They had already found their solution.

Me.

Even though Emily was the one who caused this mess.

She volunteered to oversee the drug transport but somehow got ambushed by another gang.

Emily got hurt, broke a leg. And the entire shipment got stolen.

Soon the Ricci demanded that we return the money. But father already spent it on acquiring another club and a house.

So, the Ricci had offered another solution: deliver a Moretti as hostage until the debt was cleared. Normally, the person who caused the problem would take the fall.

But my parents, as usual, softened the moment they saw Emily’s leg in a cast.

So they decided I was the better choice to be sent over. Damian, my fiancé, agreed.

“Emily’s already got hurt for the family. If you send her, it might as well be a death sentence. But you are different, Aria. You are completely fine of taking care of yourself right now. Besides, they won’t hurt you. They still count on you for the money.”

They won’t hurt me? I almost laughed when they said it.

Was my fiancé and my family really this naive, or were they just too blind to see the truth?

Sure, they might not kill me. But humiliate me? Torture me? Degrade me? Who could guarantee that?

Just because Emily so conveniently hurt her leg, I was the one who had to pay the price? As if her injury wasn’t debatable at best.

And yet—I still signed my name.

Because over the years, I’d learned exactly who my family was. Mother and Father were so blinded by Emily’s carefully crafted fragility that they couldn’t see anything else.

So be it.

I’d walk away from everything they’d ever given me, every shred I’d scraped together under their reluctant generosity. I’d become the hostage they needed me to be.

Meanwhile I’d dig into what really happened with that shipment. If Emily wasn’t the innocent victim she pretended to be, then I’d make sure the evidence landed in my parents’s hands—my final gift—I wonder how they would feel when they realized Emily wasn’t nearly as innocent as they’d believed.

Seeing me walking into the room, my father’s face darkened. “Don’t try to talk us into giving Emily to them. She already got hurt—she needs the family’s support now.”

My mother hesitated, but still sided with father. “Aria, please, just do this for us this time. Emily had already contributed her part.”

Emily began sobbing. “Sis, it was my fault. If it wasn’t for me, you and father wouldn’t be arguing. You wouldn’t have to go…”

My mother comforted her. “Emily, darling, don’t blame yourself. You’ve carried that guilt since that day. You even insisted on leaving the hospital just to be with us. You’ve already done more than enough.”

Emily was still sobbing. But in the briefest of moments, I swore I saw a grin flicker across her face—like she was bragging to me, relishing in her success. Even though she had cost our family a billion-dollar deal, she was still father and mother’s precious jewel.

In the past, I would’ve argued. I would’ve said that father was biased, that he should punish the one who made the mistake no matter what. But now? I saw no reason to argue anymore.

“Actually, that’s why I came to find you,” I spoke up, cutting through the tension. “I’ve signed the agreement, and I’ve decided to go instead.”

Mother’s eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face. “Aria, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Father gave a slow, approving nod, while Emily sat there stunned, clearly thrown by how easily I had agreed.

“And also,” I added, meeting their eyes, “I’ve decided to give Emily the Grand Casino.”

Father had wanted me to give her the casino for a long time. He’d said once, “Aria, Emily is our adopted daughter. We don’t want her to feel any less than you. I’ll give you the rest of the Moretti holdings when the time comes, but until then, could you give the casino to Emily? She’s been left out of the family business for so long.”

Left out? She was left out because she couldn’t manage anything. And let’s not forget—Emily was never good with money. No matter how much Father or I handed her, she’d burn through it in days. What kind of business could ever thrive in her hands?

But this time was different. I’d already made my choice. Once I left, I wasn’t coming back. Even if the debt was cleared, I was gone. So there was no point in holding the casino back from Emily any longer. Let Father see for himself what Emily was really capable of.

Though, honestly? I wondered if there’d even be a casino left by the time she was done—or just another property sold off to cover the losses.

“Really!?” Emily shot up from the sofa, her eyes wide with excitement. Then, realizing her reaction was too eager, she quickly sat back down. “No, sis, you can’t give the casino to me. I don’t deserve it…”

“Nonsense,” Father cut her off, his voice firm. “You deserve everything. You’re a Moretti too.”

I pulled out two contracts from my bag—one for the hostage agreement, the other for the casino’s transfer. I had already signed both.

“Emily,” I said, pushing the casino contract across the table, “sign this, and the casino will be yours.”

Emily signed without hesitation, while mother and father beamed with pride.

I smiled too. For the first time, I felt relieved. I no longer had to shoulder the weight of holding this family together. Whatever happened to the casino from this day forward—it would never be my problem again.