The Ice King’s Demand

“You good-for-nothing brat! Come here now!” Rosario voice cracked through the air like a whip.

Lidia flinched at the sound. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her bare feet slapped against the cold marble floor as she rushed toward the woman whose anger was as sharp as glass. “I’m sorry, Auntie… for keeping you waiting,” she said, her voice trembling.

Rosario’s glare was like a knife. “You useless girl. I let you stay in this house, I feed you, I clothe you—yet you make me shout and disobey me.” Her words dripped with venom. “I will teach you a lesson today.”

Before Lidia could speak, the cane in Rosario’s hand came down hard against her back. The sound of the strike was sharp, the pain immediate and scorching.

“I’m sorry, Auntie! Please stop… you’re hurting me!” Lidia cried out, her voice cracking as she tried to shield herself with trembling hands.

“And what if I don’t stop, eh?” Rosario snarled. “Will your useless mother come and save you? If not for the blood ties between us, I wouldn’t have let you—” she spat the word—“bastard, stay in my house for even a day.”

“Auntie, stop slandering my mother!” The words slipped out before Lidia could stop them. She clung to the memory of her mother—the only part of her life that had been pure and good. “She was kind, and she never hurt anyone.”

“Shut your mouth, you bastard!” Rosario’s face twisted in rage. “If your mother was so innocent, how come she didn’t even know who your father was? And now she’s gone, leaving me to take care of another man’s child.”

The words cut deeper than the cane. Lidia’s lips trembled as she lowered her gaze, tears blurring her vision. She said nothing more, only sobbed quietly on the polished floor, the sting of humiliation burning worse than her bruises.

Around her, the other servants paused in their work, glancing her way with pity in their eyes. But no one dared speak. They all knew that defending Lidia meant losing their jobs—or worse.

Rosario’s voice broke the silence. “Today you’ll work for every cent I’ve spent on you. Go and get me a glass of cold water. Then clean the entire house and make dinner.”

Lidia pushed herself up from the floor. Her limbs felt heavy, her skin throbbing with pain. She could already feel welts forming beneath her thin dress. Still, she made her way to the kitchen, each step slow, deliberate—half from pain, half from the effort of holding back fresh tears.

The cool air in the kitchen didn’t soothe her; it only reminded her how raw her skin felt. She poured water into a glass, placed it on a tray, and returned to the living room. Her head was bowed, her hands trembling slightly as she set the glass on the table without a word.

Rosario lifted the cup, her eyes narrowing. “Why is there dirt in my water?” she snapped.

“There isn’t—” Lidia began, but before she could finish, cold water splashed against her face, soaking her hair and dress.

“How dare you call me a liar, you idiot!” Rosario’s voice boomed through the room.

Lidia’s cheeks burned, not from pain, but from shame. Her wet hair clung to her skin. “I’m sorry, Auntie… I’ll get another glass,” she whispered, clutching the tray to her chest as she walked away.

As she disappeared into the kitchen, Rosario’s phone rang. Her voice changed instantly, sweet and warm. “Hello, my love.”

“Hello, my dear,” came a man’s cheerful voice from the other end. “I’ve secured the contract with the Morgan Chase Group.”

“That’s wonderful news!” Rosario’s tone dripped with excitement. “Soon our family name will rise to the top.”

“But… there’s a problem.” Luca’s voice shifted, the cheer replaced by unease.

Rosario’s grip tightened on the phone. “What problem?” She had spent years dreaming of being mentioned among the city’s wealthiest families. Now that dream was within reach, she would not let anything ruin it.

There was a pause, long enough for her pulse to quicken. When Luca finally spoke, his voice was low and hesitant. “The Ice King… requested that we give him Lidia in return for the contract.”

The words lingered in the air like a dark omen.

Lidia re-entered the room at that moment, moving quietly, head still bowed. She had taken extra care this time—fresh water, clean glass, not a speck in sight. She placed it on the table and stepped back.

Rosario stared at her for a long moment, Luca’s words echoing in her mind. Why would the city’s most feared mafia boss want her niece? The thought made her lips curl in disgust… and yet, part of her felt relief at the idea of being rid of her sister’s child. Another part simmered with envy—what if Lidia’s life became better than hers?

“When you get home, we’ll talk more,” she told Luca before hanging up.

Turning to Lidia, she waved her off. “Forget about cleaning. Go to your room.”

Lidia nodded quickly and hurried down the hallway, eager to escape. She closed her door and turned the lock, her chest heaving as she finally let her tears fall freely. The walls muffled her sobs, but they could not quiet the storm in her heart.

She had heard everything. The phone’s volume had been loud enough for her to catch every word. Her aunt—her only living relative—was willing to hand her over like some unwanted object, a bargaining chip in a business deal.

Her fingers curled into fists. “How could they?” she whispered to the empty room. “How could my own family treat me like this?”

The ache in her body was nothing compared to the hollow, sinking feeling inside her chest. She had always known she wasn’t truly wanted here, but this… this was betrayal on a level she hadn’t imagined.

“I wish you were still here, Mama,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “You’d never let them treat me this way.”

Her gaze drifted to the window, where the fading daylight painted the sky in deep shades of gold and crimson. It should have been a beautiful view, but it felt heavy, oppressive, as though the world outside was closing in.

Then she remembered the name her uncle had spoken—The Ice King.

The words sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. She had heard whispers about him in the market, rumors from servants and strangers alike. A man of power, feared in every corner of the city. Some said he was ruthless beyond reason, others that he never smiled.

Why would such a man want her?

She didn’t know, but the thought made her feel as though she’d stepped into the path of a predator. Her aunt’s cruelty was familiar—but the Ice King’s interest… that was something unknown, and somehow, far more dangerous.