Chapter one

Ava Richmond stood before the full-length dressing mirror, admiring her reflection. Her flowing ivory dress hugged her slender figure perfectly, making her look elegant yet youthful. A satisfied smile spread across her lips as she gently smoothed the fabric with her hands.

“Bring the heels over here,” she instructed.

“Yes, Miss Ava.” The maid hurried over with a pair of white designer heels. She knelt and carefully slipped them onto Ava’s feet before standing back to admire the finished look.

“You look stunning, Miss Ava,” the maid said with a warm smile.

Ava’s smile widened proudly.

“I know.” She let out a soft laugh. “I’m looking so beautiful that John is going to have a hard time taking his eyes away me.”

“I’m sure he will,” the maid replied. “The two of you have been engaged for years. Now that you’ve finally graduated, the wedding shouldn’t be far away.”

A faint blush crept onto Ava’s cheeks.

The thought of marrying John Lyon filled her heart with excitement. He was the heir to one of the country’s most powerful conglomerates, while she was the only daughter of billionaire businessman Pete Richmond. Their engagement had been arranged years ago, strengthening the long-standing friendship between the Richmond and Lyon families.

Today wasn’t just her graduation day. To Ava, it marked the beginning of the future she had always dreamed of. She turned to the maid.

“It’s almost time. Go tell the driver to bring the car around.”

“Yes, Miss Ava.”The maid hurried out of the room to carry out the instruction.

Left alone, Ava glanced at her reflection one last time, adjusting a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She looked perfect.

John had promised to attend her graduation ceremony no matter how busy he was. As for her father… he was running late again.

She pouted before walking over to the bedside table and picked up her phone. Without hesitation, she dialed Pete Richmond’s number.

The call rang only once before it was answered.

“Ava, darling.”

The familiar, affectionate voice instantly brought a smile to her face.

“You’re running late again, Dad,” she complained. “The ceremony is going to start soon, and you’re still not here.”

On the other end of the line, Pete Richmond chuckled softly.

“Sweetheart, I know. Something urgent came up at the company. Why don’t you head to the venue first? I promise I’ll be there before they start calling names.”

Ava sighed helplessly. Her father always kept his promises, so despite her disappointment, she chose to believe him.

“Fine,” she said reluctantly. “But you’d better be there on time.”

“I wouldn’t dare disappoint my precious daughter.” His words finally coaxed a smile from her.

After ending the call, Ava picked up her designer handbag from the bed and walked out of the room. The moment she stepped outside, every maid lined up neatly along the entrance and bowed respectfully.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Miss Ava!”.

Ava smiled graciously. “Thank you.”

The black luxury sedan was already waiting in front of the mansion. The butler stepped forward, opened the rear door, and bowed politely. “Please, Miss.”

Ava gathered the hem of her dress before gracefully sliding into the back seat. And the butler gently closed the door behind her.

Along the way, Ava’s phone vibrated. It was a text message from her best friend, Lillian Hale, informing her that she wouldn’t be able to attend the graduation ceremony because she had come down with a terrible flu.

Ava frowned in disappointment. Lillian had promised to attend no matter what happened, but she understood that falling sick wasn’t something anyone could control.

She immediately dialed Lillian’s number to check up on her. Surprisingly, the call didn’t even ring before it disconnected. Ava frowned.

Wondering how a number that just texted her would suddenly become unavailable. Not wanting to overthink it, she slipped her phone back into her handbag and looked out the window.

Ava arrived at the graduation venue and quickly found her assigned seat. She exchanged greetings with a few of her classmates before sitting down. Although she smiled and responded to their congratulations, her eyes kept drifting toward the entrance. Her father and fiancé were nowhere to be seen.

She took out her phone and dialed John Lyon’s number. It rang several times before the call went unanswered. Frowning, she tried again with the same result. She then called her father, but he wasn’t answering either. Ava glanced at the time, she was growing more impatient with each passing minute. Her father had promised he would arrive before the ceremony began, and John had assured her he wouldn’t miss such an important day.

One after another, the names of graduating students were called as proud families cheered from the audience. Ava, however, couldn’t concentrate. She kept looking toward the entrance, hoping to catch sight of her father or John walking through the doors, but neither of them appeared. Unable to sit still any longer, she quietly excused herself and walked out of the hall to make another call. Unfortunately, all her attempts to reach her father and fiancé ended the same way. Neither of them answered.

Just then, a notification from a popular news blog appeared on her phone.

Breaking News: Richmond Group Under Investigation. CEO Pete Richmond Arrested for Embezzlement, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion.

Ava’s eyes widened in disbelief, and her hands began to tremble. Before she could process what she had just read, another notification popped up.

The Lyon Group Assists Authorities in Major Financial Investigation.

Confused, Ava quickly opened the articles. The comment section was flooded with people condemning Pete Richmond, calling him a corrupt businessman who deserved jail time, while countless others praised the Lyon Group for exposing the truth and helping the authorities. Ava couldn’t make sense of any of it. The Lyon Group belonged to her future in-laws, and John Lyon was its Executive Vice President. Why would the Lyons be involved in bringing down her father’s company?

Ava couldn’t process what was happening. Her mind was in complete disarray as she stared at the headlines on her phone, hoping they were nothing more than some sick joke. She completely forgot about her graduation ceremony. And without another thought, She boarded a cab and headed to the Richmond estate.

The moment the cab pulled up in front of the mansion, Ava’s heart sank.

A fleet of police vehicles was parked outside the estate. Uniformed officers and government officials moved in and out of the mansion, carrying files, others were escorting the house staff out while seizure notices were being pasted on the gates and luxury cars.

“No…” Ava whispered.

She jumped out of the cab and ran toward the mansion. Before she could get any farther, the family butler hurried over and stopped her.

“Miss Ava, please stay away,” he pleaded anxiously. “You’ll only get yourself into trouble.” Ava shook him off.

“What are you talking about? This is my home!”

Ignoring his warning, she rushed into the mansion. The once warm and lively home had become a complete mess.

Ava walked straight up to one of the officers.

“Why are you in my house?” she demanded. “Where is my father?”

The officer merely glanced at her before scoffing. Without answering, he turned back to the documents in his hands and waved at his colleagues.

“Hurry up! We don’t have all day.”

“I said, what is going on here?” Ava shouted, her voice echoing through the living room.

This time, the officer slowly turned around. A mocking smirk spread across his face as he looked her up and down.

“And who are you?” he asked indifferently.

“I’m Ava Richmond,” she replied, lifting her chin. “My father—”

“Your father has been arrested,” the officer interrupted coldly. “And by order of the court, this house and every property registered under the Richmond Group have been confiscated.”

The words struck Ava like a bolt of lightning.

She stood frozen, staring at the officer in disbelief, unable to believe that the home she had grown up in was no longer hers.