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~Valerie~

I never thought I would meet the Kosarins, not in person. And definitely not like this.

Everyone knew about them. Their names were everywhere. News articles, social media, and magazine covers. The K brothers. Billionaires, celebrities, geniuses. Five impossibly successful men who seemed to dominate every headline in the country.

I had admired them from afar for years. Sometimes I even wondered what it would be like to step into their world for a moment. But I never imagined that moment would come in such a strange and uncomfortable way.

"Valerie, sit down," Dad said suddenly, closing his laptop with a sharp snap.

I sat down slowly, watching him. Something was wrong. I could hear it in his voice.

"Mr. Klaus called today," he said, rubbing his temple. "Things are not going exactly as planned with the project."

I frowned. "The project you have been working on for weeks?"

He nodded.

"And it looks like I will have to make a difficult decision."

I leaned forward slightly. "What decision?"

He hesitated.

"It involves you."

I blinked. "Me? What does this have to do with me?"

He exhaled slowly.

"Mr. Klaus wants you to stay at their mansion."

My heart skipped.

"Stay there? What do you mean?"

"You would have to move there temporarily."

"Move there?" I repeated. "With them?"

He nodded again.

"It is part of the agreement. Mr. Klaus wants a guarantee that the project will not fail. So you would stay there as collateral until the work is completed."

For a moment, I was unable to speak.

Collateral.

The word felt wrong. Cold. As if I were no longer a person, just something to be exchanged.

"But you do not have to worry," he added quickly. "I will wrap everything up as soon as I can. The fastest I can finish this project is five months, to be specific."

My eyes widened.

Five months?

"You cannot be serious," I said, my voice rising. "You cannot just send me to live with strangers. And for months."

"Valerie, I do not like it either," he said tiredly. "But if we lose this contract, we lose everything."

My hands began to shake.

"This is not real," I whispered. "This cannot be real."

I looked at him again, hoping he would suddenly smile and tell me it was all a joke.

But he did not.

His face remained serious.

Before I could stop myself, I ran upstairs to my room. My chest felt tight, like I could barely breathe. It felt like my life had just been decided for me again.

A few minutes later, Carmia walked in and sat beside me on the bed.

"You will be fine, child," she said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"No. Not this time," I cried. "He is always dictating my life like I am still a child. This is too far."

Her brows furrowed.

"What has your father done this time?"

I hesitated, swallowing hard.

"He is sending me to live with Mr. Klaus and his sons. The Kosarin brothers. As collateral for the contract."

The words felt humiliating as I said them out loud.

I buried my face in her lap, and the tears came.

Her fingers moved gently through my hair.

"Valerie, talk to me. Why would he do such a thing?"

I lifted my head and met her shocked expression.

"He said Mr. Klaus wants to be guaranteed that the contract will not fail. That is why I have to stay in their mansion for the time being.

Carmia pressed her lips together.

"Your father is unbelievable," she said quietly. "How could he agree to something like this?"

I wiped my face.

"When Dad first told me he was working with Mr. Klaus Kosarin, I was excited. I thought maybe I would finally get the chance to see his sons before the contract ended."

I let out a soft breath.

"But never like this. Not like this."

Carmia shook her head slowly.

"Dreams have a way of turning into nightmares sometimes, my child."

She looked worried.

"If only I could speak to your father and convince him to leave you out of his business. But you know how he is."

I nodded.

"He never listens," she added.

"I guess I do not have a choice," I said quietly.

She pulled me into a warm embrace, and we stayed like that for a while.

"I know your father does not listen," she said softly, "I will still try to speak with him."

Then she stood and quietly left the room.

Later that night, my phone buzzed.

It was Clara.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I received your message," she said, her voice filled with concern. "Please tell me there has been some misunderstanding."

"I wish there were," I replied softly. "But there is not."

There was a brief silence.

"Valerie... do you mean your father truly intends to send you there?" she asked carefully. "To stay with Mr. Klaus Kosarin and his sons?"

"Yes."

"I cannot believe this," she said. "Using you as collateral for a business arrangement... it is unacceptable."

She paused.

"But if I may say this, try not to be upset with me..."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Living in that house... with the Kosarin brothers... it is something many would only dream of," she admitted. “Everyone admires them."

"Clara, you don't understand me." I frowned

"I understand," she said quickly. "Truly, I do. But you know your father. Once he has made a decision, he rarely changes it."

I stayed quiet.

"So perhaps," she continued gently, "it might be easier if you try to see this as an opportunity rather than a punishment."

I sighed softly.

We spoke for a while after that. She tried to calm me, offering small reassurances until the heaviness in my chest eased slightly.

Still, everything felt unreal.

Five months.

Five strangers.

And their father, who was known to be insanely rich and extremely strict.

Before going to sleep, I found myself thinking about the countless magazine covers I had seen over the years.

King in a sharp suit at some gala.

Kyle performing on stage with a guitar.

Keith smiling at a movie premiere.

Koby receiving a tech award.

And Kyson... always in the tabloids for partying and women.

And now, I was about to step into that world.

My heart beat faster.

Excitement. Fear. And something else I could not explain.

The next morning, Carmia came into my room again.

She told me quietly that she had not been able to convince my father. I wasn't really surprised.

"I guess this is it, Valerie," she said gently. ‎"But you must take care of yourself," she said gently. "Even if this is something new and uncomfortable, try to adjust and make the most of it."

I nodded.

By the time I came downstairs, my luggage was already packed.

Dad was waiting for me in the car.

The drive to the mansion was quiet.

I stared out the window as the city passed by, my thoughts restless.

As we moved farther away from the busy streets, everything became quieter. Tall trees lined the road, and the houses grew larger and more luxurious.

After many hours, tall black gates came into view.

They looked intimidating.

Beyond them stood the mansion, rising like a fortress of glass and stone.

My stomach twisted.

It looked even more luxurious than it did in magazines.

The gates opened slowly, and the car drove inside.

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I will try to wrap up this contract as soon as possible," he said quietly. "I promise, you are in safe hands."

He said it as if trying to reassure me, but I did not respond.

"But remember this, Valerie," he continued. "You are not just a guest here. You are part of the deal. Stay smart, stay calm, and trust yourself."

"I will try," I replied.

The car came to a stop in front of the entrance.

Several staff members were already waiting.

An older woman stepped forward.

"Welcome to the Kosarin residence. My name is Rosa. I am the chef here."

She gestured to the young man beside her.

"And this is my grandson, Liam."

I looked up at him and he smiled politely. I paused for a second and observed him. He was tall, dark-haired, and strikingly handsome. He looked about the same age as the K brothers.

The rest of the staff introduced themselves one after the other.

Mr. Alfred, the head butler.

Ms. Elena, the head maid.

Marcus from security.

Thomas, the driver.

Everyone greeted me respectfully.

But one thing stood out immediately.

None of the Kosarins was there.

Not one of them came to welcome me.

Then again, I reminded myself, men like them probably had more important things to do.

"Come, child. I will show you your room," Rosa said gently.

As she led me upstairs, I glanced back and saw Mr. Klaus for the first time up close. He walked toward my father with a calm, controlled stride.

“Mr. Richard,” he said.

“Mr. Klaus,” my father replied.

They exchanged a brief nod before stepping outside together.

And just like that my father left, no goodbyes no hugs nothing.

The interior of the mansion was breathtaking.

Marble floors stretched across the hallway. Tall windows allowed sunlight to pour in. Expensive paintings decorated the walls. Everything spoke of wealth and power.

After climbing the staircase, Rosa stopped in front of a large door.

"This will be your room."

Liam carried my luggage inside and placed it neatly beside the bed.

"If you need anything, you can call for one of the staff," he said politely.

"Thank you," I replied.

He gave a small nod. "You are welcome."

Then he left, closing the door behind them.

The room fell silent.

I looked around slowly.

The space was breathtaking. The bed alone was larger than anything I had ever owned, and the entire room was easily twice the size of mine back home.

I walked toward the window and looked out at the massive grounds.

Five months.

Five strangers.

And their strict father.

I let out a slow breath.

I guess my life had been decided for me once again.