Semua Bab Blood and Betrayal: Bab 1 - Bab 5

“Sir?” Thomas froze. His hands stopped moving, his entire body suddenly stiff as he stood beside the two cradles. Only moments ago, he had carefully lifted one newborn from her cradle and placed her into the other, then taken the second baby and put her where the first one had been. He had just swapped two newborn babies. Thomas stared at the two infants beneath their identical white blankets, his chest rising and falling rapidly. They looked so small and innocent, completely unaware that their lives had just been changed by a decision made by a desperate man. He had checked the corridor before making the exchange. The nurses had rushed away to deal with an emergency, the doctors were occupied, and nobody had been watching, so who had just called him? Slowly, Thomas turned around. A man stood at the entrance of the room, staring at him with an expression of confusion. “I'm sorry,” the man said, looking from Thomas to the baby in his arms. “Who are you?” THREE HOURS

Fifteen years had passed since the night two babies had been switched in a hospital ward. The memory had almost disappeared from everyone's mind.For the Sterling family, life had become everything Victoria had dreamed it would be. Their mansion stood behind tall iron gates, surrounded by perfectly trimmed gardens and a long driveway that seemed to stretch forever. Richard Sterling's businesses had expanded over the years, making the family one of the most influential in the city. Victoria had also built a successful career of her own. Their eldest son, Ellis, was away at college, studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the country, and their youngest child, Kiara, was fifteen. At least, that was what everyone believed."Kiara!" Victoria's voice echoed through the enormous house. "You're going to be late!""I'm coming!" A teenage girl hurried down the staircase. She wore a perfectly pressed school uniform, expensive shoes, and a designer backpack hanging over one shou

Maria quickly became part of the Sterling household. She woke up early every morning, prepared breakfast, organized the rooms, did the laundry, and made sure everything was ready before Victoria and Richard left for work. She never complained, even when the workload became heavy. She simply continued, moving through the mansion with quiet efficiency.One afternoon, Victoria found Maria in the kitchen scrubbing pots that had been left overnight. "You work too hard," Victoria told her gently.Maria looked up, surprised by the interruption. "I need the money and the job," she said simply. "I can't afford to lose it.""You're more than a housekeeper to us, Maria." Victoria sat down at the kitchen island, watching her work. "You've been wonderful with Kiara too."At the mention of Kiara's name, Maria smiled. "She's a good girl. Stubborn, but good."Victoria laughed. "Don't let her hear you say that. She'll become even more stubborn than she already is."Maria chuckled, thinking of her own