While I was overseas burying my father, my daughter’s desperate texts flooded my phone: Mom, save me. I don’t want to give Seraphina my kidney. I just want to live. I took the first flight back. I arrived to find my cherished daughter locked in the cellar—while the two bodyguards I’d raised since childhood were upstairs spoon-feeding my adopted daughter, Seraphina Vance, like a princess. They had the nerve to act righteous. “Mrs. Kaling,” one said, “Seraphina’s immune system is weak. We only asked Aurora to donate a kidney. Her refusal is shockingly cruel.” The other added, “She has a spare. Seraphina’s life matters. If she stays stubborn, she can rot down there.” “We’ve also made Seraphina CEO. Aurora can start from the bottom… after she agrees.” I saw my daughter—chains cutting into her wrists and ankles, eyes hollow—and tasted blood in my throat. In three months, these fools thought they could take the Kaling family and torture my child. They didn’t know who they were dealing with. I am Lorelei Kaling. They will suffer. 1 In the elite circles of our city, the Kaling family is an anomaly. For generations, our power has been passed down from mother to daughter. When my daughter, Aurora, was born, she was frail. To ensure her safety, I went to an orphanage and carefully selected two boys to be her companions, her protectors. When she was thirteen, my husband brought home an orphan girl he’d found on the streets. She was all skin and bones, and my heart went out to her. I thought it would be good for Aurora to have a sister. So, I adopted Seraphina Vance. I never imagined that these playthings, these companions I had provided for my daughter’s amusement, would one day conspire to destroy her. … I rushed to unlock the chains. The raw wounds on her wrists were crusted with rust. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise as I lifted her limp body, preparing to race to the hospital. Suddenly, Seraphina threw herself in front of the doorway, her eyes red-rimmed as she knelt before me. “Mrs. Kaling, if you’re going to blame anyone, blame me,” she sobbed. “The boys were just worried about me. That’s the only reason they locked Aurora up.” “Maybe I’m not worth saving. That must be why she won’t help me. It’s okay. I’m grateful for every extra day I get to live.” She tried to push herself up, only to collapse back onto the floor in a delicate, theatrical swoon. Before I could react, the two bodyguards, Caspian and Julian, rushed to her side, gathering her into their arms. They flanked her, murmuring words of comfort. “Don’t say that, Seraphina. After all these years, Mrs. Kaling surely sees you as her own daughter. She’ll give you anything you want.” “That’s right. Even if it took both of Aurora’s kidneys to guarantee your health for a lifetime, what would it matter?” “You’re so pure-hearted. When you inherit the Kaling empire, we’ll be right here with you. We won’t let anyone bully you ever again.” At their words, Aurora, small and fragile in my arms, tightened her grip on my sleeve, terrified that I too would be swayed by their poison. I knew, all too well, that her feelings for Caspian had long ago blossomed into a teenage crush. To be humiliated like this, in front of him… I had no patience for their games. My only focus was the pain in my daughter’s eyes. “Enough!” I roared, my voice echoing in the cavernous room. “I’m taking Aurora to the hospital. Get out of my way. Now.” My shout made Seraphina shrink back into Caspian’s arms, trembling. Julian glared at me, his face a mask of indignation. “Mrs. Kaling, have you even spared a single thought for Seraphina since you’ve been back? She hasn’t even eaten dinner!” He reached out and grabbed my daughter’s injured arm. “Aurora Kaling, get down here. How long are you going to keep up this act? Seraphina is in tears because of you. How can you be so wicked?” I didn’t hesitate. I lifted my knee and drove it into Julian’s groin. How dare a piece of trash like him even touch my daughter? He crumpled to the floor, howling in agony. “Caspian, stop her! Don’t let them leave until she agrees to the donation! We promised Seraphina we would always protect her!” Caspian settled Seraphina gently before rising to face me, his calm eyes simmering with rage. “Mrs. Kaling,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “I’m sorry it has to be this way.” I was the one who had sent them to learn martial arts, to ensure they could protect Aurora from any threat. I never dreamed I would be the first to test their skills. I studied him. At six feet tall, his presence was undeniably intimidating. His fists were clenched, the veins standing out on his arms as he stared me down. It was clear that if I took one more step toward the door, he would not hesitate to strike. But as the head of the Kaling family, what kind of matriarch would I be without a security detail that had seen real combat? I let out a short, sharp whistle. In an instant, Caspian was slammed to the ground, pinned and unable to move. His pathetic little martial arts display could be saved for a street fight. Every second they wasted was a second my daughter’s treatment was delayed. They would pay for this. As I stepped over the threshold, Caspian’s furious voice followed me. “Mrs. Kaling, if you walk out that door today, I will never marry your daughter!” He saw me pause, and a triumphant smirk spread across his face. “You brought us into your home, called it charity… but wasn’t it all so you could groom us as a potential husband for your precious Aurora? Well, I’m telling you now, I love Seraphina. I’ve had enough of Aurora and her pathetic, self-important crush on me.” At Caspian’s dramatic confession, Seraphina launched herself toward him. “Let him go!” she cried, her small hands trying in vain to pry the guards’ fingers from his arms. When she realized it was useless, she turned and knelt before me again. “Please, Mrs. Kaling, let them go,” she pleaded. “It’s my fault. My immune system is so weak, the doctor said it could lead to kidney disease. The boys were just trying to help. The Kaling family has so much money. Even if she donates a kidney, with the proper care, she’ll be fine. If she doesn’t want to, I’ll leave. Just please, don’t hurt them.” Watching her performance, the tears streaming down her face, Caspian struggled against his restraints. “You win,” he spat. “Money always wins. Fine. If Aurora Kaling agrees to donate her kidney to Seraphina, I will consider marrying her. Nothing is more important than Seraphina’s safety.” I almost laughed. As if entry into the Kaling family was something he could negotiate. I ignored him and turned my gaze to Julian. “Is that how you feel, too?” If Caspian had been like an older brother to Aurora, Julian had been her best friend, her confidant. The sadness of a failed test, the joy of a delicious meal, even the first flutterings of her crush on Caspian—she had shared everything with Julian first. And now, this boy, who had always stood by her side, who had protected her without question, looked at me with a face twisted by loathing. “I should have known,” he sneered. “Aurora’s cruelty is inherited from you. You’ve controlled our lives for years, trapped us in this gilded cage. Did you think you could control who we love, too? Well, I’m telling you, just like Caspian said: Aurora isn’t worthy. She isn’t worthy to even compete with Seraphina.” I had my answer. I turned, settled my daughter more comfortably in my arms, and walked to the car. “Take off your socks,” I instructed my guards, “and stuff them in their mouths.” How foolish of me to have held out even a sliver of hope. I knew my daughter. Caspian’s rejection would wound her pride. But Julian’s betrayal… that would break her heart. They had feasted on my family’s generosity, grown strong on my family’s wealth, only to turn and bite the hand that fed them. Love? Affection? My daughter didn’t need it from them. Her future would be filled with something far more reliable: money. More money than she could count in a dozen lifetimes. I held her close, stroking the damp strands of hair from her face. I’m so sorry, my love. This is all my fault. Thankfully, her wounds were superficial. She had fainted from a combination of shock and hunger. The doctor cleaned her cuts, started an IV, and told me to let her rest. I gently stroked her hair, my heart aching, before stepping out of the room. I dialed my husband, a man I hadn’t seen in two years. Before I left the country, I had explicitly told him to look after our daughter. Now, after all this, he hadn’t even called to check on her. My relationship with Sebastian Croft was never a love story. For generations, the men who married into the Kaling family did so by taking our name. I was drawn to his face; he was drawn to my money. For years, we had an understanding: we lived separate lives, never interfering with the other’s affairs. I called him several times. No answer. So I cut him off. Every single one of his credit cards, frozen. It seemed that in my three-month absence, he had forgotten where his money came from. … The next afternoon, I returned to the hospital with a flask of chicken soup our cook had prepared. Aurora was awake. “My love,” I said, rushing to her side and wrapping her in a hug. “Are you feeling okay?” At the sound of my voice, she broke down, her body wracked with sobs as she clung to me. “Mom, they all said you didn’t want me anymore,” she cried. “They tried to force me to sign the consent forms. When I refused, they locked me in the cellar. I tried to escape, but they caught me and chained me up. Mom, I was so scared… it hurts so much.” Her body trembled uncontrollably. I held her, stroking her back and murmuring reassurances. “Don’t be afraid, my love. I would give up the whole world before I gave up on you. And the people who hurt you… I won’t let a single one of them get away with it.” She finally calmed down, sipping the soup I’d brought. In that moment of peace, the hospital room door was thrown open. It was my husband, the man who had been unreachable all night. “Lorelei, on what authority did you freeze my cards? Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to have my payment declined in front of everyone last night?” Of course. The only thing that would get his attention was a lack of funds. I met his gaze calmly, trying to gesture for him to take the conversation outside. He ignored me. “You come back and turn the whole house upside-down. It was just a little spat between kids, and you had to escalate it and bring in your guards. Look at her, it’s just a few scratches. A private hospital, a private room… she’s not that fragile. Aurora was acting out, and Caspian was just teaching her a lesson. It’s no big deal. Drop it. And leave the kids alone.” That’s when I noticed Seraphina standing behind him. She was wearing the same white dress, her eyes were just as red, and the bruises from kneeling on the stone floor were still visible. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall, a picture of perfect, pitiable innocence. I glanced at her for a second before turning my attention back to my husband. “Sebastian, the girl in that bed is your daughter,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “Your daughter was locked in a cellar and chained like an animal. You don’t care, fine. But now you’re siding with the people who hurt her? Do you have a single shred of conscience left?” My voice rose, and he flinched. It was Seraphina who spoke. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Kaling. I’m sorry, Uncle Sebastian. I just wanted to apologize to Aurora. Since she doesn’t want to see me, I’ll just go. It’s all my fault. Maybe you never should have adopted me.” With that, two perfect tears rolled down her cheeks, and she turned and fled. Just then, Caspian and Julian appeared as if from nowhere, carrying a plastic bag with a few sad, shriveled apples. They saw Seraphina run past them in tears. Julian’s face contorted with rage as he glared at me. “What did Seraphina ever do to you? Why can’t the two of you just leave her alone? We came in good faith to visit Aurora, and here you are, tormenting her again.” Caspian slammed the bag of apples onto the floor. “Mrs. Kaling, if you’re going to continue to blindly side with your daughter and bully Seraphina, then don’t be surprised when we stop playing nice. When this family needs a man to take charge, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance.” I looked at these two arrogant, delusional boys. I walked up and slapped them both, hard, across the face. “You think you’re even worthy of speaking to me?” They clutched their faces, their shock quickly turning to fury. Caspian strode forward and knocked the thermos of soup to the floor. Julian grabbed Aurora’s arm—the one with the IV—and started dragging her out of bed. “Stop faking it,” he snarled. “Get up. You’re going to go kneel before Seraphina and apologize. And you’re not getting up until she forgives you.” I saw the blood start to back up in Aurora’s IV tube. “Guards!” I screamed. “Get these animals out of here! If my daughter is hurt again, I swear I will destroy you all!” Fearing my shouts would bring my security team, Caspian clamped a hand over my mouth. “Uncle Sebastian, what are you waiting for? Help us! If her guards get here, we’re all finished!” The room descended into chaos. Sebastian, jolted into action, saw me struggling and helpless. He walked up and struck me across the face. The force of the blow snapped my head back, and my cheek instantly began to swell. “You dare freeze my cards?” he spat. “You think you’re so powerful? You’re just a woman, parading around, pretending to do business when everyone knows you’re sleeping your way to the top. You’re a whore, just like your mother.” The thought of my supposed infidelities seemed to enrage him further, and he hit me again, on the other side. “You gave me a useless daughter, and I’ve had to endure my friends’ mockery for years. Just hand over the company to me and stop making trouble. This is a man’s world. What can a bitch like you possibly do?” Aurora, pinned beneath Julian, saw what was happening and fought with all her might. “Don’t you touch my mother! Let her go!” As she was about to break free, Julian wrapped a hand around her throat and squeezed. “You’re both sluts. If anything happens to Seraphina because she ran out of here upset, I’ll make you pay.” My daughter, already weak, gasped for air and passed out. My face was numb, swollen. I didn’t have the strength to speak. Seeing I was no longer a threat, Caspian released me. I slid to the floor in a heap. As he moved toward my unconscious daughter, I forced myself up, holding up my phone. The screen showed an active call. “You’d better let my daughter go,” I rasped. “My private security detail will be here any second. When they arrive, none of you will walk out of here.” As if on cue, the sound of screeching tires filled the air. Outside the window, a convoy of black SUVs pulled up, and a team of highly trained operatives began pouring out, heading for our room. I spat out a mouthful of blood and looked at their three ashen faces, a slow, grim smile spreading across my own. “I’ll give you back your own words. Kneel and apologize now. It might not be too late for you.”
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