Chapter 3

Meanwhile, inside the family’s newly purchased luxury apartment, the lights were bright.

The dining table was piled high with ordered lobster and premium ribeye steaks.

Hunter chewed on a lobster claw, impatiently tapping the table.

"Mom! When is the rest of the renovation money coming? The designer said we still need ten grand for the custom furniture!"

"Why hasn't Chloe's salary been deposited yet?"

The "Chloe" he was talking about was me—his younger sister, who was currently working herself to the bone in a sweatshop.

My mom, Brenda, wiped the grease from her mouth, her forehead creasing into a deep frown.

She unlocked her phone and checked her banking app.

It was empty.

"That little brat is losing her mind!" Brenda slammed her phone onto the table.

"Today is payday. Her money is usually in my account by now."

"Is she slacking off again? Just because I took ten dollars from her last time, she dares to throw a tantrum?"

Sitting at the head of the table was my dad, Arthur. He looked completely healthy, his face flushed red as he poured himself another glass of expensive Bourbon.

Did he look like someone with terminal lung cancer? Not even close.

He let out a loud burp and waved his hand dismissively.

"Call her! Is she trying to quit?"

"If she doesn't want to work, bring her back and marry her off! The creepy old landlord down the road offered $30,000 for her. That's enough to buy Hunter a private parking space."

Brenda immediately dialed my number.

"The number you have dialed is currently switched off..."

Hearing the automated voice, Brenda’s temper flared instantly.

"She turned off her phone? How dare she!"

She immediately called the manager of the sweatshop—her distant cousin, who was paid to keep an eye on me.

As soon as the call connected, loud machine noises and angry shouting echoed through the speaker.

"Brenda! I was just about to call you!"

"Your girl ran away!"

Brenda froze. Her mind went blank.

"Ran... ran away?"

She looked out the window at the dark night, murmuring, "It’s the middle of the night. Where could a young girl go? The streets are so dangerous... what if she runs into bad people?"

"Mom! What the hell are you thinking about?"

Hunter slammed his fork onto the plate, violently cutting off Brenda’s tiny shred of motherly instinct.

"If she ran away, what about my house renovations? What about my parking spot?"

"If she actually cared about this family, why would she run? She’s just selfish! She wants to keep all her money for herself!"

With that roar, the last bit of worry on Brenda’s face vanished.

It was replaced by a furious sense of betrayal and panic over losing her cash cow.

Yes. If her daughter ran away, who would pay for her son’s lifestyle?

Worry? How much was that worth?

Arthur's face darkened too. He slammed his glass down, a vicious glint in his eyes.

"Find her! We must bring her back!"

"I don't care if she's dead or alive, as long as she's breathing, drag her back to work!"

"If she refuses, we'll pack her off to that landlord immediately. Not a single penny of that thirty thousand can be missing!" Brenda spat, her chest heaving with rage.

She gritted her teeth and dialed 911.

"Dispatcher? I want to report a theft!"

"My daughter stole $50,000 from our home and ran off with some guy!"

"Go arrest her! She's been a thief since she was a kid. She's evil to the core!"

To force the police to act, and to drag back the daughter who dared to escape her cage, she effortlessly threw the filthiest lie onto her own child.

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