Chapter 1After She Left, They Took My Home

My mom passed away when I was twelve, leaving everything she had to me.

My dad cried at her bedside, swearing he'd never remarry and that he'd take care of me no matter what.

But six months later, my stepmother moved into the villa my mom had left me, with her daughter.

She told me, "I'll love you like you're my own."

It didn't take long before my room, my clothes, everything, was taken over by her daughter.

I got shipped off to a boarding school and was only allowed home on weekends.

That went on for four years.

After my father had been away on business for months, her abuse only got worse. She even tried to make me take the fall for her daughter. When I refused, she locked me in the basement and left me there to die.

I fought with everything I had, found the old phone my mom had left behind, and called my grandfather.

On the other end of the line, his voice was pure fury: "No one messes with a granddaughter of the Moretti family!"

* * *

My mom passed away when I was twelve.

At her funeral, Dad held my hand and promised, "Emma, I swear to you, I won't ever remarry. I'll take care of you for the rest of my life, for your mom's sake too."

After Mom left, she left behind two million dollars in savings and a massive three-hundred-plus square meter villa in the heart of the city, all transferred into my name.

For a while after she was gone, Dad really did fall apart. He lost so much weight.

But just six months later, a woman in a pantsuit driving a Porsche showed up at our door, dragging a little girl behind her.

Dad couldn't quite meet my eyes. "Emma, this is Julia and her daughter Jacey. They're going to live with us from now on."

Julia was a colleague from Dad's company, sweet, attentive, always bringing him lunch and keeping him company after Mom died. It didn't take long for him to fall.

When I just stood there at the door without saying a word, Dad got so anxious he was practically in tears. "I'm just so lonely, sweetheart. Please, just have some pity on your old man, okay?"

His voice cracked. I caved. I nodded.

Julia walked up and stroked my hair. "Emma, don't be scared. Isn't it better to have one more person who loves you? I promise I'll treat you just like Jacey."

Dad let out a breath when I didn't push back. "Emma, having Julia move in is for your sake too. I'm swamped at work, I'm always flying to Europe. I don't feel right leaving you here alone."

And just like that, Julia and Jacey moved in.

The first year, Julia was actually decent, especially whenever Dad was home. She was attentive, warm, perfect.

Dad looked so relieved, like he'd made the best decision of his life.

Then he left for a business trip to the Germany branch.

The afternoon he left, I came home from school and pushed open the door to my bedroom on the second floor.

I froze.

My room was unrecognizable.

All the expensive art pieces were gone. The Steinway piano Mom had left me had been shoved into a corner. And Jacey was bouncing on my bed in my silk pajamas. Julia stood nearby, directing the housekeeper to pack up my clothes.

I stormed in. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Julia turned around, that same gentle, soft expression plastered on her face. "Emma, Jacey really loves this south-facing room. She's not well, she needs the sunlight. I've already had the guest room at the end of the third floor cleaned up for you. You can move your things there."

The guest room at the end of the third floor never got any sun. I didn't want it.

"I'm not moving! This villa is mine. My mom left it to me! This is my room!"

Julia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Your mother is dead. I'm the lady of this house now."

I lunged forward to yank Jacey off the bed. Jacey let out a shriek and rolled onto the carpet, clutching her forehead and wailing.

The second Jacey started crying, Julia slapped me across the face. "You nasty, ill-mannered little brat! How dare you hit my daughter!"

I couldn't believe it. I held my stinging cheek. Dad had barely been gone a few hours and Julia had already shown her true colors. With my other hand, I pulled out my phone and called him.

"Dad, Jacey stole my room and Julia hit me!"

The line was noisy. Dad's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Emma, I'm in a very important board meeting right now. Julia just texted me. Jacey has asthma, she needs a room with sunlight. You're the older sister, just let your little sister have it, okay?"

I was stunned. "But Julia hit me!"

"Emma, don't lie. I know exactly what kind of person Julia is."

"She has such a good temper. How could she possibly hit you? Stop being so hostile toward her all the time. Daddy has to go."

The line went dead.