Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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In the dazzling heart of Hallon City, the Dalton family was throwing a massive celebration. The star of the night? Selena Dalton, who just snagged the Best Author Award.

Guests were dressed to the nines, sparkling under the lights, as laughter and chatter filled the air, creating an atmosphere of pure joy and festivity.

But behind all the glitz and glam lay a dark secret. In a cold, damp basement, Hailey Dalton, the family’s forgotten heiress, had been locked away for seven years.

At twenty–seven, she should’ve been living her best life, but instead, she’d been stuck in this hellhole for the past seven years,

The heavy basement door slammed open, and a thin shaft of light cut through the dark. Hailey’s heart jumped.

She looked up, eyes wide with the smallest spark of hope. ‘Is it Mateo? Is he finally here to rescue me?”

Her heart dared to believe it, though the hope flickered weakly–she didn’t dare believe too much, but she couldn’t help. herself. Maybe just maybe–this nightmare was finally over.

The sound of sharp high heels clicking on the concrete floor drew closer, and a figure stepped into view.

Hailey squinted, trying to make out the face, and then it hit her: it was Selena. Her half–sister. The very same person who had locked her away here in the first place.

At that moment, Hailey couldn’t bring herself to hate Selena anymore. Her legs were shattered, and she could barely move, the pain unbearable as she dragged her broken body off the bed.

With every ounce of strength, she crawled toward Selena, finally collapsing at her feet.

Her voice was raw with agony, filled with nothing but pleading, “Selena, please… I’m begging you. Let me go. Just let me see Mateo one last time, even if it’s from afar. Please, just give me a moment with my family…”

Selena stepped into the light, wearing a nude–colored gown, her red lips parting in a cold, calculated smile. “Alright, I’ll let you out,” she said in a voice that was sweet but absolutely frigid.

For a second, hope flickered in Hailey’s chest, but Selena quickly dashed it to pieces with her next words.

“Too bad… your adoptive parents are both dead. Now what?” Selena’s tone was a sickening mix of fake sympathy and cruel

amusement.

Hailey froze. Her heart sank. “No… that’s not possible.”

Selena smirked, pulling out her phone, and Hailey watched as she showed her a news article with the headline: [Family Tragedy Strikes–Parents and Sister Dead.]

“You didn’t see the news, did you? Your parents died in a car crash three years ago. And your sister? Yeah, she killed herself six months ago.” Selena glanced at the laptop in the comer, her smile turning wicked.

She paused, then added, “I almost forgot. While I was out there making my future, you were stuck working on that manuscript. The signal here was so spot–on, wasn’t it? Too bad no one would ever see it.

“Your work could only exist in this house. So, thanks for all your effort, sis.”

Hailey’s blood ran cold. “You! You killed my family!” she hissed, fury burning in her chest.

Selena played the victim, dramatically throwing her hands up. “Mateo, look at her! She’s glaring at me like she’s going to murder me. I’m so scared, she mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm

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happening, Mateo Stafford, the man she had thought might save her, stepped into the room like

fragile body couldn’t

crashed into the bedframe. Blood poured from her forehead, staining

was now even worse. The blood mixed with her

pulled Selena into his arms, pretending to be all concerned. “You okay, babe?” he

tenderness.

breaking. The perfect couple, so full of love and light. And then,

absurdity of it all. She felt so stupid, so pathetic. All this pain, all for him. Her work, her soul poured into her

had thought was innocent? Just a monster feeding off her. All the love she

stomach, twisting it with a sick smile. “Bitch. You’ve done your part. You wanted to be

pain was so intense Hailey could barely breathe. Blood mixed with her

Mateo Stafford… I swore,

slammed her head into the ground with a vicious

Just as she was about to lose consciousness, she saw Mateo’s face one last time, his grin

soft, familiar voice called through

“Who is calling me? That voice… it sounds so familiar.

Breakfast is

open, her body

slim, with tanned skin that couldn’t hide her striking beauty. Her heart- shaped face had sharp, defined features, and her whole appearance was full of that

murmured without thinking.

face, waved a hand in front of her eyes. “Bad dream

around the room, full of memor This

that people go back to their happiest place before they die? she thought to herself.

spaced out and rolled her eyes.

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I now Then, de pouched the polis of her hand, hard. The sharp pain reminded her that this wasn’t a

crazy. “Are you for

shoes,

jolt of electricity had hit her. Without even bothering to put on choro, de droed open

sun was blazing, but she

in that moment

the same–quiet, isolated, surrounded

here had that

Brown family’s tiny kitchen, things were anything but

with emotion as she slammed her fork onto the the “Finley’s part of the

waltzing in and taking her away? What the hell

Hailey’s adoptive mom, was just as torn. She didn’t want to let Hailey go either, but she knew deep down t the Daltons were Hailey’s true family. She couldn’t make this decision for her

of care,

fork, blinking back tears. She stood up, walked over

what’s wrong?” Lucia asked,

was set in stone, calm and steady, as she spoke “Mom, Dad, thank

the Daltons.”

The anger had festered in her heart for three long

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