Chapter 1
In a quiet corner of Maiyonne, inside Blake Villa, the air was thick with tension.
Talia Blake sat slouched at the table, dressed in a threadbare T–shirt, her golden hair falling carelessly over her shoulders. She was devouring her food like she hadn’t eaten in days, each bite more desperate than the last.
Even with her careless, almost sloppy demeanor, there was something effortlessly beautiful about her, though it was obvious she didn’t give a damn. To anyone watching, she looked like someone who couldn’t care less about anything–except the food on her plate.
Across from her sat Sirena Blake, her stepmother, staring at her with open disgust. Sirena had perfected the art of sneering. and right now, all her contempt was focused squarely on Talia.
“For fuck’s sake, Talia! How many times do I have to tell you to act like a lady? You never fucking listen, do you?” Sirena snapped, her voice sharp with irritation.
Talia didn’t even bother looking up. She’d been back in this house for over a month, and by now, she knew exactly how things went. Sirena would start running her mouth, and right on cue, her father would storm in, just to make everything
worse.
Same shit, different day.
In her head, she started counting. Three, two, one…
Right on time, the door flew open, and in marched Rolf Blake, his face red and eyes blazing with fury.
“Talia! What the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you act like a proper Blake? You’re a fucking disgrace to this family!” he roared, his voice bouncing off the walls, veins bulging in his neck.
Talia didn’t even flinch. Years of surviving on her own had made her immune to this kind of crap. She couldn’t care less. about their fancy rules or that ridiculous “family pride” nonsense
The only thing she cared about right now was the food in front of her. She picked up her bowl of corn chowder, downed it in one go, and continued to ignore the storm of insults swirling around her.
If it weren’t for the Blake family’s disgusting wealth and the insane quality of the food at dinner, Talia would’ve been long gone.
The trauma of her childhood clung to her like a scar she couldn erase. When she was just five, she, her sister, and her father had been kidnapped.
And in that terrifying moment, Rolf made a choice she’d never forget–he used her as bait to save her sister and himself, leaving her behind to deal with the danger.
Fifteen years had passed in the blink of an eye. For reasons too messy to get into, Rolf finally brought her back to this place that was both familiar and foreign. But instead of a warm reunion, she found herself facing the cold contempt of her four brothers and Rolf’s complete indifference.
In this house, she was nothing but an outsider. Every ounce of care, every bit of affection, was reserved for her half–sister, Sandra Blake.
Nothing was like it used to be. All that was left was the bitter reality of how much things had changed.
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16:32 Tue, Nov 26 GB
Chapter 1
Rolf stared at Talia’s blank, unreadable face, frustration weighing heavy in his chest.
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His voice was cold and firm when he finally spoke. Tve made my decision. You’re marrying into the Snyder family instead of Sandra
Talia froze, disbelief flickering across her face. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Right on cue, Sirena jumped in, her voice calm and annoyingly gentle. Talia, maybe you don’t know this, but the marriage between the Blakes and the Snyders was arranged ages ago, with Mr. Eddie Snyder fully on board.
“There wasn’t any urgency at first, but…. well, Clifford his grandson–was in a bad accident. He’s in a coma. Now, in his desperation. Mr. Snyder is convinced that holding the wedding might somehow change things bring them luck or something.”
When Talia first came back, Sandra wouldn’t stop running her mouth about the cushy life she was about to step into. Every day, she’d brag about how filthy rich the Snyder family was, making everyone around her either jealous or just plain sick of
IL
And when she talked about Clifford Snyder, her so–called fiance, she couldn’t shut up about how tall, handsome, and charming he was–like he was some kind of prince. She made it sound like she was about to start living the dream any second now
But fate had a funny way of screwing things up. With Clifford at death’s door, Sandra suddenly became desperate to bail out of the whole mess. And just like that, all the crap came crashing down on Talia’s shoulders.
This has nothing to do with me, Talia said flatly, her tone soaked with indifference.
Ever since she came back over a month ago, it was like she was invisible. To her father and her four brothers, Sandra was the only person who mattered.
They’d even warned her not to touch anything that belonged to Sandra–not her things, not her status, not her privileges. And now, they were throwing this nonsense about marrying Clifford in her face, like she was some worthless bargaining chip.
What a fucking joke. They really have no shame, she thought bitterly.
Sirena’s face darkened when she sensed Talia wasn’t going along with the plan.
“Talia, you should be grateful. The Snyders are filthy rich, and Clifford is a catch–handsome and successful. You’d be lucky to marry into a family like that. Stop acting so ungrateful!” Siren snapped.
Talia’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. “Lucky? If it’s so damn great, why don’t you let your precious daughter have it?”
For a second, Sirena was stunned into silence. Then she lashed at, Tm doing this for your own good. Honestly, with your attitude, what man would want to marry you?
Talia didn’t even blink. “My attitude? Whether I get married or not is none of your business. Who the hell do you think you are to me?”
Inwardly, Talia scoffed, You’re nobody. Just an old woman trying to control me! She wasn’t about to let Sirena run her life.
Sirena’s voice shook with fury. “Who the fuck do you think you are, talking to me like that? You’ve got no idea what you’ve just started!” She shot up from her chair, her hand snapping through the air as she slapped Talia hard across the face.
Rolf watched the whole thing unfold, his mouth half–open like he was about to say something, but then he stopped. He glanced at Talia’s defiant expression, and remembering how headstrong she’d been, he sighed heavily and kept his mouth shut.
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