open
I shoved the door with a force that rattled the hinges. My loud voice demanded answers. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
My foster parents jumped, startled by the fury in my eyes. They were clearly taken aback, but
my foster father sighed heavily.
“Davina… It was Cleo, She came to us and told us you’re really a princess… so we thought you deserve someone better.”
After saying that, he snuck a guilty glance at me. I frowned and asked, “So you didn’t know my true identity when you took me in?”
My foster parents exchanged a look, their guilt too obvious. They both sighed in unison, and my foster father spoke again, his tone shifting to something that almost sounded… ashamed.
“We thought we were doing the right thing. We wanted a smart, pretty girl to help around the house… You were our little free maid. We figured when you were older, we’d marry you off to someone who could boost our business.”
“Why didn’t you have your own kids, then?”
The question escaped me before I could stop it. But it had been gnawing at me for years, ever since I was old enough to understand how wrong everything had been.
The Millsburn had never been family to me. Just like they said, I was a free maid. I didn’t even have the chance to go to college….
I had suspected before, but they had only ever had me. I could only keep comforting myself, ‘Every parent loves their child in their own way…”
“We couldn’t,” my foster mother said with an exaggerated sigh. “We’re infertile.”
But then she continued, “But we treated you well, didn’t we? When you wanted to be with Daxon, we didn’t stop you, even though he was broke as hell.
I snorted. All they did back then was to kick me out of their family, strip me of my clothes, and throw me onto the streets in nothing but pajamas.
My foster mother’s face darkened. “But think about it, Davina. The Ashbournes? Sure, they’re rich, but they can’t even compare to the wealth of an African chieftain. Your dad and I only wanted what was best for you.”
I didn’t want to hear it anymore. I raised my hand, cutting off her words. “So, what’s this “Plan B” you were talking about?”
I locked eyes with them, my gaze a dagger. They exchanged another look, and finally, my foster father reluctantly spoke, his voice lower than before.
“It was Cleo’s idea… She said if you didn’t go along with it, we should… take you.”
I asked word for word, “So, if I refuse, your plan was to kidnap me?”
Chapter 10
They didn’t even have the courage to meet my gaze. Instead, they stumbled through their defense.
“It wasn’t us. It was Cleo’s plan,” my foster mother mumbled. “We didn’t want to go that far, but… she said you’d never agree otherwise ”
I let out a harsh laugh. “Bravo. Now, pack your things. You’re leaving”
Their faces twisted in disbelief. My foster mother’s eyes welled up with fake tears, and she raised her voice like I was the one in the wrong “What? You’re not going to forgive us? We raised you, Davina! Ten long years!”
I didn’t even spare her another glance as I turned to the butler. “Have them packed and flight first thing tomorrow And make sure they’re watched the entire time Don’t anything unexpected happen.”
The next day, they were escorted to the airport with no fanfare I stood by the tall windows, watching them leave without so much as a flicker of emotion.
There would be no more words, no more “explanations. “I had already given them the last shred of dignity they were going to get from me.
I’d been naive once. I wouldn’t be again.
I thought I was done with them, thought that was the end of it.
But the real game had only just begun. Three days later, my assistant rushed in, his facel pale and tight. “Miss Davina… something’s happened.”
I dropped the file in my hand, my pulse racing.
“What happened?”
His voice was barely above a whisper. mio–flight There were no survivors.”
“Your foster parents. Their private jet exploded
For a long moment, I just stood there, utterly still. The news was a punch to the gut. I hated them, sure, but that was extreme, even for them. And no matter how many bad things they’d done to me, I couldn’t just ignore the fact that for years, I had called them “Mom” and “Dad”
“They’re reporting it on the news,” my assistant added “You’ll need to claim their bodies. You’re their only legal next of kin ”
I nodded, my chest tight I tried to keep my voice steady as I gave orders to the butler The morgue was located in the suburbs, in a secluded part of town. The atmosphere there was thick, oppressive
They led me into a dimly lit room, saying it was for identity verification.
But once the door closed, I heard a click the sound of a lock snapping shut.
I spun around, panic rising in my throat but it was already too late
Two men in black suits grabbed me, pinning me to the wall i struggled violently, pushing. against them with all my strength
“Who the hell are you?!” I screamed, my voice raw “Let me go!”
11:11 Tue, 20 May GJ
Then, from the corner of the room, came a voice that made my skin crawl.
“Don’t scream, Your Royal Highness.”
I froze. I knew that voice all too well. It sent a wave of disgust through me.
Daxon.
97%
He walked into the room with that sickening, fake smile of his–the one that used to melt me. But now, it only made me want to scream.
And there they were. My foster parents–alive, unscathed, sitting smugly on the couch with that same twisted look of satisfaction on their faces.
“Surprised?” my foster father asked with a chuckle. “We knew you were too soft, Davina. That’s why we had to set this up.”
I wanted to lash out, but I was still pinned, my fury boiling over. “You’re out of your damn.
minds!”
“You wouldn’t have agreed otherwise,” my foster mother said coldly. “Daxon promised us 800 million if you marry him. 800 million, Davina.”
Daxon stepped forward, towering over me. His tone was gentle. “I love you, Davina. I’ll give you everything. Just marry me, and we can start over. I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.”
I let out a cold laugh. “You think Humphrey won’t destroy you for this?”
That seemed to ignite something in him. His smile disappeared, and the temperature in the room dropped. With a sudden, violent motion, he slammed his fist into the wall.
“You belong to me!” he shouted, his face twisted with rage.
And with that, he grabbed my face, pulling me into a kiss that was anything but tender.
Davina’s POV
