CHAPTER 3
1287 Words
Victoria arrived outside the Grand Imperial Hall with her heart pounding.
The magnificent building towered above her, its glittering lights illuminating the night sky.
Luxury cars lined the entrance.
Guests dressed in designer suits and expensive gowns walked past her, barely sparing her a glance.
Victoria looked down at her faded dress.
Compared to everyone else, she looked like she didn't belong.
She took a deep breath.
"It doesn't matter," she told herself.
"Father called me here."
"Maybe... maybe this is his way of making things right."
For the first time in years.
Hope filled her heart.
She walked toward the entrance.
The security guards stopped her.
"Invitation?"
Victoria lowered her head.
"My father is Mr. Kane."
The guards exchanged confused looks.
Before they could say another word, Mr. Kane's assistant hurried over.
"Miss Victoria?"
She smiled.
"Yes."
"Please... follow me."
Victoria's smile widened.
She followed him through the luxurious hallway.
Every step she took made her heart beat faster.
She imagined her father introducing her to everyone.
Perhaps...
He had finally accepted her.
Perhaps.
He was ready to call her his daughter.
The assistant stopped in front of the massive ballroom doors.
He slowly pushed them open.
Creak.
The lively hall was eerily silent.
Victoria frowned.
Why wasn't anyone talking?
She stepped inside.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward her.
The silence became suffocating.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Why were they all staring at her like that?
She looked around.
The guests were kneeling.
Armed men stood around the ballroom with rifles in their hands.
At the center of the room sat a man whose presence alone made the air feel heavy.
His expression was unreadable.
Beside him.
Her father was kneeling.
His face was pale.
The moment Mr. Kane saw Victoria, relief washed over his face.
"You came."
Victoria hurried toward him.
"Dad..."
She knelt beside him.
"Are you alright?"
Instead of answering.
Mr. Kane grabbed her wrist.
His grip was so tight it hurt.
Victoria looked at him in confusion.
"Dad?"
He slowly turned toward Derek.
"Mr. Derek..."
His voice trembled.
"I kept my promise."
He forcefully pulled Victoria in front of him.
"This..."
"...is my eldest daughter."
Victoria blinked.
"Dad... what are you doing?"
Mr. Kane refused to look into her eyes.
"You said you wanted collateral."
His voice cracked.
"Take her."
For a moment.
Victoria thought she had misheard him.
Her smile froze.
"...What?"
The entire ballroom remained silent.
Her breathing became uneven.
She looked at her father.
Then at Derek.
Then back at her father.
"Dad..."
She laughed nervously.
"This isn't funny."
No one answered.
Fear slowly crept into her heart.
She grabbed her father's arm.
"Dad... tell them."
"Tell them this is a joke."
"You called me because..."
"...because I'm your daughter."
Mr. Kane slowly pulled his arm away.
He still couldn't look at her.
"I'm sorry."
The three words shattered her world.
Victoria felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.
She stumbled backward.
Tears welled in her eyes.
"So..."
Her voice trembled.
"I cleaned your house..."
"I endured years of humiliation..."
"I sacrificed my childhood..."
"I called you Father..."
"...and all this time..."
She looked at him with empty, broken eyes.
Victoria's tears fell silently onto the polished marble floor.
She didn't wipe them away.
There was no point anymore.
The only family she had ever wanted...
Had just sold her like a commodity.
A slow clap echoed through the silent ballroom.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Every head turned toward Derek.
He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
"What a touching family reunion."
His deep voice carried effortlessly through the hall.
Mr. Kane's body trembled.
"Mr. Derek... I have fulfilled my promise."
Derek's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Have you?"
He stood.
The room instinctively held its breath.
Each measured step he took echoed across the marble floor until he stopped directly in front of Victoria.
She kept her head lowered.
She couldn't bear to look at anyone.
Not anymore.
Derek studied her in silence.
Her dress was old.
The sleeves were worn.
The fabric was faded from countless washings.
Her hands.
They caught his attention.
Fresh cuts.
Old scars.
Bruises that had never been allowed to heal.
His gaze lingered for a moment before he spoke.
"Look at me."
Victoria didn't move.
She wasn't sure whether she was too frightened...
Or simply too broken.
"I said..."
His voice dropped several degrees colder.
"Look at me."
Slowly...
Victoria raised her head.
Her red, swollen eyes met his.
She expected cruelty.
Mockery.
Disgust.
Instead.
She found nothing.
His face was like carved stone.
Impossible to read.
"What's your name?"
His question caught everyone by surprise.
"V... Victoria."
"Victoria what?"
She hesitated.
Her lips trembled.
"...Victoria Kane."
Derek's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Is that truly your name?"
The question confused her.
Before she could answer.
Mr. Kane hurriedly interrupted.
"Mr. Derek, she's my daughter. Her name is Victoria Kane."
Derek didn't even glance at him.
His eyes remained fixed on Victoria.
"I'm asking her."
Victoria swallowed hard.
"I..."
For the first time in her life.
She didn't know how to answer.
Was she really a Kane?
If she were.
How could her own father sell her without hesitation?
Tears blurred her vision once again.
In a voice barely above a whisper, she replied,
"I... don't know anymore."
Silence.
Derek looked at her for several long seconds.
Then.
He smiled.
It wasn't mocking.
It wasn't warm.
It was the smile of a man who had just confirmed something only he understood.
He turned toward Mr. Kane.
"So..."
"You've been lying to me."
Mr. Kane's eyes widened.
"W-What?"
Derek's smile disappeared.
"You told me she was collateral."
His voice became frighteningly calm.
"But collateral belongs to the debtor."
He slowly looked back at Victoria.
"This girl..."
"...never belonged to you."
The color drained from Mr. Kane's face.
Every guest stared at Derek in confusion.
What did he mean?
Had Derek discovered something about Victoria?
Or.
Had he known all along?
Before anyone could ask, Derek snapped his fingers.
Immediately, two guards stepped forward.
One stood beside Victoria.
The other pointed his rifle directly at Mr. Kane.
Derek's cold voice echoed through the ballroom.
"Take the girl."
"And keep Mr. Kane alive."
Mr. Kane let out a relieved sigh.
Until Derek finished his sentence.
"I still have questions."
The relief vanished instantly.
Derek slowly walked toward the ballroom exit without looking back.
Victoria remained frozen where she stood.
A guard gently gestured toward the door.
"This way."
She looked once more at the man she had called Father her entire life.
Mr. Kane avoided her eyes.
Not once.
Not even once.
Did he tell her to come back.
Not once.
Did he apologize.
Victoria lowered her head.
Whatever hope she had carried into this hall.
Died there.
She turned and followed Derek into the night, unaware that the moment she stepped into his car, her life would change forever.
Behind her.
Mr. Kane collapsed to the floor.
Because he had just realized something terrifying.
Derek Cole had never come for the money.
He had come.
For Victoria.
"...I was never your daughter."
A painful smile appeared on her lips.
"I was only..."
"...your payment."
Silence engulfed the ballroom.
Even the guests lowered their heads in shame.
No one had expected a father.
To sell his own daughter so easily.
From his chair, Derek watched the entire scene without interrupting.
His cold gaze never left Victoria.
For the first time that night.
A flicker of interest appeared in his eyes.
This girl.
Hadn't begged.
Hadn't cursed.
Hadn't pleaded for her life.
She had only cried over one thing.
The realization that the family she had loved.
Had never loved her back.
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