CHAPTER 2
1659 Words
Two of Derek's men stepped forward.
Without a word, they grabbed Mr. Kane by the arms and dragged him across the marble floor.
His polished shoes scraped loudly against the tiles.
Every sound echoed through the silent ballroom.
No one dared help him.
No one even looked in his direction.
When Mr. Kane was finally thrown to the floor, he landed heavily on his knees directly in front of Derek.
His entire body trembled.
Sweat rolled down his temples as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Mr. Derek..." he stammered, forcing a smile despite the terror written all over his face. "My company... it's going through a difficult time. Please... give me a little more time to repay the loan. I promise I'll settle every penny."
Silence.
Derek didn't answer.
Instead, he slowly swirled the amber whiskey in his crystal glass.
The ice cubes clinked softly against the glass.
That tiny sound seemed louder than thunder in the deathly quiet hall.
Mr. Kane's heartbeat pounded in his ears.
He dared not raise his head.
After what felt like an eternity, Derek finally set the glass down.
He leaned forward slightly.
His cold, emotionless eyes settled on Mr. Kane.
"Do I look like a charity?" he asked quietly.
The question wasn't loud.
Yet every person in the ballroom heard it clearly.
Mr. Kane's face turned pale.
"N-No... Mr. Derek."
Derek tilted his head.
"Then tell me..."
His voice remained calm.
"What made you believe I would wait?"
Mr. Kane swallowed hard.
"I... I only need another month."
"A month?"
A faint smile appeared on Derek's lips.
It wasn't a smile of kindness.
It was the smile of a predator who had already caught his prey.
"You've asked for one month."
He raised a finger.
"Five times."
Mr. Kane's pupils widened.
"You've lied to me five times."
Derek stood up.
The movement was slow.
Deliberate.
Every guard in the room instinctively straightened.
Every guest lowered their heads even further.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Derek stopped directly in front of Mr. Kane.
"You know what disappoints me the most?"
Mr. Kane remained silent.
"I never lose money."
Derek's voice grew colder.
"I only lose patience."
Mr. Kane immediately slammed his forehead against the floor.
"Please!"
"I'll sell my company!"
"I'll sell my properties!"
"I'll sell everything!"
"Just spare my family!"
A faint chuckle escaped Derek.
It wasn't amused.
It was terrifying.
He crouched until his face was inches away from Mr. Kane's.
"You should have thought about your family..."
"...before you stole from me."
The entire ballroom froze.
Stole?
The guests looked at one another in shock.
Mr. Kane had borrowed money.
Hadn't he?
Why was Derek calling him a thief?
Before anyone could process his words.
Derek slowly turned his head.
His icy gaze landed on Clara.
For a brief second.
Their eyes met.
Clara's blood ran cold.
Without looking away from her, Derek spoke one sentence.
"Bring her to me."
The guards immediately started walking toward Clara.
"No... Mr. Derek... please!"
Mr. Kane threw himself flat on the floor, his forehead striking the cold marble with a loud thud.
"You can't take Clara."
His voice cracked as tears streamed down his face.
"She's my precious daughter. Please... have mercy."
Derek stared at him without the slightest change in expression.
His dark eyes were as cold as ice.
"Mercy?"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You should have begged for mercy before you wasted my time."
He slowly lifted his hand.
One of his guards immediately loaded his pistol.
Click.
The metallic sound echoed through the silent ballroom.
Every guest flinched.
Mr. Kane's breathing became ragged.
"N-No... please!"
"I'll do anything!"
"I'll pay you back!"
"I swear!"
Derek's voice remained calm.
"I've heard enough promises."
He glanced at his guard.
"Shoot him."
The guard raised his gun.
Mr. Kane screamed.
"WAIT!"
The guard stopped.
Mr. Kane's mind raced wildly.
His eyes darted around the ballroom until a terrifying thought crossed his mind.
"I..."
"I have another daughter."
The room fell silent.
Derek raised an eyebrow.
Mr. Kane quickly continued.
"My first daughter."
"I'll give her to you."
"You can take her instead."
"My debt..."
"...let her be the collateral."
Several guests gasped.
Even the guards exchanged brief glances.
Who would offer his own daughter in exchange for money?
Derek remained silent for several seconds.
Then.
He smiled.
It wasn't a kind smile.
It was the smile of someone who had just discovered something interesting.
"Your own daughter?"
Mr. Kane nodded frantically.
"Yes!"
"I'll hand her over immediately."
Derek slowly leaned back into his chair.
"Call her."
Mr. Kane hurriedly pulled out his trembling phone.
His fingers shook so violently that he almost dropped it.
He searched through his contacts before pressing the call button.
At the Kane residence.
Victoria was hanging freshly washed clothes outside when her phone vibrated inside her pocket.
She frowned.
Her father?
He had never called her before.
Not once.
With trembling hands, she answered.
"H-Hello... Father?"
For a brief moment.
There was only silence.
Then his voice came through.
"Come to the Grand Imperial Hall immediately."
Victoria blinked.
"Dad...?"
"I said come now."
The call ended.
Victoria stared at the phone in disbelief.
Her heart pounded against her chest.
For years.
She had dreamed of hearing her father call her with kindness.
Had he finally forgiven her?
Had he finally accepted her as his daughter?
A small smile slowly appeared on her lips.
She hurried into her tiny room.
Opening the old wooden wardrobe, she searched through her few clothes until she found the prettiest dress she owned.
It wasn't expensive.
The fabric had faded after years of washing.
There was even a tiny tear near the hem.
But to Victoria.
It was beautiful.
She quickly changed, brushed her long hair, and looked at herself in the cracked mirror.
For the first time in years.
Hope sparkled in her eyes.
"Maybe..."
She whispered to herself.
"Maybe Dad finally remembered that I'm his daughter."
With an excited smile, she rushed out of the house.
Completely unaware.
That she wasn't being invited as a daughter.
She was being delivered as payment.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.
"...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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