Chapter 1: Innocence Crossroads
Mia cautiously opened each cupboard, silently praying for even a morsel of food. Disappointment washed over her as she found them barren and coated in dust.
"Big sis, it's alright. I can go hungry if there's nothing to eat," Lucas, her younger brother, murmured, but his grumbling stomach betrayed his words.
"Mia, I... I'm sorry. I can't watch you go hungry, especially with your condition," Mia confessed, refusing to let Lucas suffer.
"But big sis, I'm fine," Lucas insisted, a telltale sign of his fibbing.
Despite Mia's efforts to believe otherwise, she knew Lucas wasn't okay. And he knew it too.
"Stay here and rest," Mia instructed, gently patting his head. "I'll find us some food. Just wait a little longer."
Exiting their small, cottage-like home, Mia clenched her fists, pondering how to provide for her brother and afford his surgery.
Her attention was drawn to a nearby signboard—a brothel. Though hesitant, she stepped inside, only to be greeted by a scene that turned her stomach.
The dimly lit space pulsed with energy, men cheering as a woman gyrated on stage. Mia recoiled, realizing this wasn't the place for her.
"Mia, watch it," a deep, gravelly voice warned as she bumped into someone behind her.
Apologizing, Mia turned, shocked that the stranger knew her name. Was she being watched? Fear gripped her as she realized she had no family besides Lucas.
"How do you know my name?" she stammered, her mind racing with dread.
"That's not important. What do you want?" the man deflected, his intentions far from pure.
"I need to leave," Mia attempted, but she was swiftly restrained against the wall.
"Not so fast, little Mia. Where do you think you're going?" he taunted, his demeanor menacing.
Terrified and unable to call for help over the din, Mia relented. "What do you want?"
The man proposed a job: infiltrate Donovan Milling Company as Reynolds Donovan's assistant, then sabotage him from within. Mia refused, but his threats left her trembling.
Reluctantly, she agreed, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty.
★★★★★
Outside the brothel, Mia paused to collect herself, her heart still racing. Then, she noticed something beneath her foot—a gold necklace with the initials "RD."
Determined to provide for Lucas, Mia hurried to a nearby jewelry store, the necklace clutched tightly in her hand.
?AT THE DONOVAN'S MANSION?
"Brother! Guess what?" Olivia danced into Reynolds' study, eager to share her news.
Ignoring her, Reynolds focused on his work, accustomed to Olivia's interruptions.
Undeterred, Olivia revealed a gold chain adorned with the initials "RD," catching Reynolds' attention.
As they argued over its ownership, Reynolds' stoic demeanor cracked, revealing the chain's significance.
Meanwhile, Mia returned home to find Lucas missing, a chilling note demanding her compliance.
