Chapter 1

My mother was the the heroine of a tragic novel.

When she died, the four men who’d been at her side found me alive inside her.

That’s how I ended up with four fathers.

One of them became a don—Don Julian Ashford, a man whose name makes men straighten their collars.

One of them ran the muscle and the private army—General Marcus Ashford.

One of a medical genius who could cheat death—Dr. Silas Ashford.

The last was the chief enforcer, a martial arts master—Sir Cedric Ashford.

They spoiled me like a princess. Every girl in the Millbrook city envied me.

Until the year I turned eighteen.

That was when they found her. Jade Sinclair came back—the daughter of their lost love.

From that day, my four fathers became strangers.

Jade said I insulted her; Don Father had my mouth sewn shut and starved me for three days.

Jade said I poisoned her. Doctor Father threw me into the Pit—his underground chamber of venomous insects. The venomous insects chewed through my face and ate one of my eyes.

When Jade claimed I hired men to assault her, Sir Father dragged me by the collar to the family camp—forced me into sexual servitude.

Three years. I went from fighting to accepting.

One night, my door was opened again. I started taking off my clothes like I always did.

Then I heard someone say,

“Ivy. Do you want to go back to your mother?”

........

I snapped my head up.

There was no one in the room.

At the same time, a voice appeared in my head again.

It said it was my mother’s System. That she had left in a hurry years ago and never knew I survived.

Now she knew, and she wants to bring me home.

If this body dies, I can see my mother.

Then *The System* said, "Ivy, your mother has been so worried since she learned you exist. Would you be willing—"

I didn’t let it finish. I grabbed a blade and pressed it to my throat without hesitation.

Yes. Finally.

My mother is alive!

And soon I was going to see her.

I was so happy I forgot to be afraid of death.

But before I could cut, something slammed into my hand. The pain made me drop the blade. A foot stomped on it.

“Ivy Lane. are you trying to kill yourself?”

The familiar voice made me look up.

“Sir Father.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

As expected, the man frowned at the name.

“Don’t call me that. I cut ties with you long time ago.”