Chapter One

Kacy's POV

It was supposed to be my day. My 18th birthday. I was wearing a beautiful red dress my mom gave me and a matching necklace with a ruby pendant Dad bought as a gift. Everyone was enjoying eating, drinking, and dancing at my house when suddenly, a group of gangsters rained on my parade. Gunshots and screams echoed in the balcony of the mansion, turning revelry into chaos.

Everyone was running for their lives. Some jumped into the pool. The cold blue water turned crimson red by their blood. It was all my fault. If only I did not invite them to my party, perhaps no one would die.

"Mom! Dad!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

The gangsters caught my parents. Two men were pointing guns at their heads. I didn't know how these thugs entered our property despite the strong security of our place. Where did the guards go? Why couldn't they protect my parents at this very crucial moment of my life?

"No, no, no, please don't!" I begged.

One of the gangsters stared at me. He had blue eyes and that kind of gaze that pierced through me. I couldn't see his face clearly due to the black mask and hooded jacket he was wearing. It was already night. Thick clouds were hiding the moon. The surroundings were dark.

"Jerome, take care of my daughter!" Mom shouted, her voice trembled. She was crying. She and Dad were being dragged away by the gangsters.

Jerome, a young bodyguard of 25, grabbed my arm. Following my mother's order, he took me out of the scene. We lowered down towards the parking lot as the gangsters kept shooting at us.

"No... Please, I don't want to leave them..." I cried.

"We have to," Jerome said, his voice firm as usual. He opened the car's door. "Please get inside the car, ma'am. We don't have much time left. The gangsters are catching up."

I got into the car. Jerome stepped into the front seat. He turned on the engine and drove me away from the mansion. We left my parents and everyone behind to whatever fate was waiting for them. Jerome wasn't speaking. He was focused on the road.

Those people were unfamiliar to me. I didn't know what they did to my parents. I wasn't safe there anymore. That must be reason why Mom told Jerome to take care of me as if she was saying goodbye.

Bang! Bang! Just as we leave the mansion, two gunshots echoed behind us, one after another, coming from the balcony. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't understand why. Perhaps... Perhaps my parents were killed by those gangsters!

Soon, the car stopped. Jerome stepped out and opened the door for me. "We're here, ma'am. Your father told me to bring you here just in case something happens. This place belongs to your uncle." Jerome made it sound like Dad already expected this to happen.

"Kacy, my niece!" Uncle Ben exclaimed, my father's younger brother. He had short black hair and brown eyes and was wearing a sky blue t-shirt and trousers. He opened the gate and walked toward us. "You're here. What happened?"

"We were attacked at the mansion, sir," Jerome replied. "Sir Carl and Ma'am Brenda were taken by them."

"Taken by them? Who?" Uncle Ben asked, confused.

"Gangsters," Jerome replied.

"Please bring me back, Uncle. I want to see my parents. I heard two gunshots before we left... They must be..." I hadn't finished my words when Uncle Ben interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Kacy, but we can't do that. It's dangerous for you to go back there. Those gangsters might still be there. Please stay here for now. I'll send someone to check the situation," Uncle Ben said.

Although I'm sad about it, Uncle Ben was right. Just like Mom, he was trying to protect me. He didn't want to act impulsively, as our lives would be at risk.

"Come. Let's get inside. We are having dinner. I'll be glad if you join us," Uncle Ben said.

"Get inside first, Kacy. I'll just park the car," Jerome said. He went back to the car and parked it in the garage.

I followed Uncle Ben inside the mansion. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, lighting up the wide living room with its golden glow. It offered a warm feeling—something that felt like home. I looked at the winding stair leading to the second floor. Uncle Ben's portrait on the wall caught my attention.

"Come, let's get inside the dining room. My wife and daughters are waiting," Uncle Ben said. "Don't worry too much, Kacy. I'm sure your parents will be fine."

I didn't know how Uncle Ben could say that. He wasn't even concerned about my parents. Was he really my dad's brother? How could I not be worried if my parents were taken by those gangsters? Would they really be fine?

We got inside the dining room. A long table lay in the center under the warm fluorescence of lightbulbs. It was filled with delicious food and expensive beverages. Uncle Ben's wife and daughters-in-law were sitting around the table.

"Sit down, dear," Uncle Ben said.

"Oh, darling, why didn't you tell me that your niece is coming? I could have prepared for an extra—" Dorothea paused when she saw Jerome entered the room. "And what is this filthy rat doing here?"

I wasn't surprised anymore by the way Dorothea spoke. She had been like that ever since we first met. She had no control over her tongue and would say anything to destroy someone with her blunt words. She couldn't hide her true colors. I knew she only wanted to get close to people who could benefit her and treat the rest as nothing but rats.

"What are you talking about, Dorothea?" Uncle Ben asked. "Jerome's my brother's loyal bodyguard, so he's welcome to join us. He's like a younger brother to me already."

"It's okay, sir. We servants aren't supposed to eat with our masters," Jerome said. His face remained expressionless, but I could see right through him. He was hiding so much sadness. "I will go now and just eat outside."

"No, don't do that, Jerome," Uncle Ben said. "Please don't take my wife's words to heart. She's just like that. I know she didn't mean it."

She didn't mean it? How come? I couldn't believe that Uncle Ben would defend his wife after knowing that she was wrong. I didn't know what that fat woman fed him to do such a thing.

"Just let him go, my dear," Dorothea said. "At least he knows his position in this house, unlike someone..."