CHAPTER 1

"Dad, I'm going to miss you," Isabella whispered as she stared at the closed casket. Everyone had already left the cemetery hours ago, so she was alone-drenched in her tears.

Soon, she got up from her kneeled position and walked toward her car. As she trudged along the short journey, visuals of her father's death entered her mind. The poor girl was beginning to go a little insane, as she attempted to push the torturing thoughts away.

A dinging came from her phone, which indicated that she had received a text message. Isabella's blurry eyes gazed down at the text sent from her mother. She scrunched her brows together at what it stated: I want you to move in with me now.

Isabella could clearly remember the last time she had seen her mother. It was something she always tried to avoid thinking about, because her mother was a terrible person, in her eyes. However, although she didn't want to go, she had no other choice. With her being eighteen and still being in school, it wouldn't be easy to become so independent of herself. She still needed an adult's guiding hand to lead her into the life of adulthood.

For the past week, she struggled to pay bills and live all on her own. Isabella ran out of money as soon as the water bill was paid-she couldn't even pay the mortgage. Another message popped up on her screen that revealed an address. She bit down on her bottom lip before she looked back over to her father. She couldn't exactly see him, but knowing he was inside the casket, ached her heart. Moments after sitting in complete silence, Isabella drove off down the road.

It's been an entire decade since she's last seen her mother. The only reason her parents split up was because her mother constantly doped herself up and cheated on her father. After the divorce, Isabella's father received full custody of her; he didn't want his daughter's future corrupted. Ever since that day, she has never laid eyes on her again.

When she pulled up to her house, there was a foreclosure sign imprinted on the lawn. Isabella quickly got out of her car and sprinted to the front door; she twisted the knob but it was locked.

"What the hell?" Isabella whispered very confusedly because she didn't even get a notice. At least they could've sat her clothes outside, being that was all she wanted to collect from the huge home. She groaned out loud and kicked the door in frustration. She missed her dad; he'd know how to handle this situation and she wished he was here to help her.

Her phone dinged once again and it was another text message from her mother. She made her way back to her car and got inside. Once she was seated, she texted back: I'm on my way.

Isabella pushed her key into the ignition and drove down the road. She was still mourning over her father; she couldn't help but think about him in every moment. Memories clouded her mind and she smiled when she recalled the way he smiled. He cared about her with everything in him and she knew she'd never get that type of love again. That made her even sadder and she started to feel pathetic. She began to laugh as she remembered their arguments about her staying out late or hanging out with the wrong type of people.

After a very long drive, Isabella looked down at her phone to make sure she had gotten the correct address. Her jaw dropped the minute she arrived at the nowhere-near-humble abode. It was a beautiful mansion, the luxury basically slapped her across the face. One thing she immediately loved about it was that it was completely isolated. Trees surrounded the huge place, which blocked any pedestrian from walking passed it.

The sight of a woman running out of the doors and over to Isabella's car sort of freighted her. "Isabella!" She heard the woman shout as she made it to her car. Isabella opened up her car door only to be engulfed in a hug. "I've missed you so much! You've gotten so big!" The woman exclaimed the moment she pulled away from the embrace.

Isabella shot an awkward smile at her. "You don't remember me?" The woman asked. As Isabella inspected her, she noticed her dark brown hair sprawling down her back in waves, along with her piercing gray eyes that resembled hers.

"My mother, right?" She asked.

The woman nodded her head as a huge smile made its way onto her face. "Come in! I want you to meet my husband." Those words didn't stop the pang she felt in her heart. She could recall how her father wouldn't even come close to looking at another woman because he was still in love with her mother. It just amazed her how her mother was already happily married and seemed quite sober.

Her mom opened up the front doors and the moment Isabella stepped inside, everything screamed wealth. There were maids and guards all around the mansion, which caused her to narrow her eyes suspiciously at everything that came into view. "Who is your husband?" Isabella asked while her mother tensed up.

"You will see," was the only thing her mother whispered as she gripped Isabella's arm and pulled her towards an office. The walls were a dark red color, almost black, and it blended in well with the marble flooring. As they walked, Isabella noticed the maids with their heads tucked down. She also couldn't help but see a bruise on one of their cheeks. The guards each had a gun as they walked around the home.

What the hell is this?