Chapter 1

Vanna Shaw is clearly irritated by what she heard from her mother. Sitting there, she looks at her parents who seem happier than she is. "Is it great, darling?" Her mother laughs while raising a glass of red wine in her direction.

She forces a smile, not wanting to upset her mom.

"Well, the wedding will be next month," her father sighed, taking a sip of his drink. "I need you to be ready, understand?" She heard it clearly once more.

"Yes, dad," she replied politely as she stood up and gave them her accepting smile. She raised her glass. "Cheers!" she muttered while looking at the two people she owed everything to.

She is an adopted child. Because of this, she is not allowed to refuse their orders. From school to the friends she associates with, the course she should take, and finally, managing their company - an underground business of various firearms from different regions of Spain and other places.

She is almost twenty years old now, yet she still needs permission for all her plans and desires. It's no wonder that at a young age, she became cold, selfish, intelligent, and strong.

She is the only daughter of her parents, the youngest of their five children. With four older brothers, her situation is stricter than escaping from prison, she must obey them all. Especially now that they want her to do something again.

She must marry someone she has never met; she doesn't know who's this Pontius Pilate will be her husband. Even though it's frustrating, she has no choice but to agree.

Right after that toast, her four siblings arrived. Veil, the eldest, the family lawyer.

Vittos, the second child, the exemplary offspring of the family who elevated the company and the youngest mafia leader in an industry in Spain, the one who expanded their influence.

Vance, the commander of the entire unit, the head of security police in Madrid, Spain.

Vlad, the family's network specialist, the one who controls the system of operations, especially in the technicalities of shipping in and out of Madrid. He's tech-savvy and smart, having hacked into many banks.

"Oh, look who's here!" their mother said as she immediately hugged each of her children.

The four siblings turned to her. "There she is, how's our lovely sister?" Vlad, who was close to her, said.

She smiled back and hugged him. "I missed you, Vlad." They kissed each other on their cheeks.

"We're happy to know about the wedding," Viano grinned, the reason why she's marrying that partner she barely even knows.

She politely smiled. "Thanks, Viano." She said and hugged him, exchanging kisses.

The four siblings surrounded her, chanting her name with laughter. If it was beautiful, well, she believed that they were the ones who agreed for her to marry that Magnus Daviro person, just the name alone smells of horse!

She snorted and graciously accepted their greetings, even though the truth was she wasn't really happy.

"You will be soon, Mrs. Daviro, Van. Do you know that your future husband is not just an ordinary man, he's a significant one. You will elevate us, you know that?" said Brother Veil, visibly proud of her.

She remained silent while listening to their words, at times seeming to be deaf to it all because she couldn't understand what her sibling was saying.

She was lucky, yes. Lucky because she was taken in by kind people, but unbeknownst to them, that wasn't the life she wanted. They may be rich and prosperous, but it all came from ill-gotten means.

She sighed and reclined back on the couch, letting her four siblings go to the kitchen, as well as her mother and father who were clearly pleased with her agreement.

She was left holding a glass of alcohol, so she took a sip.

A bitter taste hit her throat, causing her to cough. She placed the glass on the adjacent table and looked around the home she grew up in.

It was antique, with many adornments. The floor was made of glossy wood polished by time, though covered with Persian carpet and Bohemian art.

The large windows were draped with cream-colored curtains bought by her mother in Turkey. They had lace and crystal designs made from precious stones. The Spanish era of their ancestors was depicted by the big frames hanging on the walls, showcasing the various generations of the Shaw family.

Her mother, Doña Virginia Shaw is a Spanish-Arab-Filipina mix, which explains why her brothers share the same striking features of Arab beauty inherited from their mother.

On the other hand, their father, Mr. Bart Shaw, used to be a security guard for her mother. He is a Caucasian-Malay mix who grew up in the Philippines.

Their love story began when they met, resulting in four sons: Viel, Vittos, Vance, and Vlad.

Originally, the couple did not plan to adopt her, but circumstances changed when their only daughter passed away. She was taken in by the Shaws as a replacement. Vlad, her brother, mentioned that their true child had died due to illness.

This led to Doña Virginia's depression, prompting Mr. Shaw to decide on adoption. They officially adopted her after finding her abandoned at the pier when she was two years old. The Shaws decided not to search for her biological family and chose to raise her as their own.

Despite her efforts over the years to find her real family, she only encountered dead ends and elusive traces. The only identifiable feature she had was a birthmark on her side shaped like a moon, which could potentially reunite her with her true origins.

Not long after, she called her close friend, Paris. They have been classmates since kindergarten, and yes, until now, Paris is still her friend, she has no choice...she can't be friends with people her family doesn't know. Neither does she want to, she doesn't want to be attached to people she doesn't know will stay or not.

"Hola?" she heard Paris on the other line.

"Shit? Are you drunk again?" she teased her friend.

"Hell yes! Come here, Van, there's a party in my club, c'mon!"

She bit her lips. Her parents don't like her to be around too crowded people, she doesn't know why, but maybe they don't want her involved in trouble. She is a Shaw, and that's her credibility to protect.

"Uhm."

"What? You coming?"

She checked around. Nothing's there. "Uhm, I'm c-coming." She lowered her voice.

"Alright, I'll wait." After that conversation, she slowly slipped out of their mansion and left. Whatever, she needed a drink!