Chapter 1: A World of Glitter and Shadows

Mia’s POV

Life had always been simple. Predictable, even. Just me and my mom in our small apartment, surrounded by the familiar scent of her lavender candles and the comforting hum of her sewing machine. She worked tirelessly to keep us afloat, her delicate fingers stitching together our modest existence.

Then he appeared.

Ray Valisteen.

The first time I saw him, he was sitting at our kitchen table, a place far too humble for someone who looked like he belonged on the cover of a luxury magazine. His suit was sharp enough to cut through steel, his smile easy, almost disarming. But it was his eyes that struck me—dark, calculating, and cold.

I was only fourteen, but I wasn’t stupid. Men like him didn’t show up out of nowhere. He wasn’t here for a simple family dinner.

“Call me Ray,” he said, his voice smooth like melted chocolate. He leaned back in the rickety chair, completely at ease, as if the peeling wallpaper and chipped plates didn’t bother him. “Your mother has told me so much about you, Mia.”

I stayed silent, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious. Mom, however, was glowing. Her cheeks flushed as she fussed over the roast chicken on the table, smiling in a way I hadn’t seen in years.

“Ray’s been such a blessing,” she said, setting the dish down with trembling hands. “He’s... helped us.”

Helped us? I frowned, staring at the man across from me. What kind of help could someone like him offer?

Over the next few months, I got my answer.

Ray wasn’t just rich—he was powerful. His influence stretched far beyond the luxurious black cars that began picking us up from our dingy neighborhood, far beyond the lavish dinners at restaurants where even the waiters looked at us like we didn’t belong. My mom’s sewing business transformed overnight. Suddenly, her designs were in high demand, and our bank account swelled with more money than I thought we’d ever see.

But there was always a catch.

“Stay close to me,” Ray would say whenever we stepped out of the house. His hand on my shoulder was firm, protective, but it felt like a leash. Men in suits began shadowing us everywhere we went. At first, I thought it was because of his wealth, but soon, I realized it was more than that. It was the danger that clung to him, invisible but ever-present.

I started to notice the way people looked at him—fear mixed with respect. Waiters rushed to serve him, businessmen stammered in his presence, and even police officers seemed to look the other way when he sped through traffic.

It was intoxicating and terrifying.

One night, as I sat in the backseat of his sleek black car, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Why do people act like that around you?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my best effort to sound confident.

Ray glanced at me in the rearview mirror, his expression unreadable. “Because they know who I am.”

“And who are you?” I pressed, my fingers gripping the leather seat.

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Someone who gets things done.”

That was the moment I realized my life would never be simple again.

---

When he married my mom a few weeks later, everything changed. I became "Mia Valisteen," the stepdaughter of a man whose name was whispered in hushed tones. We moved into a sprawling villa that overlooked the city, a place so grand it felt like stepping into another world.

At first, I tried to enjoy it—the fancy clothes, the private tutors, the endless parade of gifts. But the luxury came with strings attached. His world wasn’t just about wealth. It was about power. And enemies.

“Mia, don’t wander off,” Ray warned one afternoon as I explored the villa’s grounds. His voice carried an edge of urgency that made me stop in my tracks. “This isn’t the kind of life where you can afford to be careless.”

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I was too afraid of the answer.

Deep down, I knew. This wasn’t just his world anymore. It was mine, too. A world of glitter and shadows, where nothing was ever as it seemed.

And I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.

As the Valisteen Princess, I had wealth, luxury, and influence. But with that came constant threats—Ray’s enemies, who seemed to be lurking around every corner. They never stopped coming after me, trying to use me as a pawn in their ruthless games.

But Victor—Ray’s consigliere—was my protector. He was unlike the others, calm, calculated, and always two steps ahead. I grew close to him over time. More than just a bodyguard, he became my mentor, guiding me through the treacherous world I had been thrust into.

His advice was always straightforward, his loyalty unquestionable. “Trust no one, Mia, not even the people closest to you,” he would say, his gravelly voice a steady anchor amidst the chaos.

And I listened.

Victor was my lifeline, and in a world where trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford, he was the only one I could rely on. 

Not that I didn’t know how to defend myself or fight back—I did. Ray made sure of that. Combat training, escape drills, even lessons in negotiation; he insisted I be prepared for every situation. But I still found myself relying on Victor for almost everything.

Maybe it was his quiet confidence, the way he seemed unshaken even in the face of chaos. Or maybe it was the way he treated me like more than just the "Valisteen Princess." To him, I was still Mia, the girl who used to smell like lavender and fall asleep to the hum of her mom’s sewing machine.

In this world of glitter and shadows, Victor wasn’t just my protector. He

was my reminder of who I used to be—and maybe who I could still become.