I was born with a wicked heart. As the true heiress to the Brandon fortune, I was brought back to the family estate at fourteen. And while I was busy plotting 108 different ways to ruin Celine Croft, the girl who had taken my place, she became the only person in that cold, cavernous house who genuinely protected me. She called herself my knight and I her beautiful princess. A knight’s sole duty, she would say, was to guard her princess. I scoffed at her naive sentimentality, told her it was useless in a world like ours. Yet, she was the one who helped me seize control of the Brandon Corporation, who guided my hand as I became the head of the country’s largest conglomerate. She even helped me find true love and was there to witness my happiness. Once her “mission” was complete, Celine didn’t return to her old life. Instead, she married a man who promised to love her for a lifetime. But the next time I returned from a business trip abroad, I was met with the news of her death. One body, two lives lost. I rushed back, only to be confronted with her shattered, unrecognizable remains. My sister was dead. And I was finally, gloriously, mad. The darkness I’d kept locked away for so long was finally free. Everyone who had ever hurt her would pay. Chapter 1 “Sera, I’m so sorry. I can’t protect you anymore.” In the hospital security footage my assistant sent me, Celine, her hair matted and her face hollow, whispered those words to the empty air before turning and leaping from the 18th-floor window of her hospital room. No hesitation. Only pure, bottomless despair. My entire body trembled with a rage so profound it felt like an earthquake in my soul. My Celine was obsessed with beauty, always dressed to perfection. She’d pout for half a day if I so much as messed up her hair. There was no way she would have chosen to die like this, to end her life in such a brutal, mangled mess. I stormed out of the car and sprinted toward the surgical wing. The darkness I had buried so deep within me clawed its way to the surface, growing wild and untamed. The operation was over. Inside the cold, sterile room, a white sheet covered the broken, blood-soaked thing that was once my sister. “Ethan, my love, don’t be so sad. Celine loved you so much. She wouldn’t be able to rest in peace if she saw you like this.” My steps faltered. Standing next to my grieving brother-in-law was a woman in a pristine white dress, her face pretty and demure. Her hand was holding that of my six-year-old nephew. Little Hugo’s face showed no trace of sadness. Instead, he looked at the sheet-covered form with disgust. “That nasty woman is so annoying. Why’d she have to die today, when Dad and Hayley-mommy were taking me to the toy store? Now I didn’t even get my new car.” The woman, Hayley, wrapped her arms around the boy, her smile impossibly gentle. “It’s okay, sweetie. Daddy and I will take you to get the best toy car in a few days, alright?” “Okay! I love you most, Hayley-mommy!” Hugo’s face brightened, and he threw his arms around her neck, planting a kiss on her cheek. In that instant, I understood everything. I knew why my Celine had leaped to her death without a second thought. I stepped into the room. “The body isn’t even cold, and the mistress is already trying to take her place?” The woman’s face stiffened for a moment before she squeezed out a practiced, pleasant smile and walked toward me. “You must be Seraphina. Ethan has told me so much about you.” She stood before me, a victor striking a pose, her eyes screaming a silent taunt: So what if your sister was the high-and-mighty Brandon heiress? In the end, she still lost to me. I let out a cold laugh. My hand flew, the crack of my palm against her cheek echoing in the sterile room. “I, Seraphina Brandon, have only one sister, and her name is Celine. What the hell are you?” The woman shrieked and crumpled to the floor. Little Hugo balled his fists and charged at me. “You bullied my Hayley-mommy! You’re a nasty woman too! I’m gonna kill you!” My gaze, cold as the grave, fell upon him. He flinched, shrinking back to hide behind his father, Ethan. And Ethan… he just stood there, his face a dead, empty mask, his eyes fixed on the body on the bed. As if he couldn’t see or hear a thing. Hayley bit her lip, but her smile quickly returned. Her act was flawless. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Brandon. Ethan and I grew up together, we’re like family. I just assumed…” She bowed her head. “I’m so sorry. I was out of line. It won’t happen again.” She looked so wronged, so innocent in her apology, making me out to be the cruel, domineering bully. No wonder my sister met such a tragic end. Her kind, sincere heart was no match for a two-faced bitch like this. I’d heard whispers that Ethan had a childhood sweetheart who had gone to study abroad. Now, here she was, the woman who had driven my sister to her death, daring to stand before me. 2 “Hayley, what happened to your face?” A familiar voice came from behind me. It was my husband, Sebastian. But he walked right past me as if I were invisible, rushing to Hayley’s side. He gently cupped her cheek, his face a mask of concern. “Who did this? Hayley, you tell me who dared to touch you, and I swear I’ll make them regret it.” My eyes grew colder still. I’d almost forgotten. He and Ethan had grown up together. Which meant he and Hayley were also childhood friends. Hayley’s triumphant smirk deepened as she shot a provocative glance in my direction. “Sebastian, please, don’t blame Sera. Her sister just died. It’s understandable that she’s upset.” Sebastian finally turned and saw me. His eyes widened in panic, and he quickly snatched his hand back. “Honey, you’re back! Why didn’t you call? I would have picked you up.” I sneered. Right in front of him, I swung my hand again, striking the other side of Hayley’s face. She stumbled, falling dramatically into Sebastian’s arms, revealing the fresh, red imprint of my hand. Sebastian stared at me, shocked. He instinctively tightened his hold on Hayley and roared at me, “Seraphina, what is wrong with you? Your sister killed herself! Why are you taking it out on Hayley?” Hayley clutched her face, tears welling in her eyes. “It’s okay, Sebastian, really. If it makes her feel better, she can hit me a few more times. I can take it.” “Then I’ll be happy to oblige.” I lunged forward, grabbing the collar of Hayley’s dress and yanking her toward me. Sebastian tried to intervene, but my bodyguards stepped in, blocking his path. I slapped Hayley so hard she fell to the ground, then I pinned her hand with my foot and wrapped my fingers around her throat. “If you can’t remember your place, allow me to remind you. The Brandon family has two daughters, and both of them have dignity. We don’t have room for a shameless homewrecker like you.” “You drove my sister to her death. None of you are getting away with this.” A vein throbbed in Sebastian’s forehead. “Seraphina! You’re the heiress of the Brandon family! How can you say something so venomous?” I turned my head, my voice dripping with disdain. “What, does it hurt your little heart? Are you in love with her too?” Sebastian’s face went pale. He quickly held up three fingers. “I swear, honey. I only love you.” I turned my gaze back to Hayley. As I did, my eyes caught a glint of something from inside her collar. I reached down and pulled it out. It was a necklace. A Twin Stars necklace. It was the one I had personally designed, commissioned from a world-renowned master jeweler, and given to Celine for her birthday. And now, it was around Hayley’s neck. A white-hot fury erupted inside me. I ripped the necklace from her throat. My nails raked across her skin, drawing blood. I looked down at her, the urge to kill consuming me. “Her things… you’re not worthy to even touch them.” Hayley screamed, clutching her bleeding neck, her tears flowing like a river. It was a pathetic, heart-wrenching sight. I’m sure even my sister, had she seen it, would have felt a pang of pity. After all, Celine always cried whenever she remembered the days I was locked in that pigsty. But her kindness… her beautiful kindness had been trampled into the mud by these people. Seeing Hayley’s state, little Hugo rushed out from behind Ethan, throwing his arms around her, his eyes red. “Hayley-mommy, does it hurt?” Hayley shook her head. “It’s okay, sweetie. As long as it makes your auntie feel a little better, it doesn’t hurt.” Hugo glared at me, his eyes burning with a murderous hatred. “I don’t want that ugly woman as my mom, and this mean lady isn’t my auntie!” He pointed at the necklace in my hand. “I gave that necklace to Hayley-mommy! That other woman was lazy and ugly! She was only good enough to be our maid! She didn’t deserve to wear something so beautiful.” “Hayley-mommy is different. She’s young and pretty, and she deserves the best of everything.” What a touching scene of motherly love and filial piety. It made me want to vomit. Hugo actually lunged at me, trying to snatch the necklace from my hand. An icy chill washed over me. I kicked him away. He hit the floor and started wailing. The others stared, their faces pale, probably shocked that I would be so ruthless with Celine’s own son. But if it weren’t for Celine, I wouldn’t have given the entire Ethan family a second glance. “You little bastard. You’re not worthy of being my sister’s son.” “Say one more word, and I’ll end you right here, right now.” Hugo was so terrified he stopped crying, his eyes wide with fear as he watched me walk toward the cold, still body. I lifted the white sheet. I looked at the broken form on the bed, and a sob escaped my throat. “Celine. I’m here. I’m taking you home.” 3 Just like you once took me home. I was the Brandon family’s long-lost daughter. At seven, I was kidnapped by traffickers and sold to a remote, impoverished village. They kept me in a pen by the pigsty. The stench was unbearable. Filthy water seeped into my clothes. They didn't feed me. To survive, I fought the pigs for their slop. When it was cold, my only option was to huddle amongst the pigs for warmth. I was no different from the livestock, just waiting to be old enough to be sold off. When I was fourteen, the traffickers took two hundred dollars from a sixty-year-old lech. I knew my life was over. I went with him, my only plan to wait for nightfall, find a butcher knife, and take everyone down with me. Just as the old man was dragging me away, Celine appeared. She was wearing a beautiful princess dress, a glittering tiara on her head, and she charged toward the pigsty. She shoved the old man aside and shielded me with her body. My own parents stood at a distance, holding their noses, their brows furrowed in disgust. They took another involuntary step back. The way they looked at me… it was the same way they looked at the pigs: filthy, but a necessary burden. I was taken back to the Brandon estate. My parents left immediately without a second glance. Only Celine stayed. She held me and cried for what felt like an eternity. “I’m so sorry. I should have found you sooner. You’ve suffered so much.” “You’re the heroine of this story, Sera. You’re meant to live a dazzling life.” “Don’t worry. From now on, I will protect you. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” The image of my parents finding me by the pigsty, tears streaming down their faces, was plastered across the front page of every newspaper. They were lauded as the most loving parents in the country. But at school, I became a laughingstock. The photos of me, covered in filth, surrounded by flies and mosquitoes, were scattered all over campus. The images drove me into a frenzy. I lost control. I grabbed a chair and beat everyone until they were bloody. My parents were called to the principal’s office. Without a word of explanation, they slapped me twice. “Apologize.” I didn’t move. They were furious. “Seraphina,” my mother screamed, “I regret ever bringing you back! You should have died in that pigsty!” My father grabbed a vase from the desk and swung it. It was meant for my head, but it landed on Celine’s. She clutched her head and shouted, “Sera did nothing wrong! They should be the ones apologizing!” Somehow, she got her hands on the security footage from the classroom. It showed the group of them pushing me to the ground, forcing me to crawl and oink like a pig. They threw food on the floor and made me eat it. My mother remained unmoved. “Why don’t they bully anyone else? They only bully you. Is it because you’re not clean? Are you disrupting the other students?” My father just waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a trivial matter. Let’s just drop it.” But Celine fought for me. In the end, I got my apology. Later, I asked her why she was so good to me. She said a knight must protect her princess, and I was her princess. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll go crazy and kill you too?” “No!” She told me she wouldn't let me ruin my life by killing a bunch of worthless animals. That’s when she told me her secret. She was a traveler, she said. She had read my story. She knew I was on a path to destroy everyone, including myself. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?” She hugged me tightly and shook her head. “No. I love you more than anyone, Sera.” Tears streamed down her face, her voice choked with emotion. “Sera, it’s not worth throwing your life away for a bunch of scum.” She told me my future was bright, brilliant. Whenever I faced difficulties or danger, she was always there. With her help, I reached the pinnacle of power. I even married Sebastian, a man who, I believed, had eyes and a heart only for me. She was supposed to leave after that, but she fell in love with Sebastian’s best friend, Ethan, and married into his family. I was happy because it meant she would stay. But I was also worried. I had heard the stories about Ethan and Hayley. Ethan swore to me, time and time again, that he would only ever love Celine. Seeing the joy on her face, I allowed myself to believe that we would both have our happy endings. But the joy she felt then was matched only by the despair she must have felt when she died. 4 “No one is taking Celine!” A desperate cry pulled me back to the present. Seeing the orderlies about to take the body, Ethan finally snapped out of his stupor. He wept, shoving past my bodyguards to cradle Celine’s body. “She’s my wife! I love her! What right do you have to take her from me?” The bodyguards hesitated. After all, Ethan was Sebastian’s best friend, and Sebastian was my husband. They were reluctant to use force. But I wasn’t. Besides Celine, I didn’t care about anything or anyone. I took the fountain pen from my bag, my eyes fixed on Ethan’s neck, and strode toward him. Just as I was about to plunge it into his throat, Hayley threw herself in front of him, taking the blow in her back. Blood spurted out, instantly staining her white dress crimson. Sebastian rushed over and shoved me, hard. “Seraphina, you’ve really lost your mind.” I stumbled backward, my head slamming against the wall. As the world spun, I saw Sebastian sweep Hayley up into his arms in a princess carry, rushing out of the room, frantically shouting for a doctor. When I woke up, I was in a hospital room, my bodyguards my only company. I walked to Hayley’s private VIP suite. “I’m so sorry, Hayley. Sera… she was locked in a pigsty as a child. Her emotions are… fragile. When she wakes up, I’ll have her apologize to you immediately.” I listened to the man who swore he loved me, my hands clenching into fists. “It’s my fault for worrying about you so much. It must have triggered her. I’m sorry.” As he spoke, Sebastian blew on a spoonful of porridge to cool it before feeding it to Hayley. “And you, Ethan,” Sebastian said, turning to his friend. “How could you not keep a better eye on Celine?” Ethan clutched Hayley’s hand, his head bowed. “Hayley’s always been delicate. I just locked Celine up for a few days so Hayley could get a blood transfusion. My son and I tried to reason with her. Who knew she’d kill herself over something so trivial?” “Trivial? Are you aware that a video of you and Hayley in a hotel room was sent to her phone?” Ethan looked up, shocked. “How? I was so careful.” A bitter smile twisted his lips. “Why was she so damn petty? I just made a mistake that every man makes. But she was the one I loved most.” “By the way, Sebastian, does Seraphina know about this?” “If she knew, do you think you’d be sitting here right now? I’ve already had someone destroy the video on Celine’s phone. Don’t worry.” “Sebastian, thank you.” “If it wasn’t for Hayley, I would never have helped you lie to Sera.” My nails dug into my palms. My stomach churned with a nausea so profound I thought I would be sick. Hayley started to sob softly. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. I’ve made things so difficult for you both.” “Silly girl, it’s not your fault.” “But… what if Sera is angry with you? Will the Brandon and Sterling families be alright?” Sebastian laughed. “Sera loves me. She can’t live without me. I can smooth things over with a few sweet words.” Tears fell from my eyes, but I was smiling. So, Sebastian knew everything. He was an accomplice to my sister’s murder. Good. Now, I had nothing left to hold me back. All of you… you’re all going to die.
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