Chapter 1

My once-wealthy parents, after their public fall from grace, feared facing their enraged creditors.

So, overnight, they shipped me off to a remote African village, a place so obscure it wasn't even on the map.

Later, a rare malaria outbreak hit the village, causing widespread death and devastation.

Terrified, I called my parents, begging them to bring me home, but only received a cold reply:

"You're not the pampered princess you once were. What, can't you manage on your own?"

"We spent so much money sending you away precisely because we didn't want you harassed by those creditors. Why can't you understand our good intentions?"

"Anyway, we don't have money for your plane ticket now. You're on your own!"

Clinging to a final shred of hope, I called my fiancé.

What I got was a torrent of accusations from him:

"Skylar, why are you still so delicate? Do you even know what Tiffany is going through here?"

"You're living it up overseas, while Tiffany can't even leave the house because of those debt collectors."

"If you call me again, I'm canceling our engagement immediately!"

He blocked my number, completely severing my hope of returning home.

From that day on, I endured the torment of illness, fighting tooth and nail for a scrap of food, often ending up bruised and bloody.

Just as I was despairing enough to contemplate suicide, the international rescue team finally arrived.

They brought me clean water and food, and gave me antibiotics and vaccines.

Finally back home, I saw my fiancé and my adoptive sister flaunting their lavish wedding on Ins.

That's when I found out the "bankruptcy" was a sham.

My parents just wanted to get rid of me, to clear the way for my fiancé and my adoptive sister to be together.