Chapter 1

I was one month away from donating a kidney when strangers ambushed me on vacation and tried to drag me away to harvest it.

I fought with everything I had, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

"Miss Ashford, my mother needs a kidney transplant right now!

"You took my $1.5 million and signed the agreement.

Running off with the money is pretty low, don't you think?"

As he spoke, his men tried to drag me into a black car.

But the patient I had agreed to donate to was a man.

I had signed an agreement, yes, but I had volunteered to give this kidney free of charge to the man who had saved my life.

He was one of the most powerful men in New York.

He would never stoop to tactics this dirty, and he had no need to.

I tore free of their grip, pulled out my phone, and sent a text.

第1章

One of the man's lackeys stepped forward to snatch my phone.

I clutched it in my fist and shouted, "Don't touch me! I don't know you.

"And I never took any $1.5 million!"

More and more people were gathering to watch.

The man dropped his menacing expression, and his eyes actually reddened.

"How can you lie like that?

"My mother is in the hospital waiting for your kidney to save her life. There's no time left."

He reached for my arm.

"You're coming with me right now.

"You don't get to take someone's money and then refuse to do what you promised."

I stepped back, out of his reach.

"You've got the wrong person. I've never seen you before in my life."

An older woman behind me moved in front of me and snapped at him, "The girl already told you she doesn't know you.

"You'd better not be some kind of trafficker!"

Her husband closed ranks beside her, shielding me as he eyed the man with suspicion.

The man stared at me, perfectly composed.

"Your name is Serena Ashford, isn't it?"

"Yes."

I answered without thinking.

"You live in Houston, and the last four digits of your Social are 4536, right?"

He rattled off several pieces of my personal information. Every one was correct.

"Just answer the question. Did you sign a donation agreement or not?"

"I did sign one, but..."

He cut me off, raising his voice.

"That's all I needed to hear!

"Don't let her fool you!

"This woman is a fake heiress who just got kicked out of a rich family. She's desperate for cash!

"$1.5 million! I sold my house and bled myself dry to scrape that together, and my mother is on the operating table right now!"

The crowd erupted.

The older woman's protective arm fell away from me.

I stared him down.

"Who are you, really, and what do you want from me?"

A chill of fear ran through me.

These days, it wasn't hard to dig up someone's personal information.

But only my family knew I was a "fake heiress."

I had barely left my hotel that morning when these people intercepted me on this stretch of road.

There were no cameras here. If I hadn't known some self-defense, they would already have forced me into that car.

The man, Derek Cole, clenched his jaw, his eyes bloodshot.

"Serena, quit pretending you don't remember. The agreement is right there in black and white.

"You demanded another $600,000 at the last minute. When I refused, you took the money and ran."

His hands shook as he spoke, as if he were fighting to hold his emotions in check.

Without warning, he dropped to his knees in front of me, hard enough that the impact echoed off the concrete.

"Miss Ashford, I'm begging you. Please save my mother first.

"I truly can't come up with any more money right now. I'll spend the rest of my life repaying you. I'll do anything!

"My mother won't make it through tonight... She's suffered her whole life."

Still on his knees, he shuffled toward me and reached for the hem of my pants.

I jerked backward.

The next second, the older woman whipped around and glared at me.

"And here I was, actually trying to help you.

"You took $1.5 million meant to save someone's life and ran off with it? That's disgusting!"

第2章

"She looks sweet and innocent, but she's rotten to the core."

"Her adoptive parents raised her, and she still tossed them aside. Imagine how awful she must be."

"Exactly. An ungrateful woman like that brings misery to everyone around her."

One accusation after another rose from the crowd.

Painful memories surged to the surface, and my nose stung with the threat of tears.

The older woman and her husband had already sided with Derek.

"Young lady, you can't treat people this way."

The older woman spat in disgust.

"Ordinary people work hard for their money. He sold his house and even sold his blood, all to save his mother.

"You took the money, so go donate the kidney."

I caught one corner of Derek's mouth lifting.

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath.

"You say I took your money and signed your agreement.

"Where's the proof?"

His expression darkened.

"You're the one who ran off with the money, and you're demanding proof from me?"

I stared at him coldly.

"So you don't have any?

"You grab someone off the street and make wild accusations, and you expect everyone to believe you?"

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

A young man stepped forward.

"If you have proof, show it. Stop wasting everyone's time.

"For all we know, you're a trafficker putting on an act."

Others chimed in.

"He's right. This kind of scam happens all the time."

"We can't just take your word for it."

"I have proof!"

Derek sent one of his men to fetch a document from the car.

"It's all here in black and white. See for yourself!

"Once you've read it, quit arguing and come to the hospital."

The signature on the donation agreement was mine. There was no question about that.

But the recipient field listed a woman's name I had never heard before.

I studied the terms more closely.

The original phrase, "voluntary, uncompensated donation," had been changed to "Party A voluntarily accepts $1.5 million from Party B as compensation."

This was not the agreement I had signed!

"And here's the wire-transfer receipt."

He flung it at my face, and it fell to the ground.

I bent to pick it up, my eyes widening.

The account belonged to my biological brother.

Nathan Mercer.

The entire $1.5 million had been wired to him.

Fragments of memory flashed through my mind as I clenched my fists.

"See it now?"

Derek gave a cold scoff.

"You signed it yourself. Nothing left to say, is there?

"Get in the car. I don't have time to stand here arguing."

I pointed to the recipient's name.

"I didn't receive the money. Go after the person who did.

"And someone altered this agreement. It isn't the document I signed!"

Derek's face darkened as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Serena, that's your signature and the account you designated.

"Quit stalling. You're coming to the hospital right now."

His eyes reddened again.

"My mother is dying. We don't have any more time!"

He tried once more to drag me toward the car.

"Save the woman first! Miss, you took the money, so go to the hospital. Don't let his mother die!"

"Exactly. Whatever grudge you have, settle it after her life is saved."

Every onlooker now felt sorry for Derek. Some tried to persuade me; others hurled insults.

If I got into that car, would I come out alive?

I tore my arm from his grip.

"I didn't do this, and I refuse to accept the blame.

"I'm calling the police!"

第3章

I hadn't even finished dialing.

Derek snatched my phone and smashed it on the ground, shattering it.

"Calling the police?

"You signed the agreement and took my money. If the cops show up, they'll be arresting you."

He lowered his voice, his glare vicious.

"And don't think I'm bluffing. Even the cops around here show me respect!"

I wasn't the type to scare easily.

When boys at school bullied girls, I was always the first one to charge in swinging.

"Then don't stop me.

"Let the police investigate. If I truly owe your mother a kidney, I'll go with you.

"If I don't, you won't lay a hand on me."

I glared right back.

"If you're really in the right, what are you afraid of?"

Murmurs against him rippled through the crowd.

Derek's face twisted.

He checked his watch, then forced out a single tear.

He turned to the crowd, his voice breaking.

"I'm really not afraid of the police.

"It's just that if my mother doesn't get surgery now, she'll die.

"The police will have procedures to follow. My mother doesn't have that kind of time..."

I cut him off with a cold laugh.

"You've spent all this time arguing with me. Aren't you worried your mother is already dead?"

Derek glared at me and shouted, "If you hadn't broken your word, do you think I would want to do this?

"Serena, you're coming with me right now!"

He signaled to his men.

I swept my gaze over the crowd and darted behind a young man.

He was tall and powerfully built.

"I'm not going anywhere.

"If you take me by force, that's kidnapping."

I peered out from behind him.

"If you've got the nerve, wait for the police to question you."

I pleaded with the young man, "Please help me.

"I don't know these people. They're trying to kidnap me and traffic my organs. Please call the police!"

He said nothing and didn't call the police, but he didn't step aside either.

With his arms crossed, his broad back formed a solid wall between us.

Derek's face flushed with rage as he glared at me.

"Serena, if you refuse to save my mother, then give me back the full $1.5 million. Right now!"

He thrust out his hand, all five fingers spread.

I gave a cold laugh.

"You wired the money to Nathan Mercer. Go after Nathan Mercer.

"It has nothing to do with me."

Derek's face went ashen, and he pointed at me.

"How can it have nothing to do with you?

"He's your biological brother. He said he gave you every penny.

"Serena, don't push your luck."

My expression hardened.

When I returned to my biological family, I learned that my birth parents were dead and my older brother was the only family I had left.

We were practically strangers, but after two weeks of his care and concern, I had begun to feel that I belonged somewhere again.

Had all of it been an act?

Had he sold me out?

"Nathan made the promise and took your money. Take it up with him."

I said coldly, "I don't have time for this.

"I'm leaving."

Derek pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Don't think you can walk away. I'll have him come here and settle this face-to-face!"

He said into the phone, "Come over."

Less than a minute later, a man approached us.

It was Nathan Mercer.

He had clearly been hiding nearby, watching and waiting.

A woman followed behind him.

She was the biological daughter the Ashford family had only recently brought home.

Vivian Ashford.

第4章

"Sorry for the trouble, Derek. I'll handle it."

Nathan came over with a fawning smile.

"Sis, that's enough.

"Go to the hospital with Derek. His mother's life is at stake.

"Keep your word. I won't let you disgrace the Mercer family!"

I stared at him.

The man who kept calling me his sister now wore the face of a schemer.

The warm, attentive brother I had known was gone.

Derek stood to one side with his arms crossed, sneering.

"You hear that? Even your own brother has spoken.

"Come on, Sis. You signed the agreement and took the money. Now you have to go to the hospital and donate the kidney.

"Don't be afraid. I'll go with you.

"The Mercers value integrity, and Mom and Dad did too. If you cause trouble, you'll be cut off for good."

Nathan put an arm around my shoulders.

I shook him off, my expression turning cold.

"Then I'll live on my own.

"The money went into your account.

"Nathan, you took it, so you can donate your own kidney."

A month earlier, I had decided to donate a kidney to the man who had saved my life.

Knowing that recovery would take a long time, I planned a trip before the surgery.

Nathan knew all of that.

Before I left, he invited me to drink with him. I remembered being drunk when he put a document in front of me and asked me to sign it.

He said it concerned the estate our parents had left us.

Nathan's expression changed, and he raised his voice.

"The money went into my account, but I withdrew it in cash and gave it all to you!

"You said you were afraid the payment would be traced back to you, so you asked me to pass it through my account."

He appealed to the people around us as if he had suffered a terrible injustice.

"Everyone, tell me if this is fair. I helped my sister, and now she's turning on me!

"Serena, were you planning to ruin me from the start?"

Before I could answer, Vivian spoke.

"I can testify.

"When Serena lived with us, she told me she planned to use her brother to make a fortune and then disappear. She said they had no real bond anyway.

"Serena has always stolen money. That's why my parents finally gave up on her!"

My head rang.

After Vivian returned to the Ashfords, Richard and Claire Ashford, the parents who had once doted on me, slowly changed.

At first, they dismissed her accusations. Then they began to doubt me. In the end, they looked at me with nothing but disappointment and disgust.

By the time Nathan and Vivian finished speaking, the crowd was furious.

They shouted for someone to tie up the vicious woman and take her away.

Even the young man who had shielded me stepped back, his eyes full of contempt.

Hand after hand closed around me.

I fought with all my strength, but there were too many of them.

Derek easily bound my wrists, and someone stuffed a piece of clothing into my mouth to gag me.

He dragged me toward the car, grinning in triumph.

Vivian suddenly squeezed close and whispered into my ear, "Serena, I am going to destroy you.

"Mom and Dad give me only $300 a month, but they give you $3,000. Why?

"Once they take that kidney out of you, I get $1.5 million for free.

"And when that powerful man in New York finds out you deceived him, he'll make the rest of your life a living hell.

"I looked into him. They call him the Devil of New York!"

She let out a shrill laugh.

Nathan spoke.

"Serena, don't blame me.

"Vivian and I grew up together. If I don't help her, who will?"

Rage burned inside me.

I wanted to tear them apart with my bare hands.

But several people had me pinned so tightly that I couldn't break free.

Derek kicked me into the black car. Just as the door was about to close, I saw a Mercedes-Maybach racing toward us with a convoy of police cars.

Derek glanced at the license plate, and every trace of color vanished from his face.

Trembling violently, he collapsed to his knees.