Chapter 1 My mom , Laura Miller , was the true heiress of the Miller family before she was kidnapped into the Appalachian Hills . And before she was taken , she had already been married and had a two - year - old son . She was then sold to a man in his late fifties , and I was born from that union . When I was seven , the Miller family finally came with the police and found their way into the mountains . Overcome with emotion , she clung desperately to her son , Ethan , now ten years old . But when her eyes fell on me , her question to the police was cold and simple . " Can I ... not take this child back with me ? " I saw my uncle , David Miller , and my ten - year - old brother , Ethan , for the first time then . Their faces were contorted with disgust and rage . " A child of that bastard ? How could the Miller family ever acknowledge her ? " I was consumed by fear , trembling uncontrollably . My small hand secretly fisted a corner of her coat , too terrified to speak or look up . Cameras flashed everywhere , aimed straight at me . Along with the polite and the Millers , hordes of reporters had also swarmed the village upon hearing the news . My fingers trembled violently as I gripped my mom's clothes . Tears pricked my eyes , but I bit them back with all my strength , refusing to let them fall . The police officer was silent for a long moment before finally responding , his voice heavy with resignation " Her father colluded with the kidnappers . He's already been arrested . " " You are now her only remaining legal guardian . " The desperate , pleading light in my mother's eyes died , replaced by utter despair . Then , her control snapped . " But I don't want her ! " " Eight years of my life have been destroyed ! Must I now take her back and be reminded of that pain for the rest of my life ? " As the words ended , her tears finally fell , her face a mask of anguish and despair . She lifted a hand , perhaps to cover her face , but the movement made her aware of my small hand still clutching her coat . Her reddened eyes flicked downward, meeting my terrified gaze . And in that instant , she seemed to completely shatter . For the first time , she struck me . With a violent shove , she pushed me back hard , her face distorted , her voice trembling . " I don't want yu ! Don't you understand ? I don't want you ! " " Stop following me ! If no one else will take you , then just die ! " " Why - why should I have to- " Her voice broke into sobs . The rest of her words never made it out . I stumbled backward and crashed to the ground , the back of my head slamming against the dirt . A buzzing filled my skull , my vision blurring for a long moment . Above me stood countless adults - reporters , police officers , the Miller family . Every one of them stared down at me with strange eyes , a mixture of scrutiny and disgust . One of the officers stepped forward , helped me up , and said to my mother sternl , " Ma'am , calm down . " Chapter 1 W WebNovel 4.3 FREE Google Play OPEN You think I'm gonna fall for an illusion ? 4.35 % Yet even his gaze was filled with pity for her . My uncle David - the man in the suit , my legal guardian - stormed forward , his voice thick with fury as he defended her . " Why should my sister have to calm down ? " " She has endured eight years of hell ! Why should she be forced to raise that monster's child ? Why can't the girl be sent to an orphanage ? " " Laws should have warmth and humanity ! " And beside her , a ten - year - old boy with refined features - my half - brother , Ethan Miller - clung to our mother's arms , his voice sharp with anger . " The Millers will never accept the child of a kidnaper ! "