Chapter 2

The girl standing in front of her looked about the same age, cheeks slightly flushed, her long, styled hair draping neatly over her shoulders. She smugly jiggled the box in her hand, flashing the delicate bracelet inside. "Look at this, Elizabeth. You and your pathetic mom finally crawled out of the Kaiser family—wasn't I spot on?" "From now on, I'm the real princess of the Kaisers, not you." She burst into laughter, her face twisting with arrogance. Elizabeth stared at her, red-eyed, lips trembling as she spoke, "That bracelet, your dress—those used to be mine. Mine!" "Oh please," the girl snorted. "If you want them back, come and get them." She popped open the box and purposely pulled the jade bangle out, waving it mockingly on her wrist. "Charlotte, I won't let any of you off." Elizabeth clenched her fists, coughing up blood as the fury in her chest boiled over. "And you," she snarled, turning toward Lucas, "you cold-blooded coward. You trusted the wrong people." "I hope you rot in hell!" Her voice was full of pain, every word cut from her heart. She staggered up from the ground, ignoring the cruel laughter behind her, and ran straight out of the villa, just wanting to reach the hospital and get her mom out. Even though the way there was long and her tiny body could barely hold out. She didn't know how far she'd run when the road led her into a quiet forest. Messy bushes and low branches caught at her legs and made her stumble. This time, when she fell, she didn't get up. Her limbs were too weak to move. Her vision blurred, and her mind went heavy with fog. "Mom..." she mumbled faintly, tears streaking down her dirt-covered cheeks. Time passed. She lay there like a lifeless doll. ... The ringtone from her phone jolted Elizabeth out of the memory. She opened her eyes. The car had already stopped in front of the mall—it was her first time outside since leaving the organization. Looking down, she pulled out her phone. It was her master calling."Kaiser, I raised you for ten years just for this moment. It's your turn to take over the company. I'm off to enjoy life now." Elizabeth froze in shock. "Wait, but I really don't—" "You dare talk back? What do you think I raised you for, huh?" The voice on the other end of the line got sharper. Elizabeth scratched her nose awkwardly, looking a bit helpless. "Master, I'm more of a fighter, you know, not exactly the business type. Plus, you've got a whole line of senior disciples ahead of me." "Who? Never heard of them. My assets go to a daughter, not sons. Got it?" "Then maybe adopt another girl as your disciple?" "You're already the last one I took in." "Then just have a daughter yourself." "Get lost!" her master snapped. "You've got three months. Be back and take over the company!" Before she could reply, the call ended abruptly. Elizabeth let out a long sigh, feeling a headache coming on. She'd barely stepped off the battlefield, and now she's being thrown into the business world? Seriously? She dragged herself off the car and wandered aimlessly, her mind a mess. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard footsteps speeding up nearby. Looking up, a good-looking man was sprinting towards her, with a few men in black hot on his heels. In broad daylight, and they were openly going after a guy like it was nothing? "Bang!" One of the men suddenly pulled out a gun. The man being chased dove forward to avoid the shot. Now that caught her attention. Elizabeth blinked but didn't dodge. She went down with him as he tackled her. When she looked up, she saw his face—despite being disheveled and breathless, he still looked annoyingly handsome. Before the next shot rang out, Elizabeth rolled over forcefully. Sharp focus in her eyes, she sprang forward, going straight for the gunman's wrists and arms with decisive strikes. A few brutal hits landed, and black-clad men coughed up blood. Unfazed, Elizabeth joined her fingers and struck at some pressure points with precision. The men didn't even have time to scream before collapsing on the ground like sacks of bricks.