To celebrate my first New Year after reconnecting with my biological family, everyone dragged me into signing up for a Tranvego tour.

The moment we got off the plane, my parents completely changed. They just stood there while my brother tore up my passport.

Then they shoved me into a bus headed for Draconville.

The whole way, I begged them to take me back.

Because I realized the place that the bus was going was the very same home I had spent ten years trying to escape.

And the so-called big bosses they kept talking about?

One was my foster father, the director of the compound.

One was my foster mother, the head of the transplant center.

One was my foster brother, the chief of the landfill district.

They were famous for protecting their own. But under the excuse of "loving" me, they locked me up and tried to force me to become one of them.

I had fought so hard to get away from them. I never thought I'd be sent back again!
Chapter 1
When I thought about the miserable endings of the people who had crossed me before, my whole body started shaking.
Roger Kirk, my brother, noticed and sneered, "You think trash like you can fight me for Mom and Dad's money?"
Hearing that made me shake even harder.
I remembered someone once casually calling me a leech. For that, my adoptive brother, Ollie Fuller, cut off his arms and legs, sliced out his tongue, and dumped him into a container full of leeches. Millions of leeches sucked him dry until he became like a dry corpse.
If Ollie heard Roger insult me like that I didn't even dare finish the thought.
Trembling, I blurted out, "I swear I won't fight you for anything. Just take me back. If you want to cut ties with me after that, I'll agree!"
My parents spat right in my face.
"Ha! You manipulative little brat. You used the media to guilt us into taking you back, and now you're shocked it turned out like this?
"We should've just strangled you when we had the chance. A worthless girl like you should've been gone a long time ago!"
Their words made my face go even paler.
I remembered a minor boss in the compound who once whispered that I was a burden, feeling a little smug because he had had some success in business. That night, my adoptive father, Neil Fuller, sewed his mouth shut and threw him into the dog yard. The pack ripped him apart, and his screams echoed all night until he finally died from the pain.
Thinking of that, I shook even harder, my voice cracking with tears. "I know I was wrong! Please, just take me back! I promise I'll never bother your family again!"
But my parents only sneered, "Now you realize it? Too late."
They started discussing how the money from selling me could go toward buying Roger a house and paying for his wedding.
"I heard we can get a good price for selling girls there," my father said. "They can work as dealers in casinos or as telemarketers."
"But this girl is so slow and dull," my mother said with a frown. "Are you sure she can manage those kinds of jobs? What if she doesn't sell for much?"
"Don't worry. I already asked around," Roger said with a smug grin. "Ty said there's plenty of work to be done by pretty but useless women like her."
The moment I heard that name, my ears locked in.
Ty. Could it be Ollie's right-hand man, Tyler Sarratt?
"I know Ty! If you still wanna live, call him on video right now. If he sees me, he'll tell you the truth!"
I was desperately trying to save their lives. If Tyler realized they had kidnapped me, he'd be terrified and order them never to send me back. Because if my foster parents and Ollie found out, every one of them would be doomed.
"Where you're taking me, I know people there. If they find out you kidnapped me, you'll all be dead! If you don't believe me, let Tyler see me first!"
I was crying by now, begging them. But my parents and Roger thought I was bluffing.
Roger slapped me across the face so hard that my cheek burned and swelled instantly. "You're about to die, and you still dare threaten us?"
My father kicked me in the stomach, and my mother ground her high heel into my face. Pain seared across my skin, and hot blood trickled down.
Then Roger's phone rang.
"The package is fine, right? Show me," the voice on the other end said.
It was Tyler!
I struggled to get up, but my mother pinned my face to the floor with her heel.
"Ty, help! It's me!" I screamed with every ounce of strength I had left.

Chapter 2
Roger's face changed in an instant. He snatched up a wooden stick from the side and jammed it toward my mouth.
"How dare you call him Ty! It's not your place!"
The stick's splinters tore into my gums and tongue until blood filled my mouth. The pain was so sharp that I could only groan pitifully.
On the other end of the line, Tyler hesitated. "Wait did someone just call me Ty?"
Roger forced a grin at the camera. "Oh, that was the package. She heard your name and blurted it out."
My parents bobbed their heads quickly. "Yes, yes, that's right! She just heard us mention your name and shouted it."
Then my father kicked me hard in the mouth. "Shut it! Don't you dare dirty Tyler's name with that useless mouth of yours!"
My lips throbbed like fire, swelling fast.
"Enough. Let me see her," Tyler said, his voice impatient. "That voice sounds familiar."
Roger crouched down, yanked my hair, and shoved my face toward the phone's camera.
For one brief moment, my heart lit up with hope. If Tyler recognized me, he'd order my parents to release me.
But Tyler only frowned, looking disappointed. "This is her? Don't see what's so special. You're not pulling one over on me, are you?"
My heart sank like a stone.
He didn't recognize me.
In the glow of the phone screen, I caught a glimpse of myself. My cheeks were swollen, my lips bleeding, and my eyes half-shut. No wonder he didn't know meI barely recognized myself.
My birth family had done this to me.
The thought hollowed me out. I wanted to cry, but all that came out were choked gasps.
Roger flung me aside by the hair and hurried to explain, "No, no! She really is pretty, like a doll. We just punished her a little for misbehaving. Once she heals, she'll be fine!"
He wiped sweat from his forehead while my parents whispered nervously behind him.
"Damn it. What if he gets mad at us?"
"I'm worried. too."
"Roger, show him her ID," my mother urged under her breath.
Roger's eyes lit up. He dug into his pocket. "Tyler, I'd never lie to you. I have her ID right here. One look, and you'll see how gorgeous she really is!"
"Fine, let me see it," Tyler said lazily.
Hope flickered back in me. Tyler had seen me a few times before. He would definitely recognize me once he saw my picture.
Roger shoved my ID up to the camera.
I straightened as much as I could, silently pleading for Tyler to look closely.
Tyler murmured. "Not bad. Pretty face. Just a little short-haired, almost boyish. And the name" He squinted at the ID. "Bambi? Isnt that a cartoon character?"
Then he burst out laughing.

Chapter 3
Seeing Tyler laugh out loud, Roger finally relaxed as he pulled the ID back.
That was when I remembered something that crushed what little hope I had left.
After I came back home, Roger had cut off my waist-length hair while I was asleep.