Hope stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection.
Victoria's words still echoed in her mind. You may be his blood, but as far as the law is concerned, you're nobody.
Not anymore.
She was done being pushed aside.
If Victoria thought she could erase her, she was wrong.
Hope squared her shoulders. She would fight.
And the first step? Winning the art competition.
The Competition Results
At school, the tension was unbearable.
The announcement for the winners would be made at noon, and Hope could barely focus on her classes.
Liam nudged her during lunch. "You're overthinking again."
Hope exhaled. "It's hard not to."
He grinned. "You're gonna win."
"I hope so."
At exactly 12:00 PM, the speakers crackled.
"Attention students! The winner of this year's National Art Competition is…"
Hope's heart pounded.
"…Hope Calloway!"
For a second, she couldn't move.
She had won.
Applause erupted around her, and Liam shook her shoulders. "Told you!"
Ms. Reynolds appeared, smiling warmly. "Congratulations, Hope. Your piece touched many hearts."
Hope swallowed hard. She had done it.
She had proven herself.
But as she turned to celebrate with her friends, her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Meet me at the office. Now. We need to talk.
It was from Richard.
Her excitement vanished.
Something was wrong.
Richard's Shocking Revelation
Hope arrived at her father's office, her hands clammy.
Richard stood near the window, looking out over the city.
"Close the door," he said quietly.
Hope obeyed.
After a long pause, he turned to her, his face heavy with something unspoken.
"I should have told you the truth earlier," he admitted.
Hope clenched her fists. "Why didn't you?"
Richard sighed. "Because your mother was in danger."
Hope's breath hitched. "My mother?"
Richard nodded. "She didn't abandon you, Hope. She was taken from you."
Hope's knees went weak. "Taken?"
Richard sat down, rubbing his temples. "There's something you don't know about Victoria. She wasn't always my wife. She was…" He hesitated. "She was involved in something dangerous. And your mother got caught in it."
Hope's head spun.
Victoria had something to do with her mother's disappearance?
Tears burned in her eyes. "Where is she?"
Richard's jaw tightened. "I don't know. But I swear, I'm going to find out."
Hope's entire world shifted.
Winning the competition was no longer her biggest battle.
She had to uncover the truth.
And for that, she had to defeat Victoria once and for all.