CHAPTER 1: Betrayed by Blood

The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the cracked asphalt of the alleyway where Allen found himself cornered. Blood dripped from his nose, and his breath came in ragged gasps as he staggered to his feet. His bullies, the usual group of rich kids from his high school, circled around him, laughing and jeering.

"Look at him!" Jared, the ringleader, sneered, shoving Allen back down with a well-placed kick to his stomach. "You're just as pathetic as your old man, Allen. Can't even pay his own debts, and now he's got you living in his shadow. What a joke."

Allen coughed, his chest tightening from the impact. He wanted to fight back, but there was no strength left in him. They'd been at it for nearly twenty minutes, and every time he tried to stand, they knocked him down again. He felt useless, defeated. The laughter echoed in his ears, making his head spin.

"Maybe your mom should've done better," Jared added, his voice dripping with venom. "Or was she too busy being worthless to care?"

That stung deeper than the punches. His adoptive mother, Elena, had sacrificed everything for him—working long hours at the diner just to keep them afloat, even as his father sank them deeper into debt. He could take the insults about himself, but hearing them talk about her made his blood boil.

Allen clenched his fists, trying to muster the energy to retaliate, but his body wouldn't respond. The world around him began to blur, and for a moment, he thought he'd black out.

Suddenly, the squeal of tires cut through the jeers, and a sleek black car skidded to a stop at the mouth of the alley. The bullies froze, their laughter dying in their throats as the doors swung open. Two imposing figures in dark suits stepped out, flanking the car like bodyguards. Then, from the backseat, a girl emerged.

Daisy Jones.

Her long, blonde hair shimmered under the fading light as she strode toward them, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. She was the last person Allen expected to see here, especially in his sorry state. Daisy, the mayor's daughter, the girl who lived in a world he could never touch. What was she doing here?

Jared snorted, wiping the grin off his face. "Well, well, look who decided to show up. Little Miss Perfect. You slumming it today, Daisy?"

She didn't even glance in his direction. Her icy blue eyes were locked on Allen as she walked straight past the group of bullies. There was an unreadable expression on her face—cold, calculating. Without hesitation, she knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, though her tone lacked any real warmth.

Allen blinked, too stunned to respond. Why was she talking to him? Why was she even here?

Before he could say anything, Daisy stood up, turning to face Jared and the others. "You're all done here," she said flatly, her voice carrying an authority that made the bullies hesitate. "Leave. Now."

Jared laughed, though there was a nervous edge to it. "And who are you to—?"

"Now," Daisy repeated, her bodyguards stepping forward, hands resting on the inside of their jackets. The unspoken threat was clear, and Jared, for all his bravado, wasn't stupid enough to challenge her further. He shot Allen one last glare before motioning for his friends to follow.

"Whatever," Jared muttered. "You two deserve each other."

The bullies slunk away, leaving Allen still sprawled on the ground, utterly confused. As soon as they were out of earshot, Daisy turned back to him, her expression hardening.

"Get up," she ordered.

Allen winced as he forced himself to his feet, swaying slightly. "What... what are you doing here?" he managed to ask, wiping the blood from his face.

Daisy didn't answer. Instead, she motioned to her bodyguards, who opened the car door for her. "You're coming with me."

"What? No, I'm not—"

Before he could protest, she grabbed his arm and shoved him into the backseat, climbing in after him. The door slammed shut, and within seconds, the car sped away from the alley, leaving Allen's head spinning even more than before.

For a while, they drove in silence. Allen stared out the window, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. His body ached from the beating, but his mind was racing faster than his heart.

Finally, he turned to Daisy, his voice hoarse. "Why did you...?"

"Why did I what?" she cut him off, her tone sharp. "Why did I save you? You think I'd let those idiots beat you to a pulp?"

Allen frowned. "I don't understand. We've never even talked before."

Daisy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like she was dealing with a child. "Listen, Allen. This isn't about you. It's business."

"Business?"

Without another word, she reached into her designer bag and pulled out a stack of papers, tossing them onto his lap. "Read it."

Allen looked down at the documents, confusion deepening as he scanned the first few lines. His breath caught in his throat as the words sank in.

Contract of Sale

The undersigned agrees to transfer full guardianship and ownership of Allen Morgan to Daisy Jones in exchange for the settlement of all outstanding debts owed by the Morgan family...

He couldn't breathe. His hands trembled as he flipped through the pages, each sentence a fresh punch to the gut.

"My... my father sold me to you?" His voice cracked as he spoke, disbelief etched on his face.

Daisy's lips curled into a slight, humorless smile. "Looks like it."

Allen's heart pounded in his chest. His adoptive father had done a lot of terrible things—racked up debts, lied, cheated—but this? He sold me?

"You're lying," Allen muttered, shaking his head in denial. "This can't be real. He wouldn't—"

"Oh, it's very real," Daisy interrupted, leaning back in her seat as if this was all just another routine transaction. "Your father's debts were drowning him. He didn't have much choice. He handed you over to clear everything. Consider it a business deal."

Allen felt sick. The paper crumpled in his hands as he struggled to keep his composure. This was too much—too insane to be true. He had no idea his adoptive father's desperation had reached this level. And now, he was nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game.

Daisy watched him carefully, her expression unreadable. "You belong to me now, Allen. And there's no going back."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Allen stared out of the car window, the city lights blurring into a haze as the realization settled over him.

His life was no longer his own.