I walked out of the servants’ quarters with my head held high, but inside, my emotions were in chaos. The truth that Martha revealed burned in my chest like a wildfire, refusing to be ignored.
The Montieros took everything from my real family.
They destroyed the people who should have loved me. They kept me alive—not out of mercy, but as a leftover piece of the past they wanted to bury.
All these years, I had thought I was weak. Powerless. But now, I understood… they feared me.
That’s why they kept me small. That’s why they made me believe I was nothing.
I clenched my fists as I stepped into the grand hallway of the mansion. The high ceilings and luxurious chandeliers that once made me feel small now only fueled my rage. This house isn’t my home. It’s my prison.
But not anymore.
The first step to gaining my freedom? Understanding the enemy.
And I knew exactly where to start.
The Hidden Library
The Montiero mansion was massive, with wings that were rarely used. As a child, I wasn’t allowed to explore freely. But now, I walked with purpose, heading straight for the east wing.
At the end of a dimly lit corridor, I stopped in front of an old, heavy wooden door. The library.
I had only been inside once, years ago. Back then, I wasn’t interested in old books and dusty records. But now, I knew this place held secrets.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The scent of aged paper and polished wood filled the air. Floor-to-ceiling shelves lined the walls, packed with thick leather-bound books. A grand fireplace stood cold and empty in the corner.
I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for—but I knew the answers were here.
I moved toward the large wooden desk at the center of the room, where stacks of documents and ledgers lay untouched. I flipped through them, scanning pages of financial records, land deeds, and old letters.
Then, tucked between two thick volumes, I found something strange—a locked journal.
My heart pounded as I ran my fingers over the leather cover. There was no title, no name. But it felt important.
And I needed to know what was inside.
A Dangerous Discovery
I searched the desk drawers for a key but found nothing. Frustrated, I looked around the library. If this journal was important, someone had hidden the key close by.
My eyes landed on an antique globe in the corner. I walked over and twisted the top, testing it.
Click.
The top popped open, revealing a small compartment inside. My breath caught as I reached in and pulled out a tiny brass key.
With shaking hands, I rushed back to the desk and fit the key into the journal’s lock. It clicked open.
The first page was filled with elegant, precise handwriting.
“The Montiero legacy is built on blood and betrayal. And if we are not careful, the past will return to haunt us…”
My fingers trembled as I turned the page.
And then I saw it—my real last name.
Not Montiero.
Something else.
Something powerful.
Something they had tried to erase.
And now, I was going to reclaim it.
----
My pulse pounded as I traced my fingers over the name in the journal. Delacruz.
Clarisse Delacruz.
Not Montiero. Not a forgotten shadow. I had a name. A real one.
My breath hitched as I scanned the pages, my mind racing. The handwriting was old but clear, filled with dates, names, and details about land, businesses—a history that belonged to my bloodline.
The Montieros stole everything from my family.
The truth stared back at me in ink. The Delacruz family once held power, wealth—this mansion was once theirs. But something happened. The Montieros, through schemes and betrayal, took control. They wiped out my family and kept me as a prisoner under their name.
And I had lived my whole life not knowing.
A sharp pain twisted in my chest, anger boiling in my veins.
They let me believe I was nothing.
They treated me like garbage while living in a house that should have been mine.
I gripped the journal tightly, my knuckles turning white.
No more.
I wouldn’t let them step on me again. I wouldn’t let them pretend I didn’t exist.
I would take back what was mine.
---
Unfinished Business
The sound of footsteps in the hallway snapped me out of my thoughts. My body tensed.
I wasn’t supposed to be here.
I quickly shut the journal and locked it, slipping the key into my pocket. I shoved the book back into its place and turned just as the door creaked open.
“Clarisse?”
I looked up and met the cold, calculating eyes of my eldest brother, Nicholas.
Nicholas Montiero—sharp, cruel, and always watching. He had never paid me much attention before, but now, his gaze was filled with suspicion.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, stepping inside, his eyes sweeping over the room.
I forced myself to stay calm. “I was just looking around. I never had the chance to explore the library before.”
His lips curled slightly, but there was no warmth in his smile. “And why now?”
Because I finally understand
----
Nicholas stepped closer, his sharp eyes scanning me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. My grip on my dress tightened, but I kept my face neutral. I couldn’t let him see my fear.
“I just got curious,” I answered, keeping my voice steady. “Is that a problem?”
His lips twitched into an almost-smirk, but there was something dangerous in his expression. “Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Clarisse. You never cared about books before. Why the sudden interest?”
I forced a small shrug. “Maybe because I’m tired of being treated like a useless fool.”
His expression darkened, but instead of anger, I saw… amusement. “Interesting.” He tilted his head. “You have changed.”
My heart pounded, but I refused to look away. Yes, I’ve changed. And I’m never going back.
Nicholas reached out and lightly ran his fingers over the edge of the desk. “Father wouldn’t like it if he knew you were sneaking around places you don’t belong.”
A chill ran down my spine, but I kept my posture straight. “Then I guess it’s a good thing you won’t tell him.”
He let out a soft chuckle, but it wasn’t comforting—it was mocking. “Is that so? What makes you think I won’t?”
I stepped closer, standing just a few inches away from him. My fingers tingled with adrenaline, but I held my ground. “Because if you did, I might start getting curious about other things too. Like what you and Father always talk about behind closed doors. Or why you disappear for days without telling anyone.”
For the first time, Nicholas hesitated.
It was slight, almost unnoticeable. But I saw it.
He had secrets too.
And just like that, the power shifted slightly in my favor.
I gave him a small, knowing smile. “It’s best if we both keep quiet, don’t you think?”
Nicholas stared at me for a long moment before his smirk returned. “You really aren’t the same pathetic little girl anymore, are you?”
“No,” I said softly. “I’m not.”
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door. Just before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder. “Be careful, Clarisse. The moment you start playing with fire… it will burn you.”
Then he was gone.
I let out a shaky breath, my whole body tense.
He knows something is different.
They all do.
But I didn’t care.
Let them watch. Let them wonder.
Because soon, they would realize…
I wasn’t just different. I was dangerous.
----
I stood frozen, staring at the empty doorway where Nicholas had just left. My heartbeat was still erratic, but I forced myself to breathe. I survived that encounter.
But it was clear—he knew something was off.
I couldn’t afford to make mistakes now.
Slowly, I turned back to the desk and ran my fingers over the locked drawer where the journal was hidden. The weight of my discovery pressed against my chest.
The Montieros stole from my family. They stole from me.
And they thought I would never find out.
A bitter smile curled my lips. They underestimated me.
---
The First Move
I left the library quietly, slipping through the halls of the mansion with practiced ease. The house was as cold and empty as ever, the towering walls meant to suffocate, not protect.
As I approached the grand staircase, I spotted someone below—my mother.
Serena Montiero, the woman who birthed me but never once treated me like her daughter. She stood by the entrance, talking to a servant, her expression sharp and emotionless.
A month ago, I would have shrunk under her gaze, desperate for even the smallest crumb of affection.
Now, I just felt… nothing.
She noticed me as I descended the stairs. Her perfectly shaped brows furrowed, as if my mere presence was an inconvenience. “What are you doing up so late?”
I stopped on the last step and met her gaze. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if searching for something in me. Did she see the difference? Did she sense that I was no longer the weak girl she could push around?
Then, just as quickly, she looked away. “Then take a sleeping pill. I don’t want to see you wandering around like a ghost.”
The old me would have nodded and scurried away.
The new me? I smiled slightly. “Of course, Mother.”
Her head snapped toward me, but before she could respond, I turned and walked away.
Let her wonder. Let them all wonder.
Because this was just the beginning.
They thought they could treat me like nothing.
Now, I was going to show them exactly who I was.
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