Prologue: The Beginning 1

Narrator:

That morning, there was no indication of what would happen hours later at the Lascalles' residence on the outskirts of Cairfilli. Silence and tranquility reigned in the rooms of the traditional, elite family.

At that moment, Lord Lascalles and his wife, Daisy, were meeting with their two eldest children to explain the new strategy he was planning to strengthen the family after the sudden misfortunes that had befallen them.

"Do you think she'll agree, Father?" Daisy has been acting strangely for weeks. She hardly leaves her room and has canceled all her Christmas plans,” said William, the only sibling who felt something for his little sister.

The Lascalles were a typical noble family who upheld the values of prestige, elitism, and power passed down since Victorian times.

Each Lascalles was motivated by their own interests and prestige, and they preferred males over females. However, females were also important for forming advantageous marriage alliances that gave the noble family even more value, power, and prestige.

In the 21st century, it seems absurd that this type of family relationship still exists. Of course, the absorbing and manipulative Lascalles family continued to live in the past when they were powerful and their title of nobility was valuable.

Clearly, the widowed Lord Lascalles raised his sons with these values. His daughter was a disgrace to the family, in her father's eyes. She was the girl who ended her mother's life at birth. Like the other women born into that family, she was going to be used as a bargaining chip to increase the power of the Lascalles, when it suited him.

The male heirs were so elitist that they came to regard other people as inferior. That was the main reason why, during his time as a student at Eton, Vermont and his two best friends—the sons of nobles, who were therefore deserving of his friendship—had as enemies Finlay Alacintye and his friends. Like Vermont, they were Scottish and therefore considered low class.

In Vermont's view, those rough animals from the Scottish Highlands were unworthy of studying at that prestigious institution, where the children and descendants of British royalty had studied for centuries.

Adding to this, two weeks ago, after the Christmas Eve party of the American Millers, Finlay humiliated Vermont and his friends at a planned meeting. It could be said that Vermont cared little or nothing about his sister because family and prestige came first.

"It doesn't matter. For a week now, the family business has been the target of a hostile takeover bid from other companies. We don't know why, but it has caused our shares to plummet. We know they intend to buy the company. If this continues, we will lose control of our largest source of income," said the Lord. He saw his daughter as a way to overcome the crisis thanks to her dowry. At nineteen, she would marry the forty-five-year-old heir to the Byron family. He was a widower with two teenage children, one of whom was only a few years younger than Daisy.

"Don't worry, Father. If Daisy fails, I've already made secret moves that will allow our family to rise again. We can take revenge on those who want to destroy us," said Vermont with a sinister smile.

None of them had noticed that the window overlooking the back garden was open, nor that the maid—who had acted as Daisy's nanny and almost mother after Lady Lascalles died in childbirth—had heard everything. Milly Peterson felt her heart sink with worry.

At that moment, the nanny remembered the real concerns that Daisy's mother had about her unborn daughter. Milly and Lady Lascalles had been close friends, having grown up together. The nanny's mother had been Lady Lascalles's nursemaid, which is how the two families became close. This is precisely why she knew the fear Selene, Lady Lascalles, felt toward her husband. He was a cold, mean, and ruthless man who had never loved her. The idea that this man wanted to use her daughter as if she were just another family asset contributed to Selene's great distress. Ever since she found out she was expecting a girl, Selene knew how the Lascalles would use her daughter: as another asset.

This is precisely why, on her deathbed, Selene asked Milly to care for her daughter as if she were her own and to ensure that she would never want for anything. Milly more than fulfilled this request, even spoiling little Milly. She grew up to be an arrogant, spoiled, selfish young lady—the typical heiress who only thinks of herself and her desires.

Milly never considered getting married after that nor having her own life. For her, Daisy was everything. Daisy was like the daughter she never had. Her devotion to Daisy was total, and her greatest duty was to protect her.

So, when she heard that Lord Vermont William Lascelles, Daisy's father, wanted to marry her off to a man almost sixteen years her senior, a widower with two teenage children, just for the power and money he would receive, she was devastated. Especially since her little girl was only nineteen and in her first year of college. This had always been her worst fear, so she ran to Daisy's room without thinking.

"Open the door, sweetheart. It's your nanny. You've been locked in here for weeks. I don't know what's happened to you, but I have to tell you something serious. Open the door now," Milly said, almost pleadingly.

The mistress didn't know what was wrong with her treasure. Since Daisy returned two weeks ago from the Christmas Eve party at the Miller mansion—the home of a wealthy American family—she had barely eaten, was constantly angry, and had locked herself in her room. She refused to talk to anyone and barely interacted with her.

Author's note: If you want to know what happened to Daisy at the Miller party, read the novel You Are Mine, Heiress!, which explains everything.