Chapter 1 1

Viola.

I went to a boarding school and just finished my final year. My mom had left me there after she and Dad broke up, so she could get married again.

After that, she stopped caring about anything but herself. She always hung around guys who spent money on her because she liked a fancy life-she'd inherited a lot of money.

She was also getting a big payment from Dad every month, just because she sent me off to boarding school and didn't care about me. But I was done with all of it.

Once I heard she got married, I knew I had to go home. I wasn't going to go to a college far away anymore.

The house where she was living? It's supposed to be Dad's house-his, not hers. And the money she's spending on her new husband? That's my money and Dad's. I can't let her take everything again. If she wants to be married, she and her new husband need to move out for good.

I love my mom, but I don't like how selfish she is. She acts young and cool, even though she's not. I'm 18, and she's about 40. When I go home, I'm gonna find out who this new guy is that my mom married-I bet he just wants to use her money too.

I packed up. Whether they're ready for me or not-even though my mom didn't care enough to send someone to pick me up-I was just going to show up and shake things up.

Within a month, I bet her new husband will want to leave, or maybe they'll both move out. She needs to realize she's not as young as she thinks, and she can't live this crazy life forever, even if she's married.

When the driver opened the limo door, I got in. The whole way, I kept thinking of ways to make her new husband mad, mess up his life, make him regret marrying her, and maybe make him leave her.

So many thoughts ran through my head. I imagined some short man with a big belly, bald, who could barely walk and always coughing. But then I was totally surprised.

We got to the house, and there was Mom, waiting at the gate with all the staff. She was smiling so big. The crazy thing? Mom was so pretty she looked like my older sister. She seemed nicer than I had ever seen her. She hugged me and kissed my cheek for the first time ever.

"Viola, my love! I missed you so much. You're finally home. You'll live with us now."

I leaned back, raised my eyebrows, and looked at her. "With you? You really think you can just have your new husband living in Dad's house? Just because Dad let you stay doesn't mean you can let your husband stay too. This house belongs to me and Dad."

Before Mom could answer-though I half-expected her to slap me-I heard someone else speak behind her.

"Who said we're going to stay here? You're coming with us."

I turned around, annoyed. Instead of seeing some weird old teacher-looking guy, I saw a man in a perfect suit. He had long, thick black hair, and he was big and strong-his suit looked super expensive too.

He even had bodyguards with him on both sides. Was he some kind of celebrity or rich guy?

I just stared, not sure what to say. He came down the stairs and looked right at me.

"Hey, beautiful."

I frowned and said, "Don't call me beautiful. Who are you?"

Mom took out a marriage certificate and pinned it to her chest proudly. He smiled at me like he was teasing me. "I'm your mom's husband. My name's Mark."

I just stared, shocked, not knowing what to say. He was super good-looking, probably ten years younger than Mom, and seemed rich. Why would he marry her? I mean, Mom's not ugly but she's not young anymore-I'm 18.

I blurted out, "And you married Mom? Something weird must be going on."

Mom got upset and said, "What do you mean by that? You think I'm not good enough for him? You think I'm not pretty?"

I looked at them and said, "If you want to live somewhere else, fine, go ahead. I'm staying here."

I tried to walk past them and pushed his shoulder, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. "Right now, I'm in your dad's place. So I'm in charge."

I frowned and told him, "You can't tell me what to do. I'll tell Dad."

He laughed and said, "Do you think your dad can stop me? Do you even know who I am?"

He was acting super confident, which really annoyed me, but I tried not to show it. I pulled my arm away and said, "You're nothing to me. If you want to be with Mom, go live with her somewhere far away. This is my house now."

He leaned in close and said, "We'll see about that."

Suddenly, he picked me up like I weighed nothing, put me over his shoulder, and carried me to the limo.

He told Mom, "Come on, let's go." He put me in the limo and sat next to me. Mom got in too, still holding my hand. He told the drivers, "Let's go."

A lot of cars followed us, like he was super important or something. No way he was just some normal businessman.

He looked really rich. I started yelling, "I'm calling the police! I'm telling on you! Leave me alone!" I hit him, but he ignored me completely.

Calm as ever, he said, "If you want to call the police, go ahead."

He whispered to me, quiet but confident, and it actually made me stop talking. I just stared at him until we got there.

Next, we pulled up to-not a castle, but a huge, guarded mansion, with lots of security everywhere.

The gates opened and closed by themselves, and there were probably 50 or 100 workers. Shocked, I turned to Mom, "Mom, who *did* you marry?"

She laughed as we got out, and he said to me, "Welcome. This is our new house, and you'll live with us here."

I was still in shock. Mom added, "Oh, about your graduation party tonight? You can't go. We're having a party here instead."

"I have to go! My friends are waiting for me!" I complained.

No way was I letting them ruin my special night. I had planned it for so long!

He walked ahead and told the staff, "Get everything ready for the party. Send Viola the dress and outfit I picked for her. Put it in her room."

"You picked my clothes? Who do you think you are?"

He's acting like he's my husband, not Mom's!