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CHAPTER 1
~Rhea's POV~
"You have one month left to live."
Doctor Nick's words sucked whatever air that was left in my lungs as my heart skipped a beat. I blinked, my whole body trying to come to terms with what I just heard.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Draven. We ran the test three times."
"Then run it again." I could barely believe my tone, but with how my fingers trembled, I guess my tone was the least of the doctor's problems.
"As I said earlier, you shouldn't have indulged in drugs if you…"
My mind blurred whatever speech he was saying or accusing me of. Drugs?
Did I look like an addict to him?!
I guess one could assume that after all the "tonics" my stepmother had forced down my throat for the past three years, just to keep her business alive and my dancing perfect.
A cracked laugh tore out my lips, draining the colour out of the doctor's eyes. Ignoring him, I stood up, crossed my bag in front of me and walked out.
All through my walk back home, the doctor's words kept replaying in my head. I blinked the tears and memory away and focused on the door before me.
Standing outside my stepmother's office, I swallowed and lifted my hand to knock to inform her of my new death date, her new business problem.
However, before my fingers landed on the door, I heard the second most shocking news of the day.
"I will sell her virginity to the highest bidder on her eighteenth birthday."
I froze. Sell… whose virginity? I got the answer the very next second when her personal manager and bodyguard spoke up.
"Are you sure?"
"But Madam Carl, she's looking weak, shouldn't we consider giving her some rest to recuperate and…"
"That's the only thing that dead weight of a stepdaughter can do. Had her father left us with anything, I wouldn't have made her start dancing for my business. Those men pay good money to see their favourite dancer get it on stage."
That was a heavy lie. Father had left us with all his estate and wealth, but Madam Carl claimed he was duped shortly before his death, and we lost everything.
Or in this case, I lost everything.
"So what if she's looking weak? Feed her more tonics and have her work Celia's shift while Celia and I are away on business. Understood?"
"As you wish, Madam Carl."
"And start making the announcement. I want everyone bidding for Rhea's first night."
My feet instantly took three steps back as my chest tightened.