chapter 1

The heavy scent of metallic blood and damp concrete filled the basement of the Kim estate in Seoul. Despite the opulence of the floors above, the air down here was freezing.

Kim Ana sat on the floor, her long black hair fanned out like silk against the grime. At ten years old, her beauty was already haunting—thick, dark eyebrows framing hazel-green eyes that looked like shattered glass. She didn't cry. With an IQ of 150, she had long ago calculated that tears wasted electrolytes and changed nothing.

Beside her, Kim Saba scrubbed the floor with trembling hands. Her light brown eyes were clouded with the rage she usually couldn't suppress, but today, she was terrified.

"Work faster," their father’s voice boomed from the stairs. "A business associate is coming. If either of you shows your face, I’ll ensure you don't walk for a month."

The Unseen Presence

As the sisters worked, a wealthy guest, Mr. Park, arrived early. He was led through the hallway toward the study when he caught a glimpse of a figure in the corner of the kitchen—Ana, reaching for a cleaning cloth.

The light hit her hazel eyes, and the mole above her lip stood out against her pale, porcelain skin.

"My god," Mr. Park whispered, stopping in his tracks. "Who is that girl? She has the face of a goddess."

Their father, Kim Min-jun, felt a surge of panic and hatred. He forced a smile. "Oh, her? Just the maid’s daughter. A charity case. Please, this way."

The Punishment

The moment the front door clicked shut after the guest's departure, the atmosphere shifted. The stepmother, her heels clicking like a death knell, stormed into the kitchen.

"You brat!" she hissed, grabbing Ana by her long hair. "You did that on purpose. You wanted him to see you!"

"I was getting a cloth," Ana said, her voice flat and devoid of emotion.

"Don't talk back to me!" Min-jun roared. He grabbed Ana’s arm, dragging her toward the basement door. He blamed her for everything—the accident that killed his first wife, the guilt he couldn't carry, the loss of his soul. "Because of you, she is dead! You should have died in that car, not her!"

Saba tried to intervene, her anger flaring. "Leave her alone! She didn't do anything!"

The stepmother backhanded Saba, sending her sprawling. "Stay out of it, or you’re next."

In the Darkness

The sound of the hunter’s whip cracked against the basement walls. Ana didn't scream; she only bit her lip until it bled, her hazel eyes fixed on a single crack in the ceiling.

Outside the locked door, Saba banged her fists until her knuckles were raw. "Stop! Please, Father! Stop!"

After what felt like an eternity, the door swung open. Min-jun walked out, wiping sweat from his forehead, his face twisted in a cold sneer. He didn't look back as he locked the door behind him, leaving the girls in the dark.

Saba rushed to the corner where Ana lay. The back of Ana’s thin shirt was ruined, the skin beneath burned and bruised.

"Ana... Ana, look at me," Saba sobbed, pulling her sister into a tight embrace. The elder sister’s anger had turned into a desperate, protective grief. "I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry."

Ana’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Even in the dim light, they were piercingly bright. She didn't wince.

"We have to go, Ana," Saba whispered, her voice trembling. "One day, when the brothers come back from the US, or when I find a way... we will leave this place. We'll burn it down behind us."

Ana looked at her sister, her 150-IQ brain already weaving threads of a plan she wasn't ready to share.

"I'm fine, Saba," Ana whispered, her voice like ice. "Don't cry. It only makes them feel powerful."

"Please," Saba pleaded, holding her tighter. "Just stay awake. Don't faint. Stay with me. We're going to survive this."

Ana nodded slowly, staring into the darkness. She wasn't just surviving; she was waiting.

Would you like me to continue the story and describe how their brothers react when they finally find out what is happening?

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