Chapter 1: Hashford Empire

Elaine woke up early, unable to hide her excitement.

Today was her first day at work.

The mansion was as quiet as always. Only the household staff were around. Her father, Keir Hasford, hadn't come home in three years. Although he never failed to provide everything she needed, his absence left an emptiness that money could never fill.

That was the reason she had decided to work at Hasford Empire.

To keep her identity a secret, she applied under the surname Chin. She remembered overhearing Keir once say that Chin was her biological mother's family name. If she used the Hasford surname, her father would recognize her immediately and stop her from working there.

Elaine wanted answers.

She needed to know why the loving father who had once spent every moment with her had suddenly become distant after her eighteenth birthday.

At last, she stood in front of the towering Hasford Empire headquarters.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside and entered the elevator.

10th Floor.

That was where Keir Hashford's executive office was located.

And starting today...

She would be his new secretary.

Keir had no idea that the person replacing his former secretary was his own daughter.

According to Trish, the secretary who had recently resigned, Mr. Hasford had entrusted her with finding her own replacement. His only condition was simple:

"Choose someone as capable and reliable as you."

Thanks to that, Elaine had passed the interviews without anyone discovering who she really was.

For the first time in three years...

She was finally about to face his father who had been avoiding her.

Elaine stepped out of the elevator as soon as it reached the tenth floor.

The executive floor was spacious and elegant. Employees were already busy with their morning tasks, moving from one office to another.

A young woman approached her with a friendly smile.

"Hello. Are you Mr. Hasford's new secretary?" she asked.

"Yes," Elaine replied with a warm smile.

"I'm Shane."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Elaine."

The two shook hands before Shane showed her to her desk.

"Once you've finished organizing your things, Mr. Hasford wants to see you in his office," Shane said with a smile.

Elaine nodded.

"Thank you."

After arranging her belongings, she took a deep breath and walked toward her father's office.

Just as she was about to knock, voices from inside stopped her.

It was her grandmother...

"Keir," Grandma Yana said gently, "it's time to tell Elaine the truth. She deserves to know that she isn't your biological daughter. You can't keep hurting yourself like this."

Elaine froze.

Her face turned pale.

She couldn't move.

Every word pierced her heart.

She waited for his father to answer...

But only silence came from the other side of the door.

Unable to bear it any longer, Elaine quietly stepped away before anyone noticed her.

She hurried down the hallway and locked herself inside the women's restroom.

The moment the door closed behind her, the tears she had been holding back finally fell.

She covered her mouth to keep herself from crying out loud.

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