Chapter 1 - The Price of a Life
The cold marble floor of the Ashford kitchen felt like ice beneath Maeve Donnelly’s cheap shoes.
Margaret Ashford’s smile was sharper than a hunting knife.
She slowly walked around the young housekeeper, examining her like a piece of livestock at an auction.
Maeve trembled as she held the basket of folded linens against her chest.
Sienna Ashford stood in the corner of the room with her arms crossed.
"You have a little brother in the county hospital, don't you, Maeve?" Margaret asked smoothly.
Maeve felt her heart stop beating in her chest.
Leo was only ten years old and needed a heart valve replacement to survive the year.
"Yes, ma'am," Maeve whispered.
Margaret reached out and gently tucked a strand of dark hair behind Maeve's ear.
"The surgery costs two hundred thousand dollars, which you do not have," Margaret stated.
Tears pricked the corners of Maeve's eyes as she nodded.
"I will pay for the surgery in full tomorrow morning," Margaret offered.
Maeve looked up in sudden shock.
"But in exchange, you are going to put on my daughter's clothes and get into a black car," Margaret continued.
Sienna rolled her eyes and picked up her expensive purse.
"You will tell Elias Marchetti that you are my secret illegitimate daughter, and you will marry him in Sienna's place," Margaret commanded.
Maeve dropped the laundry basket in pure horror.
"Mr. Marchetti will kill me when he finds out," Maeve cried.
Margaret’s face turned into a mask of pure cruelty.
"If you do not get into that car, I will make one phone call and your brother will be discharged from that hospital to die on the street."
Maeve had no choice but to let them strip away her uniform.
Two hours later, she was wearing a silk designer dress and standing in front of the massive iron gates of the Marchetti estate.
A terrifying man with gray hair and cold eyes opened the front door to greet her.
It was Salvatore, the uncle of the most dangerous man in Chicago.
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Salvatore looked Maeve up and down before pulling a silver handgun from his coat.
"You are wearing Sienna Ashford's dress, but you are definitely not an Ashford," Salvatore said as he pointed the gun directly at her head.
