Chapter 1

During my company's long holiday, my birth mother insisted on arranging for me to take a budget road trip to Alaska in a broken-down RV with a 50-year-old homeless man named Derek Stone.

Derek was balding with terrible breath and looked absolutely greasy.

"Aria, this is all to build your resilience and work ethic. Hothouse flowers can't withstand storms."

"Besides, Derek is experienced. He can protect you along the way. This is a growth opportunity others would beg for!"

Under the approving gazes of my relatives, I obediently agreed.

Then I turned around and gave this precious ride-share ticket to my pampered sister, who kept going on about wanting to experience "vagabond literature."

Half a month later, my birth mother received a desperate call from the police station.

Her eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the floor.

"You're quitting that part-time job tomorrow. You're going to Alaska with Derek during the holiday."

My mom, Rachel Lane, slammed her fork down on the table, her tone brooking no argument.

My hand froze mid-air, gripping my spoon. I instinctively looked up.

"Mom, my project bonus just came through. I was planning to use it for Grandma's surgery fees. I need to stay at the hospital during the break..."

"You don't need to worry about the surgery fees. I've already taken care of it for you."

Mom dismissed me casually, then pulled out an elegant Chanel gift box from behind her and pushed it toward my sister, Lydia.

"Lydia, see if you like it? Didn't you say you wanted this shade?"

Lydia squealed with delight, tearing open the packaging and rubbing the lambskin bag over and over.

"Wow, Mom, you're the best!"

"This bag costs over thirty thousand, right? Where'd you get the money?"

My heart lurched violently. I shot to my feet, my voice trembling.

"Mom, that's my project bonus I deposited in the account. That's Grandma's life-saving money!"

"Smack!"

A sharp slap landed across my face, instantly swelling half of it red.

Mom pointed at my nose, her face full of disgust.

"All you care about is filthy money. That's your sister's graduation present!"

"Grandma has doctors there. What are you yelling about?"

The slap sent my head to the side, and I tasted blood in my mouth.

The relatives around us all set down their forks. My uncle spoke up with a meaningful tone.

"Aria, you're in the wrong here. Money is just material possession. Your mother is teaching you about the importance of family."

Just then, the private dining room door was pushed open.

A middle-aged man reeking of sour stench, with sparse, greasy hair, walked in.

He wore a tattered tank top of indeterminate color, his yellowed teeth on full display.

As soon as he entered, his murky eyes shamelessly scanned my chest and thighs.

"This must be Aria, huh? What a pretty girl."

The man chuckled darkly and extended his hand—fingernails caked with black grime—directly wiping it across my clean white blouse.

"I'm Derek Stone. Aria, Uncle will take real good care of you on this trip."

My stomach churned. I jerked backward.

"Mom, you want me to go on a road trip with someone like this? This is a death sentence!"

"Outrageous!"

Mom slammed her hand on the table so hard the dishes rattled.

"Derek is an experienced traveler! He's been all over—what hasn't he seen?"

"Having you go with him is your good fortune!"

"Look at you now. All you know is making money. You have zero resilience for life."

"I'm doing this to build your endurance and work ethic. Hothouse flowers can't withstand storms."

Lydia sat beside us eating cherries, adding her snide commentary.

"Exactly. I've always dreamed of that kind of gypsy vagabond lifestyle—so free and romantic."

"Too bad I'm too delicate to go, otherwise this soul-touching opportunity wouldn't even be your turn."

She continued stroking her new bag as she spoke.

Her eyes were full of mockery.

Derek leaned closer to me, his intense halitosis assaulting my senses.

"Baby, I've got grass mats laid out in the back of the RV. We'll squeeze in together—nice and warm."

The relatives all nodded approvingly, as if I were about to embark on some stairway to heaven.

"Aria, listen to your mother. Don't be ungrateful."

"Right. Young people today are too soft. They need to toughen up at the bottom."

I looked at these hypocritical faces, at Derek's bone-chilling leer.

The last trace of warmth in my heart completely extinguished.

I lowered my eyes, concealing the violence churning beneath them.

When I looked up again, my face wore an obedient smile.

"Fine. I'll go."