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My father jumped to his feet. “It’s not rape if I was drugged too!”

“No, it’s not,” I agreed, swallowing a snort when my father—no, Kenneth—gave the woman a vindicated look. “But did youreport itafter it happened? No, right? And one time didn’t get her pregnant, did it?”

“I was—that was—”

“You knew something wasn’t right,” I pushed. “You might be a gambling addict, but you’re not a complete fool and drunkard.”

“Of course not!” he bellowed.

“Right, so you figured out that you were being drugged and given over to a woman not your mate,” I said firmly, turning to the woman and smirking. “Because I’m a bastard. Did he tell you that?”

“No, no, he did not,” she bit out, her jaw grinding.

“He never does because it was hiswifewho drugged him so he raped a maid. She didn’t want her beloved daughter to be subjected to him after she was sold to him and knew Kenneth would do the same.” I smacked his hand away when he reached for me and faced him. “I would rather the wholeworldknow than you ever have a chance to sell me.

“I have never cared about suchnonsensebecause I am my own person and what matters is who I became. Theembarrassingpart is being your daughter, not that I’m a bastard. What’s shameful is what was done to my mother, andyou hid it. That you let me believe your wife who did this to both of us was my mother. That you believe you own me.

“I ammine, Kenneth. I have never thought for one moment I am your property. Not when I was a girl and certainly notnowwhen I have built a life for myself afterfleeingyou. If you were a fraction of my intelligence, you would have done your homework better, and you arenotthe head of my family anymore, fool.”

“That’s not possible unless you’re mated, girl,” he hissed.

“It is because there are other unhinged assholes like you. I’m Ellie Reed-Miller,” I purred. “I had myself legally removed.Centuries agoeven before the laws forbidding selling family into matings.” The smile I gave him wasn’t all that sane. “You have nothing you can gain here but lost everything you had left poking out your damn head, you fool.”

I saw a blur from my right and worried it was Ha-joon, but then I saw him coming and moving to intercept someone.

Alan.

“Unhand me,” Alan snarled, his fangs out and trying to get Ha-joon off of him. “I will kill the bastard.”

“Don’t,” Ha-joon grunted. “She has it in hand.”

“Kenneth Reed, come with us,” the officer said as he joined us.

I did a double take when I saw he wasn’t just normal patrol but someone with rank. He dipped his head to me, making it clear that the right people received my message.

Thank. Fuck.

“I’ve broken no laws,” Kenneth argued.

I snorted. “That’s never true.”

The officer ignored me and moved to block Kenneth from me. “We were unable to locate you to serve you with the federal protection order Dr. Ellie Reed-Miller has against you after the last time you tried to illegally sell her and fraudulently speak forher. This country was the first to enact the laws preventing that and she was already a citizen here at that time.

“Given your status at the time, we were unable to press charges, but the proof was enough to get the order. We are to bring you to the station and explain the order and have you sign you understand it along with the repercussions should you contact her again. This isn’t a request, and failure to comply will result in your arrest now.”

I turned to the woman with my hand extended. “Are you going to give me the agreement you signed that’s fraud or are you going to risk he does and blames you for everything? Because I promise you that he will.”

“Don’t you dare,” Kenneth warned her.

Luckily, she was smart enough and nodded to her son.

He pulled a folder out of his briefcase but cleared his throat, focusing on the officer. “We were told she was completely aware of this agreement and everything had been processed on her end as a citizen of Europe.”

I snatched it before anything could happen to it. “Well, you’re extra stupid because there are statutes preventing foreign citizens holding positions like running hospitals. You know, like you wanted to once you were my mate and took over.”

“What?” Alan roared, and Ha-joon was so shocked to hear that his hold slipped and Alan started to get free.

“Oh yeah, apparently, that was the deal to buy me this time,” I drawled. “That would make arespectablefamily look the other way that my birth father is a gambler and lost everything. Minor details if your child could just mate the person who runs ASH and take over.” I shook my head and swatted my forehead with the folder. “The world is so fucking ugly.”