Chapter 1

My brother borrowed $7.5 million from me to open a luxury pet grooming salon, promising me free services for life.

But just as my dog, Muffin, finished her treatment and I was about to leave, a staff member with a dramatically made-up face called out to me.

"Miss, you haven't paid yet. How can you just leave?"

I politely explained, showing her my lifetime free access card.

But the woman simply flung it back at me, hitting my face, her expression full of scorn.

"Miss, if you can't afford it, don't bother coming! Who are you trying to fool with this card?! Pay up now!"

With that, she shoved the bill right into my face. It was $280,000?!

I was stunned. "Are you robbing me?! That's outrageous! I invested in this place! Your boss is my brother! Do you think I don't know the prices?!"

But she sneered, then signaled for a group of burly men to surround me.

"We *are* robbing you! Don't think I don't know – you're just an adopted orphan!"

"Today, you're not only paying this $280,000, but every penny you've ever cost Mark, from childhood until now, is coming back to him!"

I scoffed, my anger bubbling into laughter, and immediately called my assistant.

"Withdraw my $7.5 million investment!"

I wanted to see who, in the Caldwell family, was the real adopted orphan!