A new business? This was the first I’d heard of it. Then again, I remembered she’d always kept me in the dark about her plans.

Two years ago, she suddenly brought Astrid home, saying the poor girl reminded her of Zera. She claimed she wanted to give Zera a companion, someone to grow up with. I’d been against the idea at first. Sponsoring the girl was one thing, but bringing her into our home was another.

However, my wife wouldn’t budge. We fought about it for days. Yet in the end, I gave in for the sake of our marriage.

But the moment Astrid arrived at our home, she demanded to swap rooms with Zera upon taking a liking to it. She also took Zera’s favorite snacks without asking, acting like she belonged here more than Zera did.

Whenever I voiced my concerns, my wife brushed them off, insisting Astrid was just "straightforward" and "spirited."

At the time, I convinced myself that having another child around would help Zera open up.

Floyd's POV

But Zera didn’t seem happy. In fact, she carried a kind of sadness that felt far too heavy for someone her age.

I didn’t want my ambition to cost her a childhood without love and attention. Work could wait — so, from now on, my family would come first.

Watching her sleep peacefully, I finally felt a little relief. But just as I began to relax, a sudden shout from downstairs jolted her awake. Her eyes flew open, wide with fear.

I rushed out to see what was happening and found Astrid sprawled on the sofa, legs crossed, furiously playing a game on her phone. She cursed under her breath, oblivious to the disturbance she’d caused.

"You idiots! Do you even know how to play?!"

Seeing her like that made my blood boil. My fists clenched at my sides.

"Astrid, keep your voice down. Zera’s sleeping."

Yet, she didn’t even glance at me. Instead, she irritably shot back, "What do I care if she’s sleeping? Don’t bug me, I’m about to win!"

I stared at her, incredulous. Did she really think she could do whatever she wanted here?

Without another word, I walked over and switched off the Wi-Fi.

"What the hell?!" Astrid shot up, livid. "Why’d you cut the internet?! Do you have any idea how close I was to winning?!"

I met her glare with an icy stare. "This isn’t your house. You don’t get to act like it is. I told you to be quiet, but you didn't follow. Next time, you can pack your bags and leave."