The Billionaire's Lost Daughter

Freya kept pulling her dress down, trying to cover her exposed thighs. Not only was it short, but it was also uncomfortable to wear.

Soon after, Freya was startled to hear the bedroom door open. Instinctively, she grabbed the towel next to her and covered her thighs.

“Mom!”

“What are you doing? Oh my gosh, you still haven’t put on your makeup yet, Freya!”

Freya shook her head slowly. “Can I wear my old dress, Mom? This one’s too short and tight,” she said.

“Mommy doesn’t like your old, outdated dress. You look prettier in this one. Look, you’re so s*xy and elegant.”

Freya lifted her head and smiled at her mother’s compliment, especially since she also received a gentle pat on the head.

“Am I really pretty, Mom? Do I look like Dania?”

“Yes, you’re as pretty as Dania. But you’ll look even prettier if you put on some makeup.”

Freya’s smile grew even wider. This was the first time her mother had ever called her beautiful. Usually, her mother only praised Dania, not her.

“Mommy worked really hard to buy this dress for you. So you have to look beautiful tonight. Do you understand, Freya?”

Without hesitation, Freya nodded. She didn’t know what her mother was putting on her face, so she closed her eyes as instructed. But Freya had often seen Dania sitting in front of the mirror like this.

“It turns out raising you all this time hasn’t been in vain, Freya.” Dora smiled contentedly at the sight of Freya’s face. “Open your eyes, Freya.”

Slowly, Freya opened her eyes and was mesmerized by the reflection of her face in the mirror. Instantly, she touched her cheek and said, “Isn’t this a bit too much, Mom?”

“Of course not. You actually look absolutely beautiful.”

“But....”

“Do you want to embarrass Mommy and Daddy, Freya? You have to look your best tonight. Let’s go out—Daddy’s already waiting for us.”

Freya obeyed without saying a word, because she didn’t want to disappoint her mother.

Not wanting to see her mother get angry again, Freya followed Dora, who had already left her room.

“Oh my gosh, why are you wearing a towel? Are you going out with a towel around your waist, Freya?!”

The girl just bit her lip at her mother’s outburst. “But the dress is so short, Mom.”

“So what if the dress is short?! Isn’t this much nicer, and you look more grown-up, too? Remember, Freya, we’re going to a party, not the bathroom. So, get rid of this d*mn towel!”

Feeling annoyed, Dora threw the towel aside.

“Freya, I’m not comfortable, Mom.”

“You’ll have to get used to it starting now.”

Shortly afterward, Freya was startled when her mother dragged her into the living room. There, her father was already waiting for them.

“Let’s go; they must be waiting for us,” Renzo said hurriedly.

“Now? But Dania hasn’t come out of her room yet, Dad. Isn’t she coming too? I’ll go get her.”

Freya started to walk over, but the next second she stopped in her tracks when her mother pulled her hand again.

“Dania already left.”

Freya furrowed her brow; her lips were about to part to ask a question, but Dora pulled her out of the house first.

“We’re already late, Freya. Don’t make a fuss. There’s no way we can go without Dania.”

Freya fell silent upon hearing her mother’s words, because what she said was true—there was no way they could leave Dania alone at home while the three of them went to the party.

However, Freya’s curiosity was piqued again when she saw a black luxury car parked in front of the house. She turned to her mother, but before she could ask, her mother pushed her into the car.

“What are you thinking, Freya? Isn’t this much better? When else will we get to ride in a luxury car like this, hmm?”

Freya didn’t answer. But her young mind wondered whose car this was and who the man sitting in the driver’s seat was. As far as she knew, none of her father’s relatives owned a luxury car like this, nor did any of her mother’s.

Did this car belong to one of her father’s business associates?

Curiosity increasingly took hold of Freya’s heart, but every time she turned her head, she was met with a cold stare from her mother. That’s why she chose to stay silent and keep her curiosity buried deep inside.

Throughout the ride, Freya could only whisper to herself as the streets they passed looked unfamiliar to her. But her parents seemed calm, which meant they’d traveled this route before.

After an hour’s drive, Freya snapped out of her thoughts when the car they were riding in came to a stop. She immediately got out of the car and followed her mother.

Shortly after, the man sitting in the driver’s seat got out as well and told them to follow him.

“What kind of place is this, Mom? Where’s the party?” Freya whispered. She wrapped her arms even tighter around Dora’s. It was as if she was afraid her mother would leave her behind in this place.

“I already told you, don’t ask so many questions. Don’t you want to be a good daughter? Just do as I say if you don’t want Mommy to get mad.”

Besides the music playing in the background, Freya couldn’t focus on her mother’s words because the place looked so strange to her.

Freya didn’t know where they were, but she knew her mother would get mad at her if she asked again.

“Mom...”

“Don’t worry.”

Freya smiled, feeling a little relieved at her mother’s answer. She thought her parents would surely protect her and would never let anything bad happen to her, especially since her father was with them too.

However, the further she walked inside, the more fear took hold of Freya’s heart. She didn’t know what was in there, but this time she was truly afraid. On top of that, the music was getting louder and louder.

“Mom, Freya’s scared. Let’s go home.”

Dora immediately took Freya’s hand upon hearing her words.

“Don’t let Mommy down, Freya. Dania is waiting for us inside.”

“But, Mom...”

“Do you want Dania to wait for us all night? Don’t you feel sorry for her? She must have been anxiously waiting for us this whole time.”

Freya pressed her lips together. It was true—Dania had been waiting inside. Perhaps because she was so nervous—and this was her first time here—fear took hold of her.

Soon they reached a black door, which swung wide open. For some reason, Freya’s heart was pounding, as if something was about to happen inside that room. But seeing her father and mother go inside, she pushed those negative thoughts aside.

The next moment, Freya jumped when she heard the door close again. However, it wasn’t that which made her heart race—it was the several men standing not far from her.

Quickly, Freya pulled her dress down again, hoping to cover her thighs a little. But her efforts were in vain.

“Where’s Dania, Mom?” she asked softly when she didn’t see Dania.

“Sorry we’re late,” said Renzo, bowing his head, as did Dora.

“Mom, where’s Dania? Why don’t I see her?” Freya asked again.

Instead of getting an answer, Freya received a sharp glare from her mother.

“Take your hands away from there, Freya. Don’t make me angry.”

Freya clenched both her hands tightly, trying to hold back her tears at her mother’s words. However, she couldn’t do anything when her mother ordered her to obey.

She didn’t know why her parents had brought her here—weren’t they supposed to be going to a party? Where was Dania, and where was the party? What was this place, and who were these people? Why did they look so scary?

Freya’s gaze shifted to one of the men, who then opened a suitcase he was holding. A moment later, Freya’s eyes widened at the sight of stacks of dollar bills inside.

Instantly, a sense of foreboding overwhelmed her. Still, she tried to think positively, telling herself that what was going on wasn’t what she feared.

Yes, they must be her father’s business associates.

“Is that the girl you promised, sir?”

The man’s baritone voice struck Freya’s ears like a bolt of lightning in broad daylight. Her breath caught in her throat. The tears she had been holding back finally fell, unstoppable.

Slowly, she lifted her face, gazing at her father with tear-filled eyes. Her lips trembled violently.

“What… what do you mean, Dad?”

Renzo didn’t even glance at his daughter.

“Yes. She’s the girl I promised you. Just as we agreed. You get what you want, and I get what I want.”

Those words shattered what little hope Freya had left.

Her legs went weak. Her chest felt tight, as if an invisible hand were squeezing her heart.

The man looked Freya up and down.

“What if she’s disabled?”

Renzo shook his head firmly.

“I’ve made sure she’s perfect. If you have any doubts, feel free to check for yourself.”

Thud.

Freya’s world seemed to stop spinning.

“Dad…”

The faint voice was barely audible. She was still trying to convince hers