Chapter 1

My daughter was dead set on marrying a broke man twelve years older than her.

Not only was he drowning in debt from online loans, he also came with a deadweight son suffering from kidney failure.

I froze her accounts to force the breakup. She went on a hunger strike in protest, then ran away from home.

Half a month later, the man showed up at my door with my frail daughter in tow, demanding compensation like he was owed it:

"Ma'am, Vivi has already donated one of her kidneys to little Benny behind your back — her way of proving she'd treat him like her own son."

"All I'm asking is that you transfer your downtown penthouse to Benny for his recovery, and give me ten million to start a business. Do that, and I'll consider letting Vivi officially join the Lancaster family."

I looked at my daughter standing beside him — hand pressed to her surgical wound, wearing a dreamy, lovesick smile as she nodded along.

That was the moment I gave up completely.

"Fine," I said. "As long as you're both happy."