Prologue

"Bella".

       That cold, serious voice made the eight year-old girl lift her face up abruptly from staring at the imaginary things on her plate on the dining table. Sitting adjacent to her is the head of the family, a man in his mid-forties and one of the successful electronics mogul in the country for the past 15 years. If she's to be asked, she could describe him in many ways, that's a certain thing, but not as a father. In front is her mother wearing a worried expression, as if predicting the next scene.

"Y-yes, S-sir", she responded as she found her voice. The trembling response she just made isn't new to her. Since the day she gained consciousness until now, she had been used to hearing herself the same. It's like she's been with a stranger all her life.

Yeah, my own father, her thought quoted bitterly.

        Victor Smith signalled the buttler the way he always does with composure. He spoke something to the old man, and the latter left. Some piece of paper has been handed to her father after seconds of being away. He then placed it on the table and looked at her straight to the eyes.

Uh, those cold stare again.

"Read".

       She didn't help herself from closing her eyes. She made a deep sigh. She doesn't need to do that anymore since she already knows what's in it, yet she grabbed and slowly opened it. She bit her lower lip --- a sign that she's nervous of what's going to happen. 

"Now, what? Are you really making me mad, young lady? What were those that I told you about?" her father clenched his teeth as if controlling himself from anger outburst.

"S-sir, I can ex----"

"Are you not taking my words seriously? How many times did you fail my expectations? For Christ sake, you.. you are the only heiress of everything we have now, especially the company. How are you going to excellently manage it if even your grades at school is only marked "Good"?"

"But Sir, I did my best----"

"No, you didn't." her father sighed looking away. He has his famous cold expression when he turned his face back at her.

"Listen. Our family has no room for weaklings and mistakes. The best you thought you've given isn't the best in my perspective. You better do your best in my standards. You know me."

Her father left, once again, with the same stabbing words that never fail to hurt every inch of her. She repressed her tears. She shouldn't cry. That'll only prove what her father thought she is. If she wouldn't let herself be strong, she's most probably be unexistent by now.

*I could always change the name if anyone does a suggestion, well, preferrably a DONGHOLIC. heheh :) Please PM me if you want yourself (your name to be exact) to be the female lead character. <3

Thank you for reading!! ^^