Chapter Two: Be Thankful

A little kid was staring obediently at a baby, his small hands gripping the crib. When Mrs. Gravi entered the room, she chuckled at her son.

"Oh no! My little Rafael has fallen in love with Old Fen's new family member!"

Looking up at his mother, Rafael didn't react to her words.

"What's this? Is my baby shy? Do you want me to help you confess?" she added playfully.

Mrs. Gravi was a middle-aged woman who had always been obsessed with money and social status. But everything changed when she met her husband, Joey. Joey was a member of an organization led by John, and while his income was enough to put food on the table every day, it was nothing compared to the luxurious life Mrs. Gravi had before. She was once a well-known actress, rumored to have the worst attitude in the industry. Yet, after meeting Joey, she gave up her fame and status just to be with him.

That's why, when she saw Cierra, she had already planned her son's future.

"You know what, son? If the gods allow it... you can become her husband."

Rafael's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard from his mother. He had only been looking at the baby out of jealousy. Ever since Cierra arrived at the mansion, everyone had cared for her, unlike him. His younger brother always stayed by their mother's side, receiving all her attention.

It was already a miracle that his mother was speaking to him so proudly. A bright smile spread across Rafael's face.

"I can become her husband?" he asked, his small fists clenched against his chest, his eyes twinkling with happiness.

Finally, his mother was looking at him.

"Of course! That's why you should take care of her. You're my only hope, Rafael—my sweetest son," Mrs. Gravi said, her mind already brimming with schemes.

Finally, she could live in luxury again.

"Yes! I'll do my best for you, Mother!" Rafael declared excitedly.

He didn't want to forget the warm feeling of his mother's attention. And this was all thanks to Cierra. He gently held the baby's tiny hand and looked at her happily.

"Hi, Rara. I promise I'll take good care of you, now and forever. So please be kind to me."

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Old Fen stepped inside.

"What a sweet promise," he said, his voice carrying an edge of warning. "But a snake should stay in its own territory. Don't cross over, or you'll regret it."

Mrs. Gravi chuckled.

"Old Fen, don't misunderstand my son. He only wants to be friends with your granddaughter. You never know... maybe he's your future in-law," she teased.

Old Fen's brows furrowed. Never in his life had anyone spoken to him so boldly. He took Cierra into his arms and held her protectively.

"Don't use your son to manipulate others," he said, his smile cold. "A hen has no business controlling a snake. From a snake's point of view, a hen is nothing more than food. But sadly for you, this snake isn't looking for food—it wants a treat."

Mrs. Gravi blinked repeatedly, furrowing her brows as she scratched her head.

"Old Fen, you keep talking about snakes. Did you grow fond of them or something?" she chuckled.

Meanwhile, Rafael stood frozen, staring at Old Fen. He was seven years old and loved reading books, but people often called him a slow learner. Unlike his younger brother, who could already speak fluently at the age of three, Rafael struggled to keep up.

He looked up at Old Fen with serious eyes.

"Are you saying... the snake is me? And the hen is my mother, Old Fen?"

Old Fen chuckled.

"That's right. Remember this: A snake that cannot give up its form will never be able to fly high. And a snake that doesn't understand the true worth of food... is nothing compared to a mad dog."

Annoyed by the conversation, Mrs. Gravi groaned.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand a word of what you two are talking about! How am I a hen?" she huffed.

A deep, quiet hum filled the room, making the air even heavier.

"Not knowing... is exactly why you're a hen," Old Fen replied.

Without another word, he left the room with Cierra in his arms. As he walked down the hall, he glanced at the baby one more time.

"Forget flying high," he murmured. "With that boy's reaction, there's no way he'll ever soar. But you... you're different. You were born to be a dragon, meant to fly higher than the sky. A snake that cannot transform is not worthy of you. When you grow up... find someone who will treat you as a human being, despite all the scars you've shed."

-10 Years Later-

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. It had already been ten years since Cierra was kidnapped.

Old Fen never treated Cierra as his grandchild.

To him, she was the one who had ruined their plans to start a war.

Though he thought like that, he still made everyone believe that he treated Cierra as his grandchild—not because he wanted them to be kind to her, but because he wanted everyone to hate her. That's why, by the age of one, Cierra was already learning. Old Fen even gave her high praise, and because of this, Cierra's reputation as a genius young dragon was established.

Cierra stood in the corner, pressing her ear against the door while straining her eyes to see through the darkness. She had been forced to do labor since she was four. When the clock struck seven in the evening, she was sent outside to work. But at four in the morning, she was locked inside her room.

She was surrounded by bookshelves and stacks of books. The old, damp smell of a bloodstained shirt filled her nostrils.

"I should have thrown that body outside… but if I did, they might think I killed him," she muttered, looking at the corpse.

It was Joey.

That man had forced himself on Cierra, telling her it was her duty to satisfy him. Joey was thirty-four years old and had been assaulting her since she was three. Old Fen had allowed it. Every time she cried to him, he would only say that she was a dragon, and dragons must shed their past to become beautiful.

He had even given her a knife and poisonous plants, telling her that a baby dragon must learn to hunt on their own.

"But it's true… I did it," she whispered. "If what I read in those books was right, then I was being raped. This was self-defense."

She glanced at the books she had already read. In a twisted way, she owed it to Old Fen—he was the one who had taught her how to read. He was also the first person she had killed.

It had been his wish.

"He said if I ever realized they were wrong, I should just kill them. But last night, I learned that killing people is wrong… I don't understand. Should I do to myself what I did to them?" she murmured.

"Forget it," she muttered, shaking her head. "Grandpa Fen said I'm a dragon. A dragon shouldn't be afraid to live."

The creaks and groans of the old shed whispered around her. She pressed her body against the door, listening intently. Suddenly, a loud, shrill voice broke the silence.

"Where the fuck is Joey?! I told you not to spoil your husband! The police are getting nosier. If he gets caught, we'll all end up in jail! The informants already abandoned us!"

Cierra's breath hitched.

A second voice, hoarse and furious, snapped back, "The informants wouldn't have abandoned us if your daughter had just kidnapped the right person!"

Their voices echoed through the mansion, making Cierra's heart race. She swallowed hard and listened carefully.

"Why are Mr. Rosi and Mrs. Gravi fighting? What do they mean by 'kidnapping the right person'? Does that mean… I wasn't the one they were supposed to take?" she whispered.

Mr. Rosi let out a bitter laugh, his fists clenching tightly.

"My daughter wouldn't have made a mistake if the informant's son had just told us that the mafia's daughter was in the same hospital as the babies!"

Cierra's eyes widened. Her hand bumped into the door, making a loud crack.

Both Mr. Rosi and Mrs. Gravi snapped their heads toward the sound.

"This bitch!" Mr. Rosi cursed. "Scaring me for no reason!"

With a powerful kick, the door slammed open.

"Don't forget your job at 7 PM! Or I'll send you to that mafia and see if you make it out alive!" he threatened.

Cierra stumbled to the ground, her mind spinning.

She had heard rumors before. Whispers in the halls, murmurs behind closed doors—people saying she had been kidnapped. But she never believed them.

Grandpa Fen never told her that.

He had always treated her like his own grandchild. He gave her books, taught her to read, and told her stories. Even when he handed her a knife, even when he told her to hunt, she never thought it was because she wasn't supposed to be here.

"So my father… was part of this, too?" she realized.

A bitter chuckle left her lips.

"Thank god it was me who got kidnapped. If they had taken the mafia's daughter instead, she would've never survived this long."

She hugged her knees, shivering.

"Grandpa Fen told me that his first child was killed by a mafia… That's why he let those men stay in his mansion. He said he planned to torture the mafia's daughter. He even showed me all his equipment."

Her fingers dug into her arms as she tried to make sense of it all.

"But when he saw me, he thought I was his daughter." Her voice cracked. "Then why didn't he tell me I was kidnapped?"

Tears pricked her eyes.

"He was right… I shouldn't have trusted him."

Her gaze drifted to her shoes. "What am I, Grandpa?" she whispered. "Who am I?"

She buried her head against her knees.

"I shouldn't have killed you so soon," she mumbled. "If I had waited, maybe… just maybe… I wouldn't feel this much anger now."