Lily hesitated, then replied bitterly, "My dad went gambling again. This time, he lost ten million. The people he owes said they'd take his hand if he didn’t pay up. So, he sold me off to save himself."
Emily’s expression tightened. "Doesn't he know you’ve earned millions in the past few years?"
Lily shook her head. "I never told him. If he knew, he'd gamble it all away. I don’t want him to have access to that money, and I’ll never give it to him."
Emily looked at Lily, feeling a deep sympathy. She remembered how Lily once had a happy family life before her father’s gambling addiction bankrupted them and drove her mother to leave him.
“You’re right not to tell him. Have you thought about cutting ties with him completely?” Emily asked.
Lily looked up, surprised. "I’ve thought about it, but I know that as long as he’s around, his shadow will always be there."
"Gambling’s illegal, and he even sold you to settle his debts," Emily replied firmly.