I came home early to surprise my younger brother. But when I arrived, I couldn’t find him anywhere.

By chance, I saw part of his clothes sticking out from the closed dog cage near the yard gate. I rushed over, opened it and found his small body curled up in a wooden dog cage, barely one square meter in size.

I was shocked.

“Why are you sleeping here? Come out, I brought your favorite New York cheesecake.”

He shook his head.

“No. Cheesecake is only for humans. Puppies don’t deserve it. Puppies can only eat dog food.”

Then, my stepmother's voice came from behind, “Thomas said studying was too hard. He said being a dog was easier and insisted on staying in the dog cage.”

I turned and saw her. She was heavily pregnant, at least eight months along. Around her neck hung the Woodward Family’s signet ring, half of which should belong to my brother and me.

She noticed me staring and smiled proudly, touching her stomach.

“The doctor says it’s a boy. So both Thomas’s seal and yours should be mine now.”

I secretly smiled. She probably didn’t know my father had married into our family and lost his fertility the same year my brother was born.

——

However, my heart sank when I saw the iron chain around my brother’s neck. The young son of the Woodward Family was now treated like a pet. No wonder he hadn’t contacted me in the three years I’d been abroad.

Whenever I asked my father, he would say that my brother was busy with schoolwork.

His old room was gone. The whole mansion looked different with new furniture, unfamiliar layout. Nothing was like it was when my mother was alive.

I pulled my brother out of the cage and dusted him off. The jacket he wore was one I gave him years ago. It was torn and barely covered him. I took off my coat and wrapped it around him.

“How dare you speak like that to the young son of the Woodward Family?” I asked, finally snapping.

“How dare you speak to your mother like that?” someone else added.

My father appeared behind her with strangers. They looked at me with hostility.

“My mother passed away long ago,” I said.

“What does she mean?”

“Elizabeth! Agatha is my wife, your mother now and the lady of this house. Apologize, or I won’t recognize you as my daughter!”

“A nanny from the countryside who climbed into your bed is not my mother. And Richard, maybe you’ve forgotten what our family name is.”

My mother was the 75th generation of the Woodward Family, respected in both the underworld and non-underworld. She led the Woodward Corporation and could command 8,000 branches across America.

Such a strong woman, somehow, fell in love with a man like my father. To be with him, she gave up everything. She even convinced my grandfather to allow their marriage, letting my father join the family by name.

My brother and I called our grandfather “Grandpa,” and my mother gave each of us a half of the family’s signet ring. She told us only to use them in great need. Then, she became ill and passed away suddenly.

My father said my brother needed care and brought his childhood friend, Agatha Redmonton, from his hometown.

“I agreed to let Agatha come as a nanny,” I said coldly.

“Not to become the lady of the Woodward Family.”

Richard Woodward, my father, slapped me hard. “

I make the decisions now! If you don’t like it, leave!”

I held my burning cheek.

“Don’t forget, you’re living in the estate my mother bought before marriage. It belongs to the Woodward Family. If anyone’s leaving, it should be you … and her.”

“I really gave you face, huh?” Richard raised his hand to slap me again, but Agatha stopped him, pretending to be calm.

“Let her, she is still young and naive. I won’t argue with her.”

“Elizabeth, it’s not that I treat your brother badly. He just finds studying too hard and wants to live like a dog.”

“I didn’t agree to him living in a dog cage. He threw tantrums at home because of it.”

“He even went on a hunger strike when I didn’t let him live there. I had no choice but to give in.”

“If you don’t believe me, ask your father or let Thomas tell you himself.”

Richard scoffed.

“It’s Thomas who doesn’t study well. He’d rather be a dog and skip school. A useless child like that isn’t worthy of being my son!”

My brother tugged at my sleeve, his voice hoarse a she spoke, “Elizabeth, I don’t like school. I like being a dog and living in the dog cage. I am a puppy. Woof, woof.”

“You’re not a dog! You’re a person!”

I looked around and noticed there were no older family members in the yard. The original staff was gone, replaced by strangers who watched me closely.

“I don’t care about the past. But now that I’m back, my brother will not be a dog here!” I said firmly.

Agatha gave a fake smile.

“Elizabeth, you should discipline Thomas from now on. We can’t control him.”

She then picked up a ball from the ground and tossed it. My brother immediately dropped to all fours and ran after it. He grabbed it with his mouth and returned it to her. She threw it again and my brother was about to chase it when I grabbed him.

“Thomas! You’re a human, not a dog. You need to walk on two legs and use your hands to pick things up! Promise me you won’t act like a dog anymore.”

He shook his head as he responded, “No, I’m a puppy. I like being a puppy.”

Agatha laughed loudly, shaking the ball in her hand and asked, “Do you want to play more?”

My brother stuck out his tongue, happily saying, “Yes! Yes!”

“Enough!”

Not long after that, I turned to Richard.

“My mother told you to take care of my brother before she died and this is how you take care of him?”

Richard just shrugged, saying, “I can’t help it if he’s useless.”

“Take the key and untie the chain around his neck!”

No one moved. I glared at the servants around me.

“Are you all deaf? Go get the key.”

Only when Agatha spoke did anyone act. It was clear I had no control over the people in this house. Once the chain was off, my brother panicked. He pulled his neck back, trying to crawl into the dog cage.

“I’m a puppy. I have to live in the dog cage!”

I quickly hugged him and told him, “Thomas, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to see a doctor.”

I didn’t have time to clean him up. I rushed him to the hospital.

The doctor’s examination showed that my brother not only had severe psychological issues, but his body was also badly harmed. There were scars of various sizes on his chest and back, hidden by his clothes.

The doctor explained that my brother had been whipped and beaten with a stick and his body showed large burn marks. His ribs were fractured and even his skull had been damaged.

Hearing the doctor’s words, tears filled my eyes.

These people are monsters!

I held my brother tightly as I said, “Thomas, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you from now on. No one will hurt you again.”

I brought my brother back to the estate, where Agatha greeted us, rubbing her pregnant belly.

“Elizabeth, where is your Woodward Family’s signet ring? Do you have it with you?”

My luggage was already on the living room floor, unpacked and turned over.

“Who allowed you to touch my luggage?” I asked, demanding an answer.

“Elizabeth, give your half of the signet ring to your mother,” Agatha said.

“Your mother is pregnant with your brother and he will inherit the family’s property in the future.”

I laughed, but it was a laugh filled with anger.

“The Woodward Family cares a lot about bloodlines and only we can lead the family to success. Based on the bastard in your belly, you thinks he deserves to be the heir?”

Richard’s face turned pale as he responded, “How can you speak like that? That’s your brother, not a bastard!”

“Does she know it deep down?” I retorted.

Agatha leaned on Richard’s arm, pretending to be hurt.

“Your father is the only man in my life. How could you say such terrible things about me?”

“Hurry up and apologize to your mother!” Richard shouted.

I ignored him and dragged my brother to the room.

Richard kept yelling behind me, “Your mother even had someone clean your room and prepare your favorite fruit for you. Are you really going to treat her like this?”

Once I had my brother inside, I locked the door. Richard tried to get someone to force me out, but Agatha pretended to calm him down and it wasn’t long before everything outside became quiet.

I gave my brother a bath, changed his clothes and watched him fall asleep before I lay down next to him. I would deal with everything tomorrow once my people arrived.

It was late when I finally fell asleep. But when I opened my eyes again, my brother was gone. I immediately woke up and started searching for him.

I found my brother in the dining room, kneeling on the floor, serving food to Agatha’s nephew.

Andrew Redmonton, Agatha’s niece, saw me and smirked, “My aunt said Thomas should be my servant. He was born to serve me.”

Then, he threw a piece of bread on the ground as he shouted at Thomas, “Good dog, pick it up!”

My brother immediately crawled over to get it with his mouth.

Andrew laughed.

“You even eat what I chewed. You really are a dog!”

He climbed onto my brother’s back as he shouted at my brother, “Run faster and I’ll give you another treat!”

Thomas then crawled all over the house with Andrew riding him.

“Run faster! If you run so slowly, I won’t give you any food!” Andrew shouted.

My brother sped up and Andrew threw some dog food in front of him. My brother went straight for it.

“You’re nothing but a dog who only knows how to eat!” Andrew taunted.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I kicked Andrew off my brother.

He fell to the ground but quickly stood up, yelling at me. “How dare you hit me!”

“Someone tie her up!” he ordered.

“No one will touch me!” I shouted, pulling my brother into my arms.

“If you kneel and apologize to my brother now, I might spare you. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next,” I warned Andrew.

“Oh, you think you’re in charge now?” Andrew asked, sneering.

“This family is now under the name Blackville and so is the Woodward Corporation! My uncle has the final say here, not you!”

“Grab her!” he ordered and the bodyguards rushed to hold me and my brother down.

Agatha walked over, pretending to be kind.

“Elizabeth, my nephew is spoiled by me. He didn’t mean any harm. He was just playing with Thomas.”

She looked at me as she said, “Give me the signet ring and I’ll have him apologize to you and Thomas.”

“You want the signet ring? You’re dreaming!” I shouted angrily.