Chapter 1

When my biological parents finally found me, I was polishing a pair of old leather shoes.

The shop was filthy, and my small, skinny hands moved skillfully over the worn boots.

But the customer wasn’t pleased.

“Oh, Goddess! This apprentice is terrible! You’ve ruined my socks with your damn polish!”

I checked carefully, even though my body felt weak—but there wasn’t a single stain.

This man just needed someone to take his frustrations out on.

I was used to it.

I braced myself for the pain.

A brutal kick slammed into my stomach. I hadn’t eaten in two days, and the rusty taste of blood crept up my throat.

I fell, crashing to the floor along with the little wooden stool, the brush, and the tin of shoe polish.

The noise must’ve drawn them in—my so-called parents.

My mother walked over and let out a dramatic scream.

“Alex! You’re such a disobedient child. You can’t even do something this simple? Goddess, I must’ve been cursed!”

She apologized to the customer without even glancing at me, lying there in a heap of broken tools and dust.

And as if an apology wasn’t enough, she pushed me down, trying to force me to kneel and bow to the man.

“Let her go! Goddess, please—let go of my child!”