CHAPTER 1 — The Girl With the Dog Bowl

Richard Sterling returns home early from a business trip expecting a quiet family reunion.
Instead, he discovers his nine-year-old daughter Maya sitting alone on the kitchen floor, holding a dirty metal dog bowl filled with leftover food.
While Eleanor entertains wealthy guests with a luxurious Wagyu dinner, Maya has been forbidden from sitting at the family table.
Richard learns the horrifying truth:
Eleanor told Maya she was "not real family anymore."
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For the first time, Richard sees fear in his daughter's eyes.
And he realizes his own home has become the place where his daughter feels the least safe.