His Mistress Twisted My Father’s Mind

At six, my father was brainwashed by his mistress Victoria and threw my mother and me into a brutal reformatory to break us. To escape the endless abuse, my mother grabbed me and fled into the dead of night. Victoria hunted us down in her SUV and released vicious guard dogs into the woods. She shoved me to safety and stayed behind, letting herself be mauled to death so I could survive.

Rescued by the revered spiritual guide Madam Agnes, I spent twenty years on her secluded estate. Now I have returned as the ultimate corporate good luck charm. The business world calls me the Midas Touch. My name alone sends stock prices skyrocketing without me working a single day.

Today, Victoria arrived at my door to offer me a job, not recognizing the girl she had once tried to kill. Her husband ran Crawford Enterprises, and my apprentice whispered that signing with them would be a jackpot. Victoria slid the contract across the table with a smug smile, claiming her empire was already booming and I was just the finishing touch. The terms were lavisha seven-figure salary, luxury cars, and a penthouse suite.

I picked up the contract and ripped it cleanly down the middle. Your familys luck is running out. Your business is doomed to fail, and I will take my talents elsewhere.

Victoria had brought a swarm of media reporters and rival CEOs to my living room. Snagging the famous Midas Touch was a massive PR stunt she did not want to miss. She thought she had me in the bag.

She never expected me to tear up her golden ticket in front of flashing cameras.

Her confident smile completely froze. The reporters started murmuring, and the rival executives exchanged gloating looks.

Victoria's face darkened. "Excuse me, Miss Bennett? I do not think I heard you correctly."

Isabella tugged at my sleeve, whispering nervously. "Sera, the Crawfords are top-tier elites. We cannot afford to offend them. Even if you do not sign, at least play nice and give her an out."

I ignored her advice. I locked eyes with Victoria, my mind flooding with the toxic memories of her cruelty.

That night, she was behind the wheel, screaming that she was going to run us over. We scrambled into the woods, and she let the dogs loose. My mother was dragged down into the darkness by those massive beasts. She was torn apart, bleeding everywhere, but she did not scream in pain. She only begged me to run, to live. I stumbled blindly into the night, Victoria's wicked laughter echoing behind me.

Those memories made my fists clench so hard my nails dug into my palms.

I took a deep breath, enunciating every single word. "Your family is cursed with bad karma. Bankruptcy is knocking at your door, and you cannot handle my blessings. Get out. I will never join your company."

Victoria was absolutely livid.

But with the cameras rolling, she forced down her rage and tossed a sleek business card onto the ruined contract.

"Miss Bennett, you clearly misunderstand the situation. Do you know who I am?" She tapped a manicured finger against the card. "I am the Vice President of Crawford Enterprises. I am Anderson Crawford's wife."

She leaned in, dropping her voice to a venomous whisper. "This is your second and final chance. Know when to fold."

"Please leave," I replied coldly.

Without warning, Victoria grabbed the cup of steaming tea from the table and splashed it directly into my face.

Isabella shrieked in anger. "What is wrong with you? Get out of my sister's house!"

Isabella frantically grabbed a cold towel, dabbing at my burning skin. Victoria pointed a finger at me, completely dropping her elegant facade.

"You think you are magic? When we hype you up, you are a lucky star. When we drop you, you are nothing but trash!"

She spun on her heels and stormed out. At the door, she yelled to the crowd. "Are you all blind? Are you really going to worship this con artist? A lucky constitution? It is absolute garbage."

A few people hesitated and scuffled out behind her. But the majority stayed planted in my living room. They watched me with burning curiosity, waiting for my reaction.

Isabella looked at my red skin with tears in her eyes. "Sera, she completely ruined the vibe. I think these CEOs are doubting your abilities now. What do we do?"

I picked up a hand mirror, examining the red blotches on my cheek. "Turn on the TV. If I am right, there should be some breaking news."

Isabella flicked on the flat screen.

Instantly, the entire room gasped.

A special news bulletin was flashing across the screen. Crawford Enterprises had just been busted for a massive supply chain failure. Their flagship products were exposed for containing toxic, counterfeit materials. The company's stock was currently in a terrifying freefall, and class-action lawsuits were already piling up.

I spoke without raising my voice. "Victoria attacked a blessed charm. Looks like karma works fast."

What I did not say was this. This is only the beginning. The real show has not even started.

The executives remaining in my house looked at me with pure awe.

One CEO rushed forward, his eyes burning with desperation. "Miss Bennett, please join my firm. Whatever the Crawfords offered, I will add thirty percent."

The others panicked and started shouting their own bids.

"I will add fifty percent!"

"Eighty percent!"

"I will double it!"

I did not accept any of them. I simply waved my hand. "I am tired. We can discuss this another day."

These men were opportunists who swayed with the wind. I had zero affection for them, so I politely kicked them out.

Surprisingly, they were not angry. Being dismissed only deepened their reverence. To them, a true Midas Touch was supposed to be cold and untouchable.

As they walked out the door, I heard their excited whispers.

"She is the real deal. Whoever gets her on their payroll is set for life."

"Anderson Crawford is a blind fool. Sending his arrogant wife to insult the Midas Touch? He is finished."

"Did you hear her prophecy? The Crawfords are cursed. They will be bankrupt before the quarter ends."

Isabella closed the front gate and turned to me, her voice hushed. "Sera, are the Crawfords really going to go bankrupt?"

"Their empire was built on rotten foundations," I said calmly. "The universe always collects its debts. They will not escape this."

Isabella nodded in agreement.

Less than ten minutes later, a violent pounding echoed from the front yard.

Before we could even unlock the deadbolt, the heavy wooden doors were kicked open. A swarm of men in dark suits stormed into the courtyard.

They parted like the red sea, allowing one man to step forward.

Anderson Crawford.

Seeing that face made my jaw clench. He was the monster who tossed my mother and me into that hellish reformatory.

I still remember the day my mother fell to her knees, pressing her forehead against the floor, begging him.

"Lock me in here until I die, I do not care. Just take our daughter with you! Do not leave her in this abusive nightmare!"

Anderson's face was made of stone. He kicked my mother squarely in the chest, knocking her to the dirt.

I cried, pulling at his tailored suit. "Daddy, do you not love me anymore? Do you not love Mommy?"

He looked down at me with pure disgust. "Get off me! I never want to see either of your faces again."

The bitter memory faded as Anderson stopped right in front of me.

He stared at me with cold, calculating eyes. "So, you are Seraphina Bennett."

I nodded slowly.

After Madam Agnes rescued me, I dropped the Crawford name entirely. I took my mother's maiden name, Bennett. I even threw away the childhood name Anderson had given me, asking my mentor to bless me with a new identity. Seraphina.

Anderson let out a harsh, mocking laugh. He looked me up and down like he was interrogating a criminal.

"I built a billion-dollar empire from the ground up, and you dare call me cursed? Tell me, who paid you to short my stock? Who ordered you to spread these rumors?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Who said they were rumors?"

Anderson raised his voice, his face flushing red. "Answer the question! Who is pulling your strings?"

I glanced at Isabella calmly. "Call the police. Tell them we have a home invasion."

Anderson ignored the threat, consumed by his own rage. "Crawford Enterprises is my life's work! Nobody has the power to destroy it!"

"You planted the toxic seeds," I said smoothly. "Now you are choking on the harvest. You did this to yourself."

Anderson sneered. "I have heard the legends about your little 'Midas Touch.' I admit, it is a neat parlor trick. But you need to understand something. A billionaire's wrath is not something a little girl can survive."

He took a menacing step closer. "It does not matter how magical you are. If you are dead, your constitution is useless."

I smiled. "How exactly do you plan to kill me? Are you going to lock me in an abusive boot camp until I waste away? Or are you going to unleash a pack of dogs to tear my throat out?"

Anderson's face went completely pale.

His lips trembled. "Who the hell are you?"

"You will find out very soon," I said coldly.

Anderson quickly regained his composure, masking his shock with a sneer. "It does not matter who you are. Going against my family is suicide."

He pulled a crumpled contract from his jacket pocket and slammed it onto the table. "Sign it. We can still play nice, and your compensation stays the same."

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Did you honestly think bursting into my home and shouting at me would make me submit? Besides, your company is moments away from filing for Chapter 11. Why would I want a job on a sinking ship?"

Anderson exploded. "You ungrateful little bitch!"

He raised his hand to strike me across the face.

But right at that moment, the wail of police sirens echoed down the street.

Anderson froze. He lowered his hand, glaring at me with pure venom. "I will dig up everything about your past, Seraphina. Nobody in this world is perfectly clean. Once I find your dirty secrets, I will wait for you to come crawling to me on your knees."

He turned and marched out with his men.

Isabella and I obviously did not let him off the hook. We followed the officers to the precinct and filed a detailed police report for trespassing and assault.

By the time we finished giving our statements, the sky was pitch black.

I smiled at Isabella. "Come on. Let me treat you to a nice dinner. You earned it today."

Isabella gripped her purse tightly. "Sera, I am a little scared. The people in this city are so vicious. Maybe we should just go back to the sanctuary and stay with Madam Agnes."

I shook my head. "I have unfinished business here."

We hailed a cab and headed toward the downtown restaurant district.

But halfway through the ride, headlights flashed aggressively in our rearview mirror. A massive black SUV accelerated out of nowhere, slamming violently into our rear bumper.

Our cab spun out of control and flipped.

Shattered glass rained down. Blood dripped into my eyes. Before I could process the crash, the doors were pried open. Isabella and I were dragged out of the wreckage like dead weight and thrown onto the asphalt.

Someone slapped my face hard. "Are you dead? Open your eyes."

I forced my eyes open, blinking through the blood. A young man with a nasty sneer crouched over me.

He grabbed me by the throat, laughing darkly. "Do you know who I am? My father is Anderson Crawford!"

It all made sense now.

This was Preston. Anderson and Victoria's precious son.

Victoria had secured her place in the Crawford empire by giving Anderson a male heir. Preston was the anchor that gave her the power to exile my mother and me.

Preston unscrewed a bottle of cheap liquor and poured it directly over my bleeding face.

The alcohol burned my open wounds, forcing tears from my eyes.

Preston threw his head back and laughed. "I heard you like playing God! How does the pain feel now?"

He snapped his fingers, and a group of thugs stepped out of the shadows.

They grabbed my arms and legs, pinning me to the pavement. Rough hands started tearing at my jacket.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed, thrashing wildly.

Preston smiled, a sick look in his eyes. "My parents tried to negotiate with you nicely, but you were too stupid to listen. So, I am going to teach you a lesson."

"Let us see if your little Midas Touch still works after my guys are done having their fun with you."

He pulled out his phone, holding it up with the flash on, recording the nightmare. The thugs laughed, their hands ripping at my clothes.

Just as my shirt collar gave way, a furious voice shattered the darkness.

"Get your hands off her! Back off!"

A tall silhouette charged out of the shadows. He was swinging a heavy steel baton, bringing it down ruthlessly on the thugs.

At first, the gang tried to fight back, assuming it was just one guy. But this stranger fought like a man with absolutely nothing to lose. He cracked ribs and shattered knees, leaving the thugs howling in pain.

They scrambled away from me, yelling at Preston. "Hey, man! You paid us five hundred bucks to rough up some girl! You didn't say we were going to get murdered!"

The thugs bolted into the night, and Preston immediately jumped back into his damaged SUV, flooring the gas pedal to escape.

The stranger dropped his baton and immediately dialed 911 for an ambulance.

Later, in the bright lights of the hospital ward, we finally exchanged names.

He was Alec Harrington, the heir to the Harrington Group.

He stared at my bandaged face for a long time before speaking. "You look familiar. Are you... the Midas Touch?"

I smiled and nodded.

Isabella chimed in, exasperated. "Your family runs a major corporation, right? How could you not know my sister? Were you not at the elite networking banquet last week?"

Alec rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. "My family's business has been targeted and crushed by the Crawfords for years. We are bleeding money. We could never afford to match the salary demands of a Midas Touch, so we stayed home to avoid the humiliation."

I looked at him warmly, a plan already forming in my mind. Alec had a heart of gold. I could absolutely save his family's empire.

Suddenly, Isabella shot up from her hospital bed, letting out a terrified gasp. "Sera! Oh my god, look at this!"

I was startled. "What is wrong?"

She handed me her phone, her hands trembling.

I looked at the screen, and my vision swam.

The internet was completely flooded with smear campaigns against me.

The accusations were wild, but coordinated.

One post claimed I was a master fraudster, stealing millions from desperate companies under the guise of being a lucky charm.

Another viral thread accused me of corporate extortion. It claimed that if CEOs refused to pay my exorbitant fees, I would intentionally spread rumors and tank their stock prices.

Predictably, anonymous accounts started defending the Crawfords. They claimed the toxic materials scandal was entirely fabricated by me because Anderson refused to be blackmailed.

The gullible public took the bait instantly.

"I knew it! That is why she predicted their bankruptcy! The Crawfords are billionaires, why would they risk their reputation over cheap materials?"

"So the Midas Touch is just a corporate terrorist. Glad she messed with the wrong family this time."

Then came the final, devastating blow. High-resolution photos flooded the timeline, claiming to expose my "disgusting private life."

They were screenshots from the attack tonight. It showed me pinned to the ground with torn clothes, surrounded by men.

But the malicious captions completely warped the reality. They framed it as me participating in twisted, underground orgies.

The slut-shaming was instantaneous and brutal.

"My name is John. Seraphina was my girlfriend. I dumped her because she could not stop cheating."

"I know her background. Her mother was a notorious homewrecker. She is a bastard child with zero morals."

"I bought her for a night at a shady club. Cheap. Only two hundred bucks. I have no idea how she rebranded herself as a lucky charm."

The comments were incredibly vile.

Reading those disgusting lies, I felt a lump form in my throat.

My phone buzzed. It was Anderson Crawford.

His voice dripped with arrogance. "Miss Bennett, I assume you have seen the news?"

"The power of a billionaire is beyond your comprehension. Work with me, or the torment is only going to get worse."

"Is this your idea of extortion?" I asked coldly.

Anderson scoffed. "I am offering you a lifeline, and you call it extortion? Talk about biting the hand that feeds."

"I am giving you a warning. In less than a week, your reputation will be radioactive. You will be begging for a janitor job, and nobody will hire you."

"You have thirty minutes to think about it."

Thirty minutes later, my phone rang again.

I answered and gave him a one-word reply. "Rot."

Anderson hung up with a vicious click.

Ten minutes later, Isabella came into my room, her eyes red from crying. "Sera, they are going too far. People are showing up at our front gate."

A mob of paid actors had gathered outside my residence, holding banners claiming I had scammed them out of their life savings. They were screaming into megaphones.

The chaos attracted online streamers and clout-chasers. They turned my home into a circus, filming, cursing, and throwing trash over the walls.

The very executives who had begged on their knees to hire me yesterday released public statements completely cutting ties with me.

The only family that stood by my side was the Harringtons.

Alec quickly arranged for a covert transfer, moving Isabella and me to a private, highly secure hospital owned by his family's medical branch. Our identities were locked down, shielding us from the mob.

Alec's father, Richard Harrington, personally visited my room with a basket of fruit. He patted his chest, swearing that he would support me with whatever resources I needed.

I thanked him genuinely. "I only have one request. I want to leave this hospital, go back into the public eye, and clear my name."

Richard looked shocked. "Miss Bennett, you cannot show your face right now."

"The internet is a vicious, fickle beast. The outrage burns hot, but it fades quickly. The best strategy is silence. If you hide for three months, everyone will forget this ever happened."

"If you speak out now, every single word will be twisted, and the fire will only spread."

I smiled. "I am not afraid of the fire spreading. I want it to burn down the entire forest."

"Some secrets need to be blasted into the spotlight."

Seeing my absolute certainty, Richard finally nodded.

Alec looked at me with cautious curiosity. "So what is your plan to clear your name?"

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. "I just need a little cooperation from a certain someone."

Alec glanced at the screen, and the color instantly drained from his face. He lunged forward and snatched the phone right out of my hand.

"Are you insane? How could you call him?"