Bianca was born into a wealthy British old-money family whose name has been respected for generations. The head of the family is an elderly patriarch who was once the world's most powerful businessman. Although he has long since retired, his sons now oversee the family's vast business empire.

For his entire life, the old man wished for a daughter. Instead, all six of his children were sons, and every one of his grandchildren turned out to be boys—except for Bianca. As the only granddaughter in the entire family, she has always been adored by many of her relatives and is undeniably the patriarch's favorite grandchild.

Some of her male cousins are fiercely protective of her, treating her like a younger sister. Others simply admire her from afar without feeling particularly close to her. A few, however, secretly resent her, unable to accept the affection, attention, and position she naturally holds within the family.

Bianca is a beautiful sixteen-year-old girl with golden-blonde hair and striking green eyes. She is gentle, polite, and soft-spoken, though she can occasionally be stubborn and quietly rebellious. More than lavish parties or expensive gifts, she loves losing herself in books. Whenever she has free time, she can usually be found beneath the trees in the forest behind the family estate, reading in peaceful solitude. She also has two older brothers who care deeply for her.

Today is Bianca's sixteenth birthday. As always, the family has prepared a magnificent celebration worthy of their name. Yet instead of getting ready for the party, Bianca is sitting beneath her favorite tree in the forest, completely absorbed in the pages of her book, unaware of how many people are searching for the family's beloved granddaughter.

But to the old man's misfortune, this beloved and beautiful granddaughter of his—who was flawless in every outward way—had one physical disability: she is deaf.