Chapter 1: The Start of an End

"Look up above... fabulous! Now, to the right. Magnificent! Left... and cut! That's it for today!"

The model of the top and famous jewelry company had a sculpted figure which was twine-thin with a burnished complexion. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on sweeping eyelashes as she blinked, the people couldn't help but sweat over the beauty in front of them. 

A set of dazzling, angel-white teeth gleamed when she blew gently on her carmine-red fingernails. It was a pleasure to see her flowing, moon shadow-black hair along with the fine pieces of jewelry around her face as flashes of cameras erupted.

Lyria was the name behind it all and that is none other than me.

The clank of the tape was the signal before various voices from the studio emerged with low breaths of satisfaction. For a second, I have thought about how this is the life I have lived throughout my 20 years of existence without complaint because I was confident I could pull it through anytime and any day. As a matter of fact, no sane person could deny the reality of how my existence has continued to bloom with elegance solely because I am exceptional.

Not moving from my current position, I took a minute to silently watch the timid movements and silent laughter of the people around me before I noticed something hanging in the air - a strange hand waiting to be held.

"What is this?" I asked with an eyebrow raising in arrogance, not looking at the person by my side.

"I didn't know your level of stupidity included being ignorant of basic human body parts." A deep and low voice of mysteriousness with a touch of oblivious hate.

I rolled my eyes as a response and immediately recognized the owner of the voice beside me. Without needing enough reason, my blood started to boil and irritation was beyond words. 

"Well, thank you for lending your hand but I genuinely don't need it when I have mine," I slowly stood up from lying down on a couch and walked past him without letting him say anything further.

Over the past period of time, I have found a strange source of power from women who envy me. Believe it or not, there isn't a drop of concern I have from the flood of hate and criticism I receive each day. People can say my scars ruin me but it doesn't change the fact that my face could be the definition of sophisticated beauty. I could live with that when they couldn't. Funny thing, really.

With much respect to their concern on my existence, fame embraced me. I guess it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I hugged it back. 

"If looks could kill, I think you would be in jail by now," a whisper in my ear from the only woman I could sleep in bed without having anxiety about waking up with a ruined face.

I shrugged. "If looks could kill, God would know how long I would purposely stare at him just to wipe his existence out of this world," I grabbed her usual white towel and started to wipe the drops of sweat on my face.

Just when I thought I dominated the female race, two men with ill faces showed up in front of me and decided to take me on a challenge. A face for a face. A company for a company. A daughter for a son. Believe me or not, the fight has been burning in me with rage. 

Martha laughed the usual laugh I found quite interesting. Maybe because it was much more genuine than the number of smiles I show on camera or it was the only thing in this world I envy. Maybe both.

"Well, who could say no to such a handsome man like him? I could go down on my knees if the situation calls for it," she shamelessly joked in front of me.

My eyes could go white from rolling back and forth on her hideous humor. "Yeah, right. You could beg for him when our company goes bankrupt and you would be one of the million jobless people in the world."

Upon realizing it, she shook her head aggressively and horror on her face started to show. "Oh, no, that is not happening to me."

"Then stop worshipping the bastard that could render you jobless and probably end my career if one thing goes wrong," I said with such conviction while the people in the studio started to go wild on his shoot.

"Goodness, gracious! You look even more dazzling than the necklace you're wearing!" the shout of the photographer on the jerk.

"You really are twins of aces, Atticus and Atlas!"

The A duo's. 

To me, it sounds like a pair of assholes.

And if you're wondering why, it's because of their perfect timing and strategy to rival us. I was born with such astonishing beauty that my parents, the owner of the top selling jewelry company for decades, decided to make me the face and model of our own brand. The idea did not have any flaws and we continued to rise to the top until they emerged from nowhere and sneak in our lives. 

"Sales just won't be the way it was, right?" I whispered to myself, not expecting a reply from her. Silence always meant yes.

"They still hurt you?" she asked with a low-voice of sympathy.

I realized it wasn't a response to my question. Martha's eyes immediately darted to my now bare skin uncovered by layers of make-up just to hide one thing that cannot be hidden.

"Ah, this?" I pointed my fresh bruises on my arm from last night and thought she had an eagle eye to notice it. She eyed me meaningfully before I started to tell what happened a few nights ago. 

"She hit me while reading the newspaper. The usual reports on how we're slowly going down made her mad. What a joke," I sarcastically laughed.

"...but she said she was sorry. Like for the nth time apology; who was I to not forgive my own mother, really?" 

For whatever reason, I just couldn't stomach to hate the woman who took care of me and not. Some days, she could be the boldest woman in my eyes who could punch people in the face for my sake. The same hand that protects me, often hurts me, too.

She was silent for a minute and I couldn't blame her for that. Martha, my personal assistant, knew everything. If I were her, hearing my usual trouble repetitively would make me speechless, too. 

"Just... just don't tell me I'm doing something wrong," I whispered to myself.

She immediately stood up and grabbed the water bottle in the corner. I thought she needed water for herself as she opened the lid, but then, water came running down on my skin as she spilled it on my back.

"You evil woman, what was that for?!" I exclaimed and unknowingly made a scene.

She timidly smiled and immediately wrapped me into her arms with a towel. I didn't know what was going on in her mind at this point. Unbelievable.

"I figured you wouldn't want me to be so comforting but I know you're suffering. You hate the drama and just don't listen to anyone, do you?" she whispered in my ear to knock off some vulnerability in me. 

This bitch.

She knows how to handle my arrogance so well that I could cry in public for the first time. My parents hadn't taught me to be fragile and weak and so I struggle with the right words and actions towards everyone. I didn't know how much I needed comfort by this intentional but accidental hug.

"I bet you wouldn't hear me out if I tell you how stupid you are, would you?" she calmly asked.

I slowly nodded. "Over my dead body." 

Sometimes, the fact that I am older than her by 2 years makes me think if time really flies well. It's like talking to a 40 year old woman inside a teenager's body. It haunts me every night. 

She laughed and faced me with a serious face. "You know what, why don't we put an end to what makes you miserable?"

"If I knew how, do you think I would be in this misery? Even this normal good thing won't do." I rolled my eyes on her stupid retort and sat on a dry chair.

I didn't notice the pair of eyes now focused on us the moment I raised my voice a while ago. With that, I sent them glares that would dry the blood in their system if one dares to challenge the power of my eyes.

"Normal good thing? What do you mean?" she eyed me suspiciously.

"This. Shooting. Modelling. Advertising. I consider it the good part because it doesn't reflect my true colors. For all I know, our company would never be on top if we resorted to using my words and mouth."

She smirked. "Then why don't we show them the other side of the coin?"

I sensed her weird thoughts coming in and started to panic. "What in the world are you talking about?" I asked with obvious confusion.

She walked around me and tilted my face at the person I hated the most. While pointing at the twins, she muttered words that would never cross my mind in a million years. 

"If we couldn't rise the usual way, then why don't we bring them down?" she challenged me.

I kept silent and continued to hear what evil plans she had in store. This could be senseless and stupid but I was desperate now. Although, somehow, I was interested in using my true colors to test my limits.

She continued. "You can't mess with someone's life and expect nothing in return, right?" 

"Now, what? That better be worth the risk," I impatiently replied.

"Make him fall in love with you," she simply said and I swear I could have spit out anything if I were drinking or eating.

"Are you out of your mind?!" I shouted out loud without concern to the people around me. For all I care.

"Calm down, will you?" she muttered in a panicking voice. 

Martha was out of her mind for telling me that idea and to expect having a calm reaction after hearing it. I shook my head in slight amusement and stood up to go home.

"Let's wrap this up. You should go rest now," I patted her shoulder and began to walk away when she aggressively pushed me down to sit again. 

What is with this woman?!

Mind you, she even had the audacity to be annoyed with her ridiculous thoughts. "Don't you have any idea what could happen if he would be head over heels on you?"

"I could die from it," I simply said and started to be annoyed.

She rolled her eyes, too. "Yeah, love kills you, but you'd be alive if you don't catch it, right?"

She made a point and that has now piqued my interest. Now that I have thought of it, what could be impossible with this face?

"Make him fall in love with you and dump him to the abyss of the ground. And then we rise to the top. As simple as that," she said with a wicked smile on her face. I was now sure why we became friends.

I smirked and landed my vision on the man now staring right into my eyes. There were two of them and I was the only one. For sure, a common hate from rival twins would be satisfying and something like an achievement.

"What do I do?" I asked her, not sure if she knows the answer, too.

"Spy on him. Find the way to his heart," she simply said and various evil thoughts came running through my mind.

I was smiling all the way to our house as I told my mother of my meaningful plan. For the first time in a while, she smiled in front of me that could have melted my heart in an instant. 

"It's quite funny but also interesting. We'll see how that goes," she said and caressed my face. 

That night, I ordered a customized notebook entitled '100 Steps to his Heart' and wrote all the things I have discovered about him on the internet. Of course, it wasn't enough and this was obviously not gonna be an easy journey.

With the unexpected twist and turns of fate, I managed to be on the enemy's territory not knowing who the real enemy was.

I realized it was too late to fight a losing game where a heart and a wrecked life was on the line. 

Unfortunately, I lost.