As Ayana stood in the doorway, the weight of her father's words pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket. She felt so shocked by what was about to become of her and her poor little child. Fear clawed at her chest, intertwining with anger and confusion in a tangled mess of emotions. She felt abandoned and betrayed by the very people who were supposed to love and protect her. The darkness of the night seemed to swallow her family whole as they disappeared from view, leaving Ayana feeling utterly alone in the oppressive silence that followed.She felt all the bones in her body creek as fear threatened to paralyze them. Vaguness clouded her mind and vision for a long moment as she wondered what to do in the couple for the few hours of the night she had to pack. The fact that her ghost fiance had gone mia on her was not helping in the petrifying situation. It made it even worse, making her heart sink even more.“Few hours?” She murmured to herself. Actually, she thought she was just
By the time the sun rays were invading her cottage the following morning, Ayana was staring at her packed luggage, which did not consist of much. She just packed her and her daughter’s clothes and shoes and some of her paintings that fit in a box. She didn’t know her destination, so the less luggage there was, the less tiresome their journey to nowhere would be.She was still staring at the rest of the belongings that she was leaving behind—to be precise, her paintings. They were the second part of her soul. She would have loved to take them, but she knew better than herself. She figured out that she might need to carry Lyana at some point in their journey, so overloading herself was a bad idea.“I will have to leave you behind, and I am sorry. I can’t promise that we will ever unite,” she said faintly, a tear dropping as she bid goodbye to the painting. “I will leave you here, not as part of the bitter memories that I am leaving behind, but because I have no way of carrying you where
Ayana's heart sank as she saw her sister, Grace, standing there with her mocking smile. She hadn't anticipated running into anyone from her tormentors, her family, especially not her sister, at this moment of departure.Ignoring Grace's taunting remarks, Ayana steadied her resolve. "I'm leaving, Grace. And I'm taking Lyana with me. This is what we all wanted."Grace's smug expression turned into one of disbelief. "Don’t fool yourself. We kicked you out, and that is the truth. And I know you feel like a lost, confused, hopeless, and helpless dog. You probably want to change your mind. Your betrothed is just a call away.”Ayana felt a surge of defiance rise within her as Grace's mocking laughter filled the air. Despite the bitter taste of her words, Ayana found solace in her decision to break free from the chains of her family's expectations. With a bitter smirk playing on her lips, she retorted, "This is probably the only good thing that you people have done to me in six years. As for
Grace's triumphant entrance into the De’Mario mansion was met with a wave of relief that washed over the grand halls like a cleansing breeze. Her demeanor radiated a sense of resolution and satisfaction that couldn't be concealed, and her grin was a testament to the weight that had been lifted from her shoulders.With a theatrical sigh, she sank into her seat, reveling in the newfound peace that enveloped the mansion in Ayana's absence, a feast smiling at their faces awaiting to be dovered as the celebrations commenced. It was as if a dark cloud had finally been lifted, allowing the De’Mario family to bask in the sunshine of their own righteousness. “Phew! The disgrace is gone. We can now live in peace and harmony like before, and we don’t have to lie to people anymore about her whereabouts. I don’t know how we have managed this for six years, honestly.” Grace voiced as she jubilantly sank to her seat.But amidst Grace's jubilation, there lingered a hint of caution, a subtle reminder
Grace got furious, dug her fork into the sausage with anger, and burst out, “Mom, please! Cut us some slack. She did this to herself in the first place. If only she kept her morals and dignity in check, she wouldn’t have to be traded this way. She was nothing but...”“She was and is still my daughter, and you are no saint!”Her mother’s words cut through Grace’s heart like a sharp, double-edged dagger. She was not a saint. How so when she was still a virgin? How was she not a saint when she had not digraced them by getting herself fucked by some son of a bitch and getting herself pregnant like her sister? Ayana was their daughter, yes. Nothing would ever change that, even though they had disowned her. She was aware of that. But she was a much better daughter than Ayana ever was!Grace's resentment towards her sister Ayana had roots that ran deep, stemming from a childhood overshadowed by familial expectations and sibling rivalry. While Ayana had always been the rebellious one, pursuin
In the quiet solitude of his home office, Adam sat at his desk, surrounded by a sea of paperwork. The room was adorned with tasteful decorations, a reflection of his refined taste and attention to detail. But despite the serene atmosphere, Adam's mind was elsewhere, lost in a labyrinth of thoughts and worries that seemed to stretch on for miles.As he stared blankly at the documents spread out before him, a pen twirling absentmindedly between his fingers, Adam struggled to focus. The weight of responsibility bore down on him like a heavy burden, threatening to overwhelm him with its sheer magnitude. Each document represented a decision to be made and a commitment to be honored, and Adam found himself paralyzed by indecision.Outside the walls of his secluded sanctuary, the city buzzed with life, its streets teeming with activity and noise. But within the confines of his home office, Adam was enveloped in a cocoon of silence, a solitary figure adrift in a sea of uncertainty. The world
Adam gazed at Daniel, sensing the concern etched into his friend's features. It was a familiar gesture, one that Adam had come to expect whenever he found himself tangled in the complexities of his personal life. But this time was different. This time, he couldn't bring himself to confide in Daniel and admit that he was being haunted by the ghostly presence of Ayana and her child Lyana. It was weird, but more than that, he did not deem it right to expose his feelings for Ayana that openly.The weight of their presence pressed heavily on Adam's mind, yet he couldn't bear the thought of burdening Daniel with his troubles. It wasn't just Ayana who haunted him—it was Lyana too, her innocent face a constant reminder of the tangled web of emotions swirling within him. He couldn't explain it and couldn't rationalize why their presence affected him so deeply, but he knew he couldn't share his turmoil with Daniel.Summoning a forced smile, Adam reassured Daniel with words that he didn't quite
As Lyana's words cut through her mother's preoccupied thoughts, she felt a pang of guilt for not noticing her daughter's hunger sooner. Looking around at the bustling road leading to the city, she realized they had strayed far from their neighborhood without even realizing it. The urgency of their situation dawned on her—they needed to find sustenance soon. With determination, she pulled Lyana aside from the throngs of busy commuters and crazy cyclists, finding a small pocket of space by the roadside. As she scanned the area, her eyes fell upon the colorful array of kiosks lining the street. It occurred to her that perhaps this was where they could find some temporary recess. She rummaged her hands through her pockets and felt the few coins she had between her pockets. ‘This can afford a meal. Even just for my daughter.’ She thought. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she resolved to start looking for any work opportunities available at these kiosks while her daughter took a bit