Ryan sat in the back seat of the car, his headphones on, drowning out the world around him with the rhythm of Jayo’s "Often" pulsing through his ears. It had become his way of coping lately — losing himself in music, trying to block out the growing tension in his family. His brothers, Zack and Leo, were sitting in the front, quietly chatting about something, but he wasn’t paying much attention. All he could think about was the gnawing feeling inside him, the anger that never seemed to go away.They were supposed to have a "family day" today, without their dad, who was still recovering from his health scare. But even without him, the weight of the family’s troubles hung heavy in the air. It didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like family. Not without Elizabeth. Not without knowing where she was, what she was going through.He turned the music up, letting the beat hit harder, hoping it would drown out the nagging thoughts. But it wasn’t working. Nothing worked anymore. His mind kept dr
Elizabeth's POV:Tick, tick, tick.These were the only sounds I could hear.My eyes closed tight, hoping the demons would go away soon.I could hear their voices in my head."You're weak.""A good-for-nothing.""Ugly.""Fat.""Just die already."Those were the words the monsters would call me. Deep down, I felt lifeless. I had always wished for someone, anyone, to save me from this mess.The bruises covered my body, and my once long blonde hair had turned brown from the sweat and blood stains.I just wish it would all end soon; the sooner it does, the better for me.Hey guys so this is my first story and I hope it gets a lot of views and likes "Look, boys," I heard one of the monsters say, followed by a group of laughter."Just a little princess all by herself. I wonder where your daddy and brothers are; you have been here for a while, you know, Princess Elizabeth," the monster continued."Just leave me alone," the inner voice in my head cried out."What a mute," one said, slapping m
Alexander's POV:Looking around for my son Zack has been stressful. All my boys and men are around the house, thinking about where he could be. You see, I lost my daughter when she was 5, and we have been looking for her for a long time now. I honestly gave up, as did some of my sons, except for Zack and Ryan. However, my other sons moved on, saying their sister was dead. I have 5 sons, which is a lot to handle."Dad, we found Zack's tracker," my first son Leo called out to me. We all gathered around him and found the location. It was just 8 hours away from where we stayed. Telling Leo to get more guns and get the cars started, and with that, we all went out.I can't afford to lose another child.8 hours later, we gathered at this old house. It was really ugly and looked like some parts were falling off."What a dump," my second son Mike said, making his brothers laugh a little. Shaking my head at them, I pointed towards the entrance of the building and gave my men my hand move, makin
Elizabeth's POV:It felt like hours; I had to clean my hair twice, and my brother showed me a stick of stuff he said was for shaving. But after everything, I felt so clean, my hair was back to its normal colour.I stood next to the mirror, looking at myself. This was the first time I saw what I looked like. Light blue eyes stare back at me. The good thing was my scars were hardly showing; some of them dried up from all those years I had stayed there.Letting out a little breath, I walked towards the door and then turned the handle. Looking around Zack's room, I couldn't find him, so I limped towards his bed and lay down. I didn't know if I was allowed to go out or move around freely.Too busy with my thoughts, I didn't know when Zack came into the room and sat next to me."Do you want to meet everyone now?" he asked softly. I gave him a nod and waited for him to move, then I followed slowly because I was still trying to get used to my legs.I was too busy staring at everything; this w
Elizabeth's POV:It's been a month since I have lived in this house, and I have finally gotten used to the environment.Dad didn't let me go outside, though, saying everything I needed was in the house. Sometimes I was left with only Levi and Leo; the others had school, and Mike had a hospital he owned. He did a check-up on me once because of my limping and how tiny I was looking. Turns out some of my ribs got broken, and some of the scars were infected. He gave me some pills and a breakfast schedule.But I just loved the attention I was getting from them.Also, my classes went well with Levi; he taught me how to write and spell, which was hard at first but I got used to it. On Friday, Dad bought me a phone and told me to start my online classes. Zack set up everything I needed on it and downloaded a lot of music for me. Also, my therapy sessions have been going smoothly. Mrs. Brown, an Asian lady, has taken care of me well. It was hard at first, but I later got used to it.Everything
Elizabeth's POV:Dinner went well; Grandpa and Grandma had to leave early because they had things to do. Grandma gave me this Bunny bear, which was so cute, while Grandpa gave me some money to get things for myself, which made the boys jealous.Right now, I'm in my room trying to arrange myself for tomorrow. I'm finally going to school. Not gonna lie to you all, I'm scared as hell, but Dad says it's better to start now since I can spell.It's one of those typical rich kids' schools; our uniforms are really cute, to be honest – a white top, a cute brown skirt, and a little tie with it. I love it.Different thoughts went through my mind; I honestly don't think I will make friends. Dad did say Zack and I are having all classes together, but I don't want to be following him like a lost puppy. Ryan was going to a different school, so it was only Zack and me since the others were done with school.With a sigh, I walked towards my locker and placed my books on it, then took the cute BTS bag
Elizabeth's POV:After dropping off Ryan at his school, I and Zack sat in the car. Turns out Zack can drive, which was kinda surprising to me."Don't worry. When we get to school, just stay close to me. A lot of people will look at us, but pay no attention to them. Also, school isn't a happy place. Some people will try to say rude things to you, but just come to me when they do, okay?" Zack says while his eyes stayed on the road."You don't have to explain all this, Zacky. Levi already told me, and from the books I read on Wattpad, I know how high school works," I said to him.With a nod, he let out a breath before saying, "I have some friends at school. Like, we are 5. You're gonna love them, except Austin; he doesn't like people," he says.Nodding my head, I gave him a thumbs-up before looking ahead."REDWOODS HIGH SCHOOL," I mumbled, looking at the school building."Wow," I whispered. I had no idea it would be this big. You could see some students around their cars, some laughing,
Elizabeth's POV:Classes went by fast. Too fast, if I was being honest. No one spoke to me except Teo and Zack, and even they seemed distracted. Zack's other friends kept glaring at me once in a while but never said anything. I guess that was a good thing, but it still made me feel like I was constantly being watched, judged. Their glances didn’t go unnoticed—especially from the girls. I felt their eyes on me, quiet but sharp, like they were sizing me up. I wasn't exactly eager to figure out why, so I avoided looking their way.Now it was lunchtime, and I knew better than to show up at the cafeteria. I wasn’t in the mood to sit there under those stares again, forcing a smile or pretending everything was fine. The air in there felt too thick, too tense. It would be awkward, stuffy, uncomfortable. No thanks. I sent a quick text to Zack, letting him know I wouldn’t be coming, then made my way to the school library instead. The hallways were quieter than usual, with most students eithe
Ryan sat in the back seat of the car, his headphones on, drowning out the world around him with the rhythm of Jayo’s "Often" pulsing through his ears. It had become his way of coping lately — losing himself in music, trying to block out the growing tension in his family. His brothers, Zack and Leo, were sitting in the front, quietly chatting about something, but he wasn’t paying much attention. All he could think about was the gnawing feeling inside him, the anger that never seemed to go away.They were supposed to have a "family day" today, without their dad, who was still recovering from his health scare. But even without him, the weight of the family’s troubles hung heavy in the air. It didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like family. Not without Elizabeth. Not without knowing where she was, what she was going through.He turned the music up, letting the beat hit harder, hoping it would drown out the nagging thoughts. But it wasn’t working. Nothing worked anymore. His mind kept dr
Mr. Black sat alone in his study, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of a desk lamp. The walls were lined with bookshelves, but tonight, he wasn’t interested in the knowledge they held. His attention was on the mask he held in his hands. It was a simple black mask, a symbol of his authority and his way of maintaining control over his world. But tonight, it felt like a barrier between him and something he couldn’t quite grasp.He had always hidden behind this mask. It allowed him to be ruthless, to lead his men with an iron fist. But lately, it felt like it was also hiding a part of him that he didn’t fully understand. The thought of Sophia, as she was now known—had become an obsession. Her presence, her struggles, and the way she seemed to test the boundaries of his carefully constructed world had been occupying his thoughts more and more.He placed the mask on his desk and leaned back in his chair. His fingers traced the edges of the mask as if hoping to find some answers there. He
Sophia, entered her room and closed the door behind her with a quiet click. She moved slowly towards the small mirror on the wall, each step feeling like a weight pressing down on her. The day’s training had left her exhausted and bruised, both physically and emotionally. Her reflection showed a girl who no longer looked like the person she remembered. Her hair was now white, a stark contrast to her old look. She pulled up her shirt and studied the bruises that covered her stomach and arms. They were vivid and angry, a patchwork of purples and blues. The sight made her wince, and she gingerly touched a particularly large bruise just below her ribs.The pain was not just from the physical blows she’d received; it was the emotional toll that was hardest to bear. Mr. Black’s harsh words and the force of his punches had left a deep mark on her soul. She had failed to hit him back during their training, which only intensified her feelings of inadequacy. She was supposed to be learning
Sophia stood in the center of the training room, her body tense and her heart racing. The walls were cold and unforgiving, much like the man who circled her now, his sharp eyes never leaving her.Mr. Black paced around her, his footsteps echoing ominously through the room. The mask he always wore made it impossible to see his expression, but she didn’t need to. His cold, controlled voice was enough to make her feel on edge.“Let’s see if this little princess can actually fight,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain.Sophia swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She had never been in a fight in her life. Her world before this had been one of luxury, where she was shielded from everything dangerous. Now, she was being forced to face the reality she had always been ignorant of.“As a member of my Mafia, you’ll need to learn to protect yourself,” Mr. Black continued, his tone mocking. “You think anyone’s going to show you mercy out there? You think your enemies
The rain tapped softly against the windowpane as Ryan sat at the edge of his bed, staring out into the gray, drizzly world beyond. It had been days since he'd felt like talking to anyone, especially his grandparents, who tried their best to make him comfortable here in Europe. But no matter how hard they tried, it wasn’t home. And he wasn’t happy."Ryan, sweetheart," his grandmother’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to the moment. She stood in the doorway, her expression hesitant, as if she knew the news she was about to deliver wasn’t going to go over well."Yeah?" Ryan asked, his voice flat. He barely turned to look at her, still staring out the window, watching the rain collect in tiny pools on the grass.His grandmother cleared her throat, stepping inside and sitting beside him on the bed. "Your father called. He wants you to come back home. You’ll be leaving tomorrow."Ryan’s heart lurched. Home? His mind raced through the possibilities, and the first thing
Alexander’s sleep had been restless for days, disturbed by nightmares that tore through the silence of the night. Ever since Elizabeth had disappeared, his mind had been plagued with thoughts of her, of Ryan, of Zack and Leo, and the family that seemed to be crumbling around him. Each night he hoped for some semblance of peace, but tonight was no different.In the darkness of his slumber, Alexander found himself standing in the middle of a burning house. The flames roared around him, consuming the walls, the ceiling, the floor, everything. Thick, black smoke choked the air, making it hard to breathe, but it wasn’t the fire that terrified him.It was the screams.“Dad! Help me!” He turned sharply at the sound of Elizabeth’s voice, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. Her voice was full of panic, raw and desperate. He couldn’t see her through the thick, swirling smoke, but he could hear her, feel her fear as if it were his own.“Elizabeth!” he called, his voice hoarse and strain
Leo paced the living room, his hands stuffed into his pockets, head down as he tried to make sense of everything. The air in the house felt heavy, weighed down by the tension that had hung over them ever since Elizabeth disappeared.Across the room, Zack sat slouched on the edge of the couch, his eyes focused on the ground, deep in thought. He had just hung up the phone after yet another frustrating conversation with their uncle Nick. The man had been brief, his tone sharp, leaving them both with a sense of dread.“What do we do now?” Leo finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost resigned.Zack didn’t answer immediately. He leaned forward, rubbing his hands together as if trying to warm them from a cold that only he could feel.“Why do I have a feeling we made a bad move by adding him into this?” Leo muttered, his frustration bubbling to the surface. He stopped pacing and turned to face his brother.Zack looked up, meeting Leo’s gaze. “We didn’t have a choice,” he
The soft ticking of the clock was the only sound that had filled her room for hours. Sophia sat quietly on the bed, her thoughts swirling in an endless loop. Ever since her walk through the mansion earlier, her mind had been restless. Something had shifted within her, though she couldn’t quite place what it was. Maybe it was the memory of seeing the men without their masks, relaxed and unconcerned. Or maybe it was the fact that Mr. Black wasn’t around today. She leaned back against the wall, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallways. It was subtle at first, but it grew louder with every passing second, more frantic. The shift in the mansion’s atmosphere was palpable—something was happening.Sophia sat up, her senses suddenly alert. "What’s happening?" she thought, pushing the blanket off her legs and standing up. She moved toward the door, placing her ear against it to listen. Voices echoed from down the corridor, muffled
The pale morning light filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Sophia, woke up from her sleep, the sheets rustling softly as she pushed them aside.The mansion was always eerily quiet at this hour, and today was no different. But something inside her, a strange restlessness, urged her to get out of bed and explore.Since her arrival, the place had been a fortress of secrets. No one talked to her unless absolutely necessary, and everyone wore masks. It was unsettling, yet there was something about the silence that had become almost comforting. Still, today, she wanted more than the four walls of her room. She wanted to see the mansion beyond what little glimpses she had caught.She slipped out of bed, padding barefoot across the cool marble floor. She opened the door quietly, half-expecting to see someone standing guard outside, but to her surprise, the hallway was empty. Her curiosity piqued, she stepped out and began walking, her footsteps soft and