Little Star

Chapter Three

I realized we weren't inside the city anymore. We were close to the city where a large mansion resided and it looked huge. I was taken aback by the luxury.

First, we passed through doors with guards and security codes. The driver continued till we had reached a garage, filled with many other cars too. Natalia and Andrew immediately got out and I was left to collect my breaths for a moment and then get out too.

It was stressful and it felt like I was stepping in forbidden grounds. There was so much security, the estate was huge, they were definitely billionaires, the family members I've met so far were intimidating and cold and I was due to meet seven more people, a biological father and other six siblings.

It was appealing. Had they set the standards so high, they expected me to go from an aunt to living with two parents and seven siblings? I'd have been more grateful if I knew about them beforehand and if I had a reasonable explanation as to why, out of eight children, I was the only one who had to leave.

We walked a small distance and then we took a right turn and then, thank god I didn't gasp loudly.

This place was fucking huge. There was a pool and then a whole open place outside to sit with chairs and tables sprawled around. Stairs lead to the house and I could already spot the living room because the walls were made of glass. Too many floors and so many windows.

This was so goddamn rich. At least I'd get benefits from whatever they decided to arrange behind my back.

“You can always come out here if you wish,” Natalia said as we climbed the stairs of the house. “But only inside the estate. You're absolutely not allowed to go anywhere outside, understood?”

“But if I want to—

“If,” my brother interrupted me, narrowing his eyes at me. “You need a walk, there's a huge estate you can go around. If you want to go outside you'll be with one of us or for school. That's it.”

Great, great. So I couldn't stay out later with my bike or potential new friends, I couldn't go around the city and explore and I also couldn't stay a little later at school to study.

Was this supposed to be my life now? I had mixed feelings: guilt because I didn't appreciate the new chances I'd have here but anger at people trying to control me like they knew me their entire life.

Natalia unlocked the doors and we stepped in the house. Even larger, leading to many rooms and a staircase leading upstairs.

I was standing in the middle of the hallway like a lost child because where the fuck was I supposed to go now?

The driver got in the house with my belongings and now I was getting nervous. Just as I planned to turn and ask someone where was I supposed to go, a gentle voice interrupted me.

“Here let me take those,” the voice said and I turned to face a man, lots older than me who was wearing black glasses and had a genuine smile on his face. “Come on, I'll show you to your room.”

“Uh, yeah, thank you,” I nodded, trying to offer a smile too. He led the way to the staircase and I followed, happy there was someone who looked willing to help. “You are, uh?”

“Oh, yeah, I'm Tom,” he said. “Andrew's twin.”

They were twins?

“You don't look like each other.”

“Yeah that's one funny thing we have,” he chuckled. “We look nothing alike yet we're twins.”

And completely different, I silently thought. Andrew was so intimidating, stern and emotionless and Tom was sweet, kind and smiling. They were so completely opposites.