Life of sixteen year old Ethena was cute. In a small cottage, warm food, some friends and a loving grandmother. She was content. Unfortunate series of events were a rollercoaster ride leading her to the lowest of her life, making her meet her five e...
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The next morning came sooner than I expected. My eyes kept watering, wetting down my cheeks with bitter tears. My heart kept bleeding, staining my soul with the color of love... the love that was no more perhaps in the sky somewhere, physically it was no more with me.
Love was required to live, now I will just survive till my breaths will last.
A hand on my shoulder, started me. Turning back, I looked at the person. He gave a small smile, "I'm Adalberto. Your third oldest brother."
I don't care.
Brothers. Older brothers.
Oh!
Apparently, I have three brothers then.
I don't care!
"Eleftheria-"
"Ethena, my name is Ethena." I interrupted the man or Adalberto as he previously said his name was.
He rolled his dark eyes, sighing soon after, "Your name is Eleftheria, darling. Take some time you will understand everything."
I don't want to understand anything.
I turned my face away. Clenching my eyes shut, tears of dismay, tears of my pain rolled down again.
All I wanted was my grandma... not these strangers. Cold strangers.
Unknown to me a sob escaped my mouth. I gasped for breath. He patted my shoulder, "please change, Eleftheria. Ezenquiel would not like if he saw you like this. It is time for your grandmother's funeral." Pulling his hand back, he left.
Dull white walls. Cold room. It was not nice. I wanted to go home. Not to my grandma's funeral.
Casket and flowers. Grave and prayers.
It was all blurry for me. How it begin? How it ended? I don't know. Like a breathing dead body I was present there. Unknown to everything.
"Ethena, my love, I am so sorry for your loss." Charlie, my social worker cupped my cheeks. Love from her gesture and concern from her voice could be detected. My pale lips formed a smile, an unfortunate smile.
So, it was all real.
My grandma died. I attended her funeral. I am standing at this international airport. Leaving my town that gave me everything. Going to a city I have never been to, before. It is all real.
"Do I really have to go with these men?" I didn't want to. I would rather live alone and earn my bread. Instead of going with these strangers and becoming a burden on them.
She sighed, "you have to," a soft pat on my shoulder, she pulled back her hand.
"Can we not go to the court?"
She nodded, "we can. However your brothers are extremely influential, Ethena, I am afraid, the case will be in there favour." Her ebony eyes scanned my face, she awaited a reply.
A reply I couldn't give. At least I had some hope before she answered. The hope that I may not have to go with them. The hope crushed. "Are they really my brothers?" Another hope rose inside me. What if they manipulated the DNA reports?
"Yes, they are your father's sons." Ebony eyes gazing behind me, I turned my head to see, Ezenquiel kept a tough look on his face, his dark eyes glared at Charlie. As if involuntary my head snapped back. Charlie yanked her eyes away from him, "Ethena, even if the Endrizzis' were not influential, the chances were very low that court would favour you to live alone, cause they are your blood family. Or the court might have called your father however I suppose he has only sent your oldest brother here."
An exhausted breath escaped my lips, "do I really have no other option, Charlie?" She shook her head, "I don't want to go with these men, they seem dangerous to me-"
"We are dangerous-" My hand reached my palpating heart, I looked at the interrupter, "but for the world sweetheart, not for you." Adalberto finished off saying dramatically.
My eyes rolled. Gaze shifted back to Charlie, she shrugged her shoulders.
"I think, I will take my leave now, Ethena." She pulled me in a warm hug, breaking it, she added, "take care of yourself, please. You're an amazing kid, I will miss you."
The last person who gave me the warmth of mother, I was forced to leave her, too. "I will miss you too, Charlie." My voice broke at the end. She was friend more than my social worker. A part of me. Hot tear tickled down my cheek.
"Hey hey hey, don't cry. I will come to meet you soon for the protocol check." Warm hands caressed my cheeks, I suppressed a sob. "Bye love, have a great life ahead." Warm ebony eyes turned glossy, she turned her face away before the tear that threatened to fall could fall.
"C'mon, we got to leave." A hand wrapped around my shoulders, I was forced to walk the opposite side.
The ride to the place they were calling home, was quiet. Was not nice. It was a private jet. Congregation of men clad in black outfits, same colored shades covering their eyes, an ear piece stuck on their ears', followed the two men- who were perhaps my siblings. The group of these men were guards, apparently. Apparently the two men- who were perhaps my siblings, were rich.
Filthy rich.
The fact turned out to be true, when their sleek, modern and expensive sports car halted in front of a building, massive and beautiful enough to be called a palace. They indeed were rich. Some other men came, opened the doors of car, bowed when the brothers stepped out, got a curt nod from one and nothing from the other.
So they are arrogant, too.
"Get down quick, Elefthria," the older man said to me. Again, they addressed me with name that is wrong and does not belong to me.
"Ezenquiel, c'mom man, she's upset be polite to her." Adalberto chimed in, extended a hand out like a gentlemen. With a wink, he gestured with his head. Ezenquiel rolled his eyes.
A chuckle escaped my mouth at his dramatic antics, I placed my palm on top of his and stepped down.
We climbed the five steps leading to the hall. It was vast and contemporary.
"Call the boys." My heart skipped a beat. What boys were Ezenquiel calling?
Am I even safe here?
Who will protect me, all these people here are their workers. Who will help me?
Three guys soon appeared. One in formals. Two looked the same, wore casuals. My breaths hitched. Who will protect me? Was I even safe?
"Elefthria, meet the rest of our brothers." Ezenquiel gestured at the three men. My sight shifted from them to him, brows furrowed as I realised what he said.
Brothers? Rest of our brothers?
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