Bella's POV
“Mumma, no… Mumma, wake up. Please, I swear I’ll do everything you say. I’ll never ever disobey you again, just—please wake up… Please, don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me, don’t leave your daughter behind. What am I supposed to do without you? There’s no one left for me—no one. Please don’t leave me all alone in this world. Mumma… please… wake up… don’t leav—ve… m—me… plea—se… mu—mma… ple—ase…”
I was sobbing hard, clutching at nothing, pleading to a mother who wasn’t there.
And just like that—I woke up. Another nightmare. Another reminder.
I shot upright in bed, my breath ragged, my skin sticky with sweat. My heart was pounding like a drum in my chest. I reached for my phone and squinted at the screen. 4:57 a.m.
There was no way I was going back to sleep after that. Not with my mind this messed up. So I dragged myself out of bed and freshened up to kill time and settle the storm inside my chest. By the time I was done with my morning chores, it was 5:44 a.m.
I was starving by now, so I headed to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Once inside, I quickly prepared a bowl of cereal. Just as I was about to take my first bite, a voice came from behind me.
"You wake up quite early."
I jumped, almost dropping the bowl. “Jesus! You scared me!” I said, turning around to find Leo standing there with a slight grin.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. And... good morning,” he replied.
“Good morning. And yeah... I like waking up early,” I muttered.
Lie. I didn’t “like” waking up early. The nightmares just didn’t give me much of a choice.
“Huh... the Early Morning Club welcomes you, then,” Leo said, chuckling softly.
“Early Morning Club?” I raised a brow.
“Yeah. Only Alex, Luca, and I are usually up this early. Everyone else sleeps like the dead.”
“Nice,” I mumbled between spoonfuls of cereal.
Leo’s expression shifted from playful to sincere. “I heard about the conversation you had with Alex. I know all of this is new to you—the lifestyle, the rules—it’s a lot, I get that. But all we’re asking is that you try to adjust. Try to cope with it. We’re not trying to control you, Bella. We just want the best for you.”
He paused for a moment, voice dipping slightly. “Alex... he’s not great at showing emotion, but he adores you. More than he lets on. Maybe it’d help if you apologised to him. These rules—they’re not meant to cage you. They’re meant to keep you safe. We don’t want to lose you again.”
His voice cracked just a little at the end.
I’m not someone who says sorry easily. Never have been. But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say no to Leo. There was something raw in his words, something that tugged at my chest.
“Okay,” I said softly. “I’ll apologise to Alex.”
Right then, Alex and Luca walked into the kitchen. Great timing.
I took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of courage I had.
“Umm… Alex,” I began, eyes fixed on the floor. “I want to say sorry. For how I acted. I know I was rude and out of line. I hope you can forgive me.”
“It’s okay, bambina,” Alex said, his voice softer than usual. “I understand this is all new for you. Just… don’t repeat it. Otherwise, there will be punishment.”
He ruffled my hair lightly, and I nodded. “After breakfast, you, the twins, and Ethan are going to the mall. You need to get some stuff'
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And that’s how I found myself standing in front of the mall—arms crossed, eyes half-lidded.
So excited for shopping. Note the sarcasm.
“Where do you want to go first, little sis?” Ethan asked with a stupid grin.
“First of all, stop calling me little sis. I’m only a year younger than you,” I snapped.
“Still younger,” he teased. “Even if it’s just a year. So yeah—little sis it is.”
“Whatever, bumblebee.”
“Wait, what? Who’s bumblebee?” he asked, looking genuinely offended.
“You are,” I said with a smirk.
Before he could say anything else, Xander groaned behind us.
“Just shut the fuck up, both of you,” he muttered, clearly annoyed, and walked away.
“Is he on his period or what?” I muttered, watching his retreating figure. Ethan and Xavier burst out laughing.
First stop—H&M. I bought shorts, skirts, tank tops, oversized t-shirts, dresses, and some basics. Then we went to Victoria Street, where I picked out some undergarments. After that, it was shoes, sandals, and a pair of heels from Aldo.
Finally, food. We grabbed something to eat at the food court before heading back home.
Thank God.
I was dead tired. The moment I entered my room, I dumped everything on the bed. It took me a good hour to arrange my new wardrobe. By the time I finished, it was dinner.
After dinner, I didn’t even bother checking my phone—I just collapsed on the bed and let sleep claim me.
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That's it for today The next chapter will be updated soon.
Till then take care and byee ✨ ✨
Also drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated in this summer 💅💅
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The Hidden Pain
Ficção Adolescente"Blood may bind them, but secrets could tear them apart." --- Separated at the age of two. Raised in shadows. Loved by no one. She spent her life behind walls she built to survive-walls no one has ever dared to break. Until the day her stepfather di...
