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" Happy birthday!"
My face crinkled in dread as I replayed the voice message Irene spammed me. October 14, my birthday.
Birthdays are supposed to be celebrated positively, specifically either with your family and friends who shower you with gifts and love, reminding you that you had successfully lived another year in this corrupt world. You're supposed to wear a smile on your face throughout the day and thank everyone who wishes you, whether you were on good terms with them or not.
But October 14 was a cursed day, my mother's name engraved on the date which you could only envision as a gravestone, as that was what the date meant.
It wasn't the day that my father was blessed with a daughter, or the day that a new light had be born to heal the world of its haunted past.
In fact, it was the day a beautiful soul had been ripped out of my family's lives, replaced with an imperfect version of her.
It's been two days since we arrived in Egypt, and I've been locked in a guest bedroom ever since. I couldn't even try and sneak out because of the guards stationed outside my room, as well as a security system where it alerts everyone in the household that the door was opened.
A maid had brung food for me every now and then, but there was little to no interaction since she was only ordered to bring me food.
Today would be the day I claim my inheritance and finally let out of this room.
I wasn't sure at exactly when someone would come get me, so I just waited until someone did.
After getting out the shower and putting on decent clothes, I sat on my bed, scrolling through the hundreds of wishes I had received. A small smile lit up on my face, at least my friends cared.
My smile died down when the door opened, and in walked Giovanni. He was dressed to the nines, wearing a newly tailored suit, and for once his tattoos were barely visible. He took one look at me and decided my outfit wouldn't fit the occasion.
"Get changed."
The door slammed shut behind him, the bookshelves next to the door rattled on impact.
I glanced down at my clothes, a frown on my face, what's wrong with my clothes?
The vibration of my phone stole my attention, and I gazed down at the message.
Giovanni: Too revealing. Get changed into formal, my mother packed some clothes in one of the suitcases.
I was wearing an off shoulder shirt, with shorts that barely clung to my skin. Usually no one would mind me wearing these type of clothes back in Italy but maybe since we're in a different country it's different. It isn't a secret that some people are attracted to young girls, it's disgusting.
