Aulani Mitchell, a 22-year-old woman weighed down by family responsibilities and a toxic home life, crosses paths with Knowledge, a wealthy yet troubled man who hides his pain behind a carefree façade. As they navigate their complicated pasts and bu...
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Atlanta, GA
September 10th
We had been on the road for hours. Dad had said we were going to stay with family for a while, but the landscape changed from familiar city blocks into estates. I began to doubt his story.
I hope he isn't lying.
Leilani was asleep next to me, her head resting on my shoulder, while Kaleb stared out the window, his expression unreadable.
As we pulled into a long driveway leading up to a massive house, my stomach dropped. This wasn't any family's place that I knew of.
"Dad, where are we?" I asked, my voice cutting through the silence of the car.
Dad didn't answer right away. Instead, he parked the car in front of the house and turned off the engine. He looked back at me, his eyes tired but determined.
"Look, I know I said we were staying with family, but things have changed," he began, his voice steady but guarded. "We're staying with someone who can help us out for a while. I've been working on getting things together, and I met someone... someone who's going to be a part of our lives now."
I felt a cold chill run down my spine. This wasn't just about staying with someone for a while. It was about something more permanent, something I hadn't been prepared for.
"What do you mean, 'someone'?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. "Who are we staying with?"
Dad sighed, rubbing the back of his neck like he always did when he was nervous. "Her name is Nicole. We've been seeing each other for a while, and... well, we got married last week. This is her place."
married?
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Married? He had remarried without telling us? Without even a hint that this was coming? My mind raced, trying to process what he was saying.
Leilani stirred beside me, waking up just as the front door of the house opened and a woman stepped out. She was tall, with smooth brown skin and long, sleek hair. She looked like she had stepped out of a magazine—too perfect, too polished. She smiled at us, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"This is Nicole," Dad said, forcing a smile. "She's your new stepmom."
Leilani's eyes went wide, and Kaleb just stared at the woman, his face a mask of confusion. I felt my heart sink. This wasn't what we had agreed to. This wasn't what we had been promised.
Nicole walked over to the car and opened the door on my side, her smile still firmly in place. "You must be Aulani," she said, her voice smooth and controlled. "I've heard so much about you. And you two must be Leilani and Kaleb. I'm so happy to finally meet you."
I forced myself to nod, my body moving on autopilot as I got out of the car. Leilani and Kaleb followed, both of them looking lost and unsure. Nicole led us into the house, the grandeur of it overwhelming. The ceilings were high, the floors gleamed, and the furniture looked like it had never been touched.
As we entered the living room, two boys were lounging on the couch, playing a video game. They looked to be about Kaleb's age, maybe a little older, and they glanced up at us with disinterest before going back to their game.
"These are my sons, Jaden and Malik," Nicole said, gesturing to the boys. "They stay with us during the week, but their father picks them up on Sundays. You'll get to know them better soon."
The boys barely acknowledged us, too engrossed in their game to care about the new arrivals. I felt a pang of resentment. This was supposed to be our fresh start, a chance to get away from all the chaos, but instead, we had been thrust into a situation that felt just as complicated, if not more so.
Nicole turned to Dad, her hand resting on his arm. "Why don't you show them to their rooms? I'll get dinner started."
Dad nodded and motioned for us to follow him upstairs. As we walked through the house, I couldn't help but notice how different he seemed, more at ease, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It made me feel even more out of place.
He showed Leilani and Kaleb to their rooms first, both of them identical with neatly made beds and expensive-looking furniture. They each mumbled a thank you before retreating into their spaces, still too stunned to process everything.
When Dad led me to my room, I hesitated in the doorway. The room was large and beautifully decorated, but it felt cold and impersonal like it belonged to someone else.
"Dad," I started, trying to find the right words. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner? About Nicole, about getting married... about everything?"
He sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "I didn't want to overwhelm you guys. I know it's a lot to take in, but I was trying to find the best way to move forward. Nicole... she's a good woman, and she's going to help us build a better life."
"A better life?" I echoed, feeling a lump form in my throat. "You didn't even give us a chance to say goodbye to the life we had."
Dad's expression softened, and he stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know this is hard, Aulani. But I did this for you, for Leilani and Kaleb. I wanted to get us out of that toxic situation with your mom and give you something stable. I know it's not what you expected, but I need you to trust me on this."
I looked up at him, seeing the earnestness in his eyes. He believed he was doing the right thing, and maybe he was. But it didn't make it any easier to accept.
"I'll try, Dad," I said quietly, stepping back into the room. "But this... this is a lot."
He nodded, understanding. "Take your time. Get settled in, and we'll figure things out together, okay?"
"Okay," I agreed, though my heart wasn't fully in it.
He left the room, closing the door behind him, and I was left alone with my thoughts. I sank onto the bed, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. This wasn't the life I had imagined for us. This wasn't the escape I had hoped for.
As I sat there, staring at the unfamiliar walls, I realized that we were in for a whole new set of challenges. And I wasn't sure if we were ready for them.
