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
May 15th
The sound of the city pulsed through the open window of my new apartment. It was small but bright, with large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. I stood in the middle of the living room, a sense of accomplishment washing over me. I'd done it. After months of saving, working late shifts, and planning, I finally had a place of my own.
It wasn't easy getting here. Moving out was a big decision, especially with everything that had happened over the past year. But the tension at home was too much to bear. Nicole had tried her best to include me, to make me feel like part of her family, but it never felt right. And while Leilani and Kaleb had adapted well, loving the stability and the luxuries that came with our new life, I couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider.
They adored their stepbrothers, Jaden and Malik, who were surprisingly good kids. But no matter how close they got, they always came back to me. I was their big sister, the one who had always been there, through thick and thin. It gave me a bittersweet comfort knowing that, even though they were happy, they hadn't forgotten where we came from.
As I unpacked the last of my boxes, my phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. I walked over and saw a FaceTime request from Leilani. Smiling, I answered it.
"Hey, sis!" she chirped, her face filling the screen. She was in her room, lying on her bed with a content expression. "How's the new place? I wanna see!"
"It's great," I replied, turning the camera around to give her a quick tour. "It's small, but it's all mine."
Leilani let out a low whistle. "Look at you, all grown up and fancy. I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, Leilani. I'm proud of me too."
"Kaleb and I are gonna come visit soon, okay? We miss you already."
"You better," I said, laughing. "I miss you both too."
As we chatted, I couldn't help but notice the ease in her voice. She was happy, and that made everything I'd gone through worth it. They were safe, secure, and thriving in a way I had only dreamed of when we were living with Mom.
"By the way," Leilani added casually, "Dad and Nicole are taking us out to dinner this weekend. She's planning something fancy. You should come."
"Maybe," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'll see how things go at work. You know how it is."
"Yeah, but try, okay? It's been a while since we all hung out."
"I will."
After we hung up, I stood in the quiet of my apartment, the weight of my new life settling in. It was strange, having this space to myself after everything we'd been through. But I needed it—space to breathe, to think, to figure out who I was outside of the chaos of our family.
