•ESTELLE ARZHEL'S POV•
I hugged him for what felt like an eternity. A sudden, jolting thought pierced through me like lightning. What if their initial kindness was just a façade, concealing something much more sinister? The possibility gnawed at me.
What if they had their own set of strict, unforgiving rules? What if their punishment for any misstep was far worse than anything I'd experienced before? Perhaps life with Sir and Ma’am was bearable, but with these new people, it could be unimaginably worse. Despite their outward kindness, I couldn't shake the feeling that they harbored a darker, hidden side. What if their benevolence was simply an act to gauge my behavior and mannerisms? Was I merely trading one form of captivity for another
Suddenly, the sterile hospital room felt like a cage, the bright lights harsh against my eyes. I harshly pulled away, creating a distance between us. I cautiously step backward, making my way toward the edge of the bed. Once there, I lower myself into a seated position, my mind consumed by the contemplation of the unexpected and perplexing situation at hand. I could feel the fear swirling inside me, tight and suffocating.
“Estelle,” Father said, his voice smooth and warm as honey drizzled over ice. “We will take you home with us. You can finally live where you belong”
Home. The word tasted bitter in my mouth. I had only ever known one home, and it was a place filled with rules, anger, and punishments. The thought of returning to them made my skin crawl. I pressed my back against the headboard, trying to create distance between myself and the strangers, hoping they wouldn’t see the fear etched across my face.
“Are you scared?” Heloix asked, his blue eyes searching mine. They looked so much like mine, and it made my stomach twist.
I nodded, my throat tightening.
“Listen,” Father said, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “We’re going to get legal custody of you. You have to come home to Milan with us”
His words were like a spark, igniting a flicker of hope in my heart. But it was quickly extinguished by a wave of fear. What if they were just pretending? What if I was walking into another trap?
Before I could respond, the door swung open, and Sir and Ma’am stepped inside, their presence filling the room with an oppressive weight. My breath caught in my throat, and I instinctively shrank back, trying to disappear beneath the sheets.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Fater’s voice had changed, turning cold and sharp.
“We’re here for our daughter,” Sir replied, his tone like ice.
I felt the walls closing in on me. This was it. They had found me, and I was going back. My heart raced as panic surged through my veins.
Heloix moved in front of me, a protective stance that made me feel both safe and terrified. “She’s not your daughter. We have proof. DNA evidence that shows she’s ours. How do even have the nerve to claim her as your daughter when she looks exactly like us? So, let me ask you this, how did YOU guys have her in the first place?”
“Simple….. She was placed at our doorstep a few years ago. We took her as our own and raised her all these years. You can’t possibly separate her from the parental figures she had all these years just because you share the same DNA as hers” Sir replied in a calm tone with anger shining in his eyes.
Parental figure? If getting beaten to pulp because you didn’t get dinner on the table by eight is what parenting looks like, then I’ll happily remain an orphan for the rest of my life.
YOU ARE READING
Castling Deceit
Teen Fiction"The art of manipulation. My dear pawns, so oblivious to the game being played around them. I am the grandmaster, always thinking several moves ahead. My opponents, mere pieces to be used and discarded at my whim" "I'll start by making a subtle ope...
