Silent Scars

CHAPTER 5

Leanoardo Hastings POV

Leonardo Hastings sat behind his desk, his fingers flying over the keys of his laptop, the glow from the screen casting sharp shadows across his face. His jaw was tight, brows furrowed, as he focused on the endless tasks that filled his day. He didn’t need distractions especially not now, with so much pressure from rival families circling like vultures. The responsibilities weighed heavily on his shoulders, and his patience was wearing thin.

Just then, his phone rang, the number unfamiliar. He narrowed his eyes as he answered, his tone cold and clipped.

“Hello?”

The silence on the other end stretched a moment too long, and Leonardo’s irritation spiked.

Whoever this is,they better have a reason for interrupting me.

“Hello, Mr. Hastings”
A soft, hesitant voice finally replied.
“This is Ms. Lila. I’m a social worker with the Los Angeles Department of Family Services. I’m calling regarding your… sister.”

A chill ran down Leonardo’s spine, but he kept his tone hard. “My what?”

“Your sister, Mr. Hastings. Her name is Ariana. She’s just turned 17. We have her records, and, uh… we’ve recently confirmed her connection to the Hastings family.”
Ms. Lila paused, perhaps sensing the iciness that had dropped into Leonardo’s voice.
“I'm sorry to tell you this, your mother and stepdad died recently. I wanted to verify that whether you’re ready to take her in.”

Leonardo’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing.

A sister? It made no sense.

Seventeen years ago, when their mother left, he would’ve known if she’d been pregnant. No, there had to be a mistake or worse, a scheme. His thoughts turned dark.

Is this someone’s twisted attempt to infiltrate my family?

But he kept his voice steady, masking his suspicion.

“I’ll take her in.” he said, knowing he had no choice. If someone wanted to play games, he’d play along, but only on his terms.

After ending the call, Leonardo sat back, his hands steepled, processing the implications.

If this “sister” was real, her sudden appearance was troubling. Their enemies were always finding new ways to threaten them, and this felt like another twisted strategy to break his family apart. Yet, a silver of doubt crept in, leaving him unsettled.

Could it be true?

To be sure, he’d arranged for her to come on a private plane, bypassing any media attention. He’d instructed Marco to pick her up and take her to the hospital for a DNA test. If the results were negative, he had no intention of showing mercy. She’d be detained until he found out who’d sent her.

As he paced his office, his frustration grew.

A sister....he scoffed to himself, recalling how his mother had left them without a trace. She had vanished seventeen years ago, taking nothing but her secrets. If she’d had another child… it didn’t add up.

But his doubts shattered with one phone call. Marco’s voice was composed but tense.

“Sir, the test results are in. She… she really is your sister.”

Leonardo fell silent, a shock of disbelief immobilizing him. For once, his mind went blank. It was as if a wall he’d built around himself had suddenly crumbled, leaving him vulnerable and exposed.

“Bring her here.”

He said finally, his voice steadier than he felt. He couldn’t let anyone see his reaction not even Marco.

When Marco returned, Leonardo straightened, masking the turbulent thoughts within. Marco stepped inside, leading a small figure into the room. Leonardo’s gaze landed on her, a slender girl, maybe 5’1”, with long black hair that cascaded around her shoulders. Her head was lowered, her frame tense, and he couldn’t tell if it was fear or something else that made her stand so rigidly.

This girl… is my sister?

He’d prepared himself to see an imposter, some would be infiltrator. Instead, he found himself staring at a girl who looked utterly lost, dwarfed by the magnitude of the world she’d just entered. His instincts had told him she’d be confident, devious, someone sent with an agenda. But this girl trembled, and it was as if her very being shrank in his presence.

Finally, he broke the silence, his voice cutting through the room like a knife.

“Ariana,” he began, each syllable deliberate, “I hope you had an okay journey.”

He watched her closely, noting how she stiffened further at the sound of his voice.

She’s afraid, he realized. But the part of him accustomed to command didn’t soften.

“Today onwards, you’ll be under my guardianship. I am your eldest brother, Leonardo Hastings.”

He watched as her hands trembled slightly, her head still down. She barely seemed to breathe. This reaction was something he was used to. Most people shivered under his cold tone, the weight of his presence. Yet, something in her fragility made him pause. She seemed… hurt. He pushed the thought aside.
Why should I care? He reminded himself.

Leonardo turned to Marco. “Take her to her room.” he instructed, his voice indifferent.

Ariana followed Marco out, her steps quiet, her head still low. Leonardo watched her go, a strange pang echoing in his chest. She looks like someone trying to hold herself together, someone used to hiding pain.

Once she was gone, he exhaled, his shoulders tense. He hadn’t even prepared a room for her, not thinking she’d truly be his sister. Now, he was stuck in a reality he hadn’t anticipated.

How am I supposed to handle this?

He barely knew how to speak to someone like her, let alone act as her guardian. And if she truly was his sister, it meant she’d been abandoned too, much like he and his brothers had been. The idea left a sour taste in his mouth, though he dismissed it quickly.

The weight of the situation pressed down on him. He had brothers to inform, though he wasn’t even sure how to approach them with this news.

Would they even believe me? he wondered.

But the truth was there, undeniable. The girl in his home, his “sister”… she was now his responsibility. And that alone brought a storm of emotions he wasn’t ready to face.