Luna

Chapter 8

:) SURPRISE!!! I was so inspired to write more so I dedicate this chapter to you all who love reading my story. I love you readers xoxo

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I saw my mother walking towards me with a fake smile plastered on her face. She was scanning me from head to toe to see my flaws. She spoke after reaching me "You should have worn a gown. Now pose for the camera". I gritted and spoke between my teeth while staring at the cameras, "It is presentable". Of course they needed pictures. I smiled while dying inside. After what felt like a couple hundred flashes I turned towards her. "Where is grandpa?" "You will see him at the end of the night" with that she took my hand and took me deep into the crowd. At the center stood a small stage. She hauled me up there, and it was then that I saw my sister. She looked graceful as ever in an off shoulder gown. Her hair was tied in a bun, and she had diamond studs in her ears. I felt under-dressed now. My father came up to me and gave me a hug just for the show. His embrace had the same coldness as in his face.

I stood next to my sister as my mother spoke to the crowd about our family and the success of my sister rather than me. Her voice drowned in the background as my head started spinning. I felt my vision getting blurred for a second. The faces of people mashed together as my breathing quickened. I felt my heart pumping faster and my palms sweating. I closed my eyes tightly before opening them again. My vision was so blurred that I couldn't recognize the faces of my parents. I started panicking and looking around. I felt my sister's hands stopping me from moving as she held on tightly. "Stop it" she hissed into my ears. I stood in a haze for what felt like a long time before I heard my father speaking. I looked in his direction until my eyesight became a bit clearer and I saw his palm pointed towards me. "Happy birthday to our daughter" he spoke. Everyone around me started clapping as a cake was brought on to the stage.

By then my vision had returned to normal. My sister rushed me forward, so I could cut the cake. My mind had gone into chaos as I tried to understand what just happened. I felt my mother's cold stare to act better than this. I quickly composed myself and smiled for everyone out there. After that dinner was served and everyone went their separate ways. My sister was talking to a group of her friends while my parents were entertaining a senator. A lot of people came up to me greeting me. I politely shook their hands. After a while I had enough of the drama. I wanted to see grandpa. I started looking for my parents when I felt a tap on my shoulders. As I turned around, I was met with a stunning face. She looked elegant in her dress and her golden hair was let loose on her shoulders. She had a beautiful smile on her face as she greeted me. "Happy birthday" she sang with a genuine smile on her face. It made me bust out a smile as we shook each other's hands.

"I see you have met Iris King" My father came up to me as he pointed towards her. "You are a King. I have me your parents before. They are lovely" I spoke to her. She giggled "They are indeed the best. They are sorry that they couldn't make it. They had to attend a conference overseas." She spoke to my father. "They would be busy with all the contribution they are doing to the field" I could see the happiness radiating from her face by my father's words. She was proud of her parents. I felt wounded. She had wonderful parents while I had the opposite.

Her phone rang, and she looked up to me. "I am sorry but I have to take this. It was nice to finally meet you Luna. I hope to meet you again sometime" "You too" she left after giving me a hug. I turned to my father and I knew he was here to take me to grandpa. I followed him out of the gallery and up the staircase. After walking through a corridor we came to a stop at the end. "You can have 15 minutes", with that my father walked away. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. "Come in"

The door opened inside and as I walked in I felt the familiarity if the room. He had sage burning in the dimly lit room. When I saw grandpa sitting in the wheelchair next to his bed I ran up to him. I cried while hugging him. It had been so long that I had forgotten his comforting arms. "there there hush now my girl" he spoke in a calm voice as he stroked my hair. "I missed you grandpa. I had forgotten it has been so long" I said looking up to him. He looked at me lovingly and wiped my tears away. "Now stop crying and tell me what you have been up to" I started talking to him, telling him how Mia and I have moved into an apartment and how it was living there. He listened to me attentively. I looked at him when he spoke back to me. His face had more creases and it felt like he had aged years and not months. He furrowed his brows when he scolded me for not visiting him more often.

"I'm sorry grandpa. Its just that a lot is going on right now I am pretty busy." I hated lying to him but I knew his heart cannot handle the truth. He cannot understand it. Not telling him the truth was the only thing me and my parents could agree on. A knock on the door told me my time here was over. "I have to go no grandpa. I promise I will visit again soon." I gave a kiss on his cheeks before walking towards the door. I looked back to his smiling face before closing the door. When I turned around it was my sister. "You are needed in the study"

As I sat in the armchair looking at the fire burning I felt my parents stare on me. I heard her heels clink against the marbles as she walked towards me. "Here. Sign these" she spoke handing me papers and a pen. I took them from her and started reading it. My eyes grew twice in size as I read the words written on it. I couldn't believe it. I never thought my parents could go this far but they proved me wrong once again. "You gotta be kidding me?" I scoffed looking at both of them. Their faces told me they weren't.

"I AM NOT SIGNING THESE" my fuming rage echoed through my voice as I smacked the papers on the table. I stared at the three of them in resentment. How could they even think of doing this to me? "Well you don't have a choice little sister" my sister spoke coming towards me and picking up the papers. My mother spoke, "It's either this or....". "or what huh?" what else can you do? You cannot kidnap me and hold me hostage. I'm an adult now. I have a say and I say I am not signing those papers" I turned back to my mother. "Don't you dare blackmail me by using grandpa this time because I will TELL him and he is not going to like it". "When did you become this fierce? I can hardly recognize that shy, obedient little girl you were" my mother's words hit me like a brick.

My sister rolled her eyes "Fine. Then just give us your fingerprint."

"You cannot be thinking of forging my signature" I gasped at her. I snatched the papers she had and started tearing them apart as courage took over me. "You have ruined my life already and now you want to ruin my future as well. I have changed mother because of you. And father. And your darling, manipulative older daughter. You don't even have an ounce of humanity left in you do you? Everything is about money and power to you." I shook my head "I am not gonna let you stomp all over me again. EVER.". With that I threw the now little pieces of paper into the burning fire. I walked out of there and out of the house on the brink of tears. I could hear people asking me if I was okay but I didn't care. I hailed a taxi and got in.

I felt my body waver as I got out of the lift. I was crying full on tears by the time I started searching for my keys. After unsuccessful attempts to finding it I stood against the door and slid down it sitting on the floor. I got my legs together and buried my head in as I cried into my arms. The next thing I remember was hearing a door opening somewhere.