Chapter 1

Mirabella

As I sat on the roof of my run-down house, I gazed at the sea of stars twinkling at me…The cold air made the open bruises numb with pain… The intrusive thoughts of jumping down a three-story house never left my mind, but one voice stopped it.

"Mira? that's dangerous... "

The voice was faint, and I looked to my window to see a 7-year-old barely able to stand. I tiptoed and jumped in my room…

"I am fine Puto.. Why are you still up? "

He shrugged and spoke.

"I came to see if you were asleep. "

(Translation:I came to see if you're still alive… )

I nodded, and he walked back to his room. I stood until I saw his beanie disappear. I signed and sat on the mattress on the floor… If I survive, then that's because of him. He is my half-brother from mom. His good name is Peter, but I call him Puto as a nickname… He was only 3 when diagnosed with rare leukemia. All the chemotherapy and medicine made him bald, and only the beanie made him a bit confident.

Mom died when Puto was a year old. She was my biological mother who gave birth to me. I don't know if my mom was blind to not seeing the toxic man he was. But I can't really blame her because he acted as a saint to her. I was only 7 when she met him, and he was a regular face in the house for one month. I didn't like him much. At first, I thought he was my actual father, but mom made it clear that he wasn't. Not even 3 months passed, and he permanently moved to our house, which is this one…

Mom was a superwoman who did 3 weeks a day to buy this house for permanent shelter for me and provided everything that was in her reach. But things changed when he came onto the scene. He was so sweet at first to mom and me that we were both on the path to diabetes. But he remained the same for her but treated me coldly in her absence…

Cold treatment to scolds to grounding to hitting me physically in her absence, which he addressed as discipline. At first, I thought that he was doing things right until I learned that it was not. But it was too late because mom trusted me to him and would leave for days with that man. From hitting me with my hands, he went even further to using a knife and slashing my back. I was 9, and he threatened to kill mom if I spoke about that… I remained calm, but he started doing it in front of mom as well. And one day she was suddenly pregnant and Puto was born. That man was over the moon to have a son, but mom made it clear that she wouldn't be providing for Puto much if he didn't work. They had fought all the time until he really got the job as toilet cleaner.

I still remember the day I returned from school and saw red and blue lights flashing in front of our house. I felt the horror creeping in me, thinking that he really did what he threatened me with. I imagined mom being carried out and that's exactly what happened, but the reason was different. She actually died due to a tumor in her head and collapsed when the neighbor's auntie came to talk. My brother was still cradling her...

That disgusting man didn't return home until with a woman, claiming to be his wife of 3 years... He wanted to kick me out but the lawyer my mom hired showed up. And actually, this house is in my name and all her assets are in my possession. She left a hefty amount of money for Puto, but only as medical expenses, so we didn't die of sickness. Maybe she knew that he would do anything to obtain the money. All that wealth couldn't be used until I turned 18.

I'll be turning 18 in 4 months…

They knew I'd die, then gave it to them, so they kept me in their hands. Puto is my lifeline and their pawn to keep me… Puto knows and wishes to die before I turn 18, which obviously hurts me.

I just lay back and wished mom hadn't died, and I could tell her everything. I now realize why she always forbade me to call him dad. I wish I knew my current dad. But what's the guarantee that he is good? Maybe that's why she kept me away from him.

I closed my eyes, blocking away the pain from the hits from a few hours ago… I had to go to work tomorrow anyway.

Next day..

I woke up feeling too sore to walk, but I had to get up for Puto… I have insomnia after having to wake up for a few hours at night to check on him. I got up slowly and hissed in pain. Grabbing one of my three office pants and a shirt, I walked into the bathroom to shower… I put the coldest temperature and stood under the water… I could see a bit of blood dripping, and I knew my bruises were open after the beating that psycho woman gave me.

Damon, my stepfather, wasn't enough that this woman adds up. I got out of the shower and dressed up before going to Puto and giving him his medicine before cooking the breakfast… I left after feeding Puto before they woke up… I walked into a company that's not very small but not very big. It was from another big company. I was lucky to get in despite being underage. The authorities here are blind to rules and only demand quality work. And I just fit in after years of freelancing…

Today one of the future CEOs of the bigger companies is going to be visiting and I, being the most trustworthy, the CEO of this company told me to guide him. I waited until a luxurious car, screaming rich stopped… I straightened up my coat and put on a smile, though I felt like crying because of the pain. The door was opened by a man in a black suit and I saw a black boot before a sight of light brown hair and then a perfect honey-skinned man getting out. His eyes were brown like chocolate and, trust my soul, I never gawked at a man like that.

"Hello sir! I'm Mirabella Alexander Russo.. I'm here as a guide as we tour the company… "

He looked at me and I saw shock flash in his eyes before becoming cold again.

"Your... name?! "

That was a weird question at the first meeting and I had already told him.

"Mirabella Alexander Russo.. "

I said politely, to which he stood quiet before nodding, and I led the way...

We walked to sectors and I explained in detail till we headed towards the CEO's room for the overall review.

"You know Alexander Russo? "

He suddenly asked,

"You mean my father? “