Chapter 2

Lucia

"What is this?!"

That voice made my heart race. I turned around, and my aunt was already standing in the doorway, her face flushed red, her eyes immediately fixed on the dress. On the table, the pastel-colored gown lay ruined. The edges were blackened, there was a small hole in the chest area, and the sharp smell of burning stung my nose because I had accidentally left the iron turned on when I went to turn off the stove in the kitchen.

"Aunt..."

She stepped forward quickly and grabbed the dress. "Do you know whose dress this is?!"

I lowered my head. "Elena's dress."

"This is not just a dress! This is a beauty pageant gown! An expensive dress! A dress that will make my daughter look perfect on stage!"

"I didn't mean to. The iron was too hot and I only left it for a few seconds," I said.

"Didn't mean to? What have you ever done intentionally other than ruining other people's lives, hm?" My aunt laughed mockingly.

I fell silent, my fingers clenching without realizing it. She looked me up and down, not bothering to hide her disgust.

"Look at you. Your body is that big. You are always clumsy just moving around. How could I ever trust something important to you?"

"I will replace it. I will work longer hours," I said.

"Replace it? With what? With that fat body of yours? Or your acne-covered face?"

"Please don't talk like that," I said, my voice barely audible.

"Why? Because it hurts your feelings? That is reality. Just compare yourself to Elena."

Footsteps echoed from the hallway. I knew who it was even before she appeared. My cousin, Elena. Beautiful, slim, flawless skin.

"What's going on, Mom?" she asked sweetly.

My aunt's tone changed instantly. "Honey, look at what your cousin did."

Elena stepped closer. Her eyes widened when she saw the dress. "My dress?"

I forced myself to look at her. "I'm sorry, Elena. It really was an accident."

She stared at me for a long moment, then clicked her tongue. "You know how important this is to me, right?"

I nodded quickly. "I know."

"But you still ruined it, as usual," she said flatly.

I swallowed, unable to argue.

My aunt crossed her arms. "It's embarrassing to have a cousin like you. When Elena goes on stage later, everyone will ask who that fat girl is."

I closed my eyes briefly, trying to hold back my tears.

"I only ask one thing. Don't touch anything that doesn't belong to you. You are not family here. You live here because we are kind," my aunt said.

"I always try to do my best," I replied, wiping the tears that slipped down my cheeks.

"Your efforts are never enough, and with a body and face like that, don't dream of having a bright future," she said.

Elena smiled faintly before turning away. "Mom, I'm going to my room. I feel sick seeing this."

After they left, the kitchen fell silent again. My aunt glanced back once more.

"Clean the kitchen. After that, wash all the clothes, and don't expect to get dinner tonight."

I only nodded. "Yes."

When I was alone, the tears I had been holding back finally fell. I stared at the burnt dress in my hands and then looked at the mirror in front of me. Even this dress would never fit my body. This fat body that no man had ever looked at, while Elena was always the center of attention.

Some time later, I still prepared everything as usual. Dinner had to be ready on time. Warm soup on the stove, side dishes neatly arranged on plates, the dining table wiped until it shone. My hands still felt hot from the iron earlier, but I endured the pain. No one cared anyway.

When everything was done, I stood for a moment in the kitchen. My stomach cramped, but I already knew the answer even before asking. I was not getting dinner. I took a glass of water, drank it slowly, then walked to my small room at the back of the house. The room was cramped, just enough for a small bed, an old wardrobe, and a narrow window facing the neighbor's wall.

I had just sat on the edge of the bed when voices from the dining room carried clearly. I was not trying to eavesdrop. The walls of this house were simply too thin.

"Is the money still not there?" my aunt's tense voice asked.

My uncle let out a heavy sigh. "Not yet, and he doesn't want to wait anymore."

"Who is he?" my aunt's tone rose. "Carlo, don't tell me this is your problem again."

"If this were just an ordinary loan shark, I wouldn't be this scared. He's not just anyone," my uncle said.

I straightened my back. My hands unconsciously gripped the bedsheet.

"So? You said the debt would be settled last month," my aunt pressed.

"The interest keeps rising, and the deadline has passed," my uncle said loudly.

The room went quiet for a few seconds, then Elena's voice was heard. "Dad, who do you actually owe?"

"It's not important for you to know," he replied at last.

I had known my uncle had many debts for a long time. From neighbors' whispers, from frequent late-night arguments, from the anxious look he hid behind his anger. But I never knew who he owed.

"If tomorrow I don't bring a solution, we could all be in danger," my uncle said.

My aunt clicked her tongue. "What do you mean, in danger?"

My uncle did not answer right away, and that silence made my chest feel tighter. I lay down on my small bed, staring at the peeling ceiling, and somehow a bad feeling told me that I would be involved.

Suddenly, my bedroom door opened without a knock. I flinched and sat up immediately.

"Uncle?"

He stood in the doorway. His face looked tense, very different from usual. His eyes did not look at me. His gaze was fixed on my neck. Reflexively, my hand rose to touch the small necklace I always wore. A necklace from my mother. A thin chain with a simple flower-shaped pendant, the only thing left of her.

"What is that?"

"My mom's necklace," I said.

He stepped inside without permission. His eyes never left the necklace, as if it mattered more than my presence.

"Is that gold?" he asked.

I shook my head quickly. "No. It's just a memory."

My uncle laughed shortly. "Memories can have value too."

I stood up. "What do you want, Uncle?"

He stepped closer.

"Give it to me," he said.

"No."

My uncle stared at me sharply. "Lucia, you live in this house because I allow it."

My hand clutched the necklace tightly. "This is the only thing I have from My Mom."

He fell silent for a moment, then his expression changed. Not angry, not cold, but thoughtful, like someone who had just found something useful.

My uncle stepped back, letting out a long breath. He turned toward the door, then stopped.

"Tomorrow, you're coming with me," he said without looking back.