Chapter 3

STAR'S POV

I stayed in my room only long enough for the ache in my chest to dull..

But how long will these last? I am home.. I have to live under the same roof as them..

I can't ignore them forever, neither can they.. Maybe they are still mad because I wasn't in front of them enough? Maybe staying far away from them made my guilt seem true?

I have to let them know the truth... About what happened that night.. But before that, I have to soften them up a bit so they will actually listen to me and won't just throw me away like Atlas did this morning..

I opened the door but reality hit me back... it's been 10 years since I left the house... I nearly know nothing about this place..

The Vanderbilt estate was even bigger than I remembered.

Or maybe I had simply been too little back then to realize how enormous it truly was.

Everything screamed wealth-

towering ceilings painted with intricate gold details,

crystal chandeliers hanging like frozen stars,

polished marble floors that reflected every step I took,

walls lined with portraits of generations of Vanderbilts staring down with proud, judging eyes.

I wondered if they would look at me with disgust too-

if paintings could hate.

My fingers lightly brushed over the banister as I walked down another hallway.

Some places felt familiar in a distant, blurry way-

like fragments of a forgotten dream.

A corner.

A vase.

The scent of old wood and expensive candles.

Memories I couldn't fully grasp.

Then I found a pair of double doors slightly left open.

Curious, I gently pushed them wide-

and froze.

The library.

It was breathtaking.

Rows upon rows of towering bookshelves stretched upward endlessly, connected by elegant rolling ladders and a winding iron staircase leading to a second level balcony lined with even more books.

The scent hit me instantly-

aged paper,

leather bindings,

cedarwood shelves.

I felt like I could breathe again..

Without thinking, I stepped inside.

My fingertips trailed over countless spines until one caught my eye.

A Tale of Two Cities.

I pulled it free and sat near the tall window tucked into the corner.

And I read.

Hours slipped by unnoticed.

The sunlight slowly faded-

gold became amber-

amber became dusk-

and dusk surrendered to darkness.

I was so immersed in books that I didn't even realize that it was dark..

I got up after finishing the 3rd book...

I scanned the shelves to think another one..

I was reaching for another book when I spotted one tucked impossibly high on the second level shelf.

Curiosity pulled at me.

I climbed the narrow iron stairs and stepped onto the balcony walkway.

Then higher-

onto the rolling ladder attached to the shelf.

One step.

Two.

Three.

I stretched my arm upward, fingertips barely brushing the spine.

Almost-

Just-

My foot slipped.

A sharp gasp tore from my throat as the ladder suddenly rolled sideways beneath me.

For one horrifying second-

my body tilted backward into empty air.

I thought-

This is it. This might be my end.

But instead of crashing into hardwood-

strong arms caught me.

Firmly.

Effortlessly.

My eyes flew open.

And my breath stopped..

A man..

Dark hair slightly falling over sharp brows.

Piercing silver-gray eyes-

colder than winter, yet somehow softer than Atlas's cruelty.

Broad shoulders.

Strong jaw.

A faint scar near his chin.

And a scent-

clean cedar, rain, and something distinctly masculine.

His arm was wrapped securely around my waist while the other supported my back, holding me like I weighed nothing.

His brows slowly furrowed as he stared down at me.

Not angry.

Not warm either.

Just... stunned.

Like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His grip loosened just enough for my feet to touch the ground-

but his hand still remained around my waist.

As though some instinct stopped him from letting go completely.

He looked like someone had knocked the air out of him..

My lips parted.

"...Aries?"

The moment his name left my mouth,

his expression changed instantly.

Something dark flashed in his eyes.

Something sharp.

"You remember me, huh? "

His deep voice was low-

dangerously calm-

yet carrying unmistakable disbelief.

My throat tightened.

Of course I remembered him.

Aries Vanderbilt-

the second oldest.

The quiet brother.

The one who used to carry me on his shoulders.

The one who braided flower crowns badly just to make me laugh.

The one who called me-

Little Star.

My eyes burned.

"I remember all of you."

Silence.

Heavy silence.

Aries stared at me-

really stared-

at my trembling lashes,

my thin frame,

the sadness I could no longer hide.

Then his jaw tightened.

And whatever softness had briefly surfaced vanished behind a wall of ice.

His hand dropped from my waist.

"You should stay away from high places," he said coldly.

Then after a pause-

his silver eyes met mine again.

"Especially in this house."

He took a step behind..

"Blood is too hard to scrap off completely... Sometimes it stains relationships for years.. "

My heart dropped... He was talking about the same incident..

"Aries-"

I tried to reach to him but he moved away..

"Don't touch me! Your hand are covered with Leo's blood.. "

My hand froze mid air.. Leo... Leo Vanderbilt... My brother who's death tainted my life for years..

ARIES'S POV

"You had to bring her back? In the same house? "

Orion scoffed and looked away while Atlas quietly typed in his laptop..

"Why did you do that? You could have arranged another place for her.. "

Atlas finally closed his laptop and looked at me..

"You know the situation outside.. Someone already killed Gloria... They could be after her too- "

He paused for a bit and cleared his throat..

"It's not like I care about her but she could be used against us.. So I just brought her back so she could be under our control.. "

He looked away, trying to reason his doing as if we don't know that in the deepest part of his heart, he still cared for her.. As if we don't know how fast he sent our men to safely escort her here after the nanny, Gloria passed away..

Our little Star..

Only if she hadn't done that thing that day... Everything would have been perfect today..

The car stopped before the estate and Orion got out first, slamming the door shut.. Atlas and me got out as well and walked to our room while Orion walked towards to garden to take a smoke break..

As I walked up the stairs, I noticed the lights of the library still on.. I frowned as I kept it off when I left.. No one every dares to enter there without my permission..

Who is it then?

I walked inside and scanned the room until I noticed someone, wearing a white dress, trying to reach a book..

Is that...

Before I could say something, her foot slipped and I moved as my instincts screamed at me..

I caught her before she hit the hard floor..

This face... My little Star... My baby sister..

I loosened my grip but didn't let her go.. What if I had entered few seconds late and didn't catch her? what if I lost her like we lost Leo?

"Aries... "

The moment she spoke, I snapped back to reality... We lost Leo? More like he was snatched away from us because of her only..

"You remember me, huh? "

"I remember all of you."

Her body trembled, I wanted to hold her but that would be like betraying Leo.. So I let go of her and took a step back..

"You should stay away from high places,"

I warned..

"Especially in this house."

The memories of Leo kept surfacing before my eyes and with that came the hatred for her and the reasons why I hated her in the first place..

"Blood is too hard to scrap off completely... Sometimes it stains relationships for years.. "

Her eyes widened a bit..

"Aries-"

She tried to reach me but I stepped back as if her touch would burn me..

"Don't touch me! Your hand are covered with Leo's blood.. "

I turned around and left after that.. I couldn't face her..

Even though it's been 10 years.. Looking at her makes me remember what I lost..

And it wasn't just my brother... It was my mother as well...