im home

The drive to their parents’ house was quiet. Mira sat by the window, her fingers pressed against the glass as the city passed by. The pain in her head still throbbed, but what hurt more was her heart.

When the car finally stopped in front of the mansion, Mira looked up and froze. A long line of bodyguards stood outside, perfectly still, waiting for them. The tall gates opened automatically, and Lyra drove in.

Mira took a deep breath as the car stopped. The moment she stepped out, the soft wind brushed her hair, and the air felt familiar yet strange.

Lyra walked beside her as they approached the main entrance. Just as Mira was about to open the front door, it swung open from the inside.

Standing there was their mother. Her face lit up with relief the moment she saw Mira.

“Mira!” she cried, rushing forward to hug her. “My baby, you’re home!”

Mira froze for a second, then slowly melted into her mother’s arms. The warmth she’d missed for years surrounded her again.

“Come in, sweetheart,” her mother said softly, brushing Mira’s hair away from her face. “You’re safe now.”

Lyra smiled quietly from behind them, her heart finally at ease.

Inside, the house was bright and welcoming. The soft scent of jasmine filled the air. On the couch sat their father, a man whose calm presence always filled the room.

When he looked up and saw Mira, his expression softened instantly. “Welcome back home, my dear,” he said.

Mira didn’t think twice. She ran straight into his arms. The moment she felt his familiar embrace, her tears fell freely.

“Dad…” she whispered, clutching his shirt tightly.

He gently patted her back. “You’re home now. That’s all that matters.”

Her mother and sister sat beside them, both watching quietly. When Mira finally calmed down, her father held her hand and said, “Tell me, my child. What happened?”

Mira took a shaky breath. “Mom… Dad…” she began, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for not listening to you when you warned me against Ethan in high school. I thought if I hid my identity, he would love me for who I am and not for what I have.”

Her mother sighed softly, eyes glistening.

Her father leaned forward, his tone calm but firm. “Mira, if that man had known you were the daughter of the richest man in this country, he would have pretended to love you just to secure your assets. He never deserved you, even back then.”

Mira wiped her tears, shaking her head. “Dad, he humiliated me,” she said, her voice breaking. “He tore me apart bit by bit. And now…” She paused, struggling to breathe through the pain. “He killed my son, Mom.”

Her mother’s eyes widened. “What… what did you say?”

Mira’s hands trembled as she told them everything Chloe had said — every cruel word, every secret that had been hidden from her. The truth spilled out like poison.

By the time she finished, her mother was crying silently, covering her mouth in shock. Her father’s face had turned cold with fury.

He clenched his fists and said in a low, steady tone, “Do you want me to handle him for you?”

Mira looked at her father, her eyes filled with tears, but there was a new kind of strength in them now. She shook her head slowly. “No, Dad. I want to tear him apart myself.”

Her father studied her face for a moment, then nodded with pride. “Then you will. But not alone. You have us now.”

Before Mira could respond, footsteps echoed from the hallway. She turned, confused.

The door opened, and her older brother stepped in. His tall frame filled the doorway, his familiar calm smile instantly softening the atmosphere.

“Brother…” Mira whispered, her voice cracking.

Without a second thought, she ran into his arms. He held her tightly, his hand gently patting her back like he used to when they were kids.

“It’s okay now,” he murmured. “You’re safe.”

Mira clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt. For the first time in years, she felt like she could breathe again.

But then, as she pulled back slightly, she noticed someone standing right behind her brother.

Her heart skipped. “Caleb?” she said, surprised.

Caleb smiled faintly, giving her a small nod. He looked different in casual clothes—calm, confident, but with the same gentle eyes she’d seen at the hospital.

Mira turned to her brother quickly. “Wait… you know him?”

Her brother chuckled. “Of course I do. We went to the same medical school. We’ve been friends for years.”

Mira blinked, stunned. “You two… are friends?”

He nodded. “Yes. When Caleb told me about the car accident — about how his younger brother was the one who hit you — he didn’t know you were my sister at first. But the moment he found out, he called me right away.”

Mira turned to Caleb, her eyes softening. “You knew?”

Caleb’s expression grew serious. “I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. You didn’t deserve what happened to you.”

Her brother placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve already been looking into Ethan, Mira. Every business dealing, every secret he’s been hiding. We’ll make sure he pays for everything he’s done.”

Mira looked at her family—her mother’s teary eyes, her father’s firm expression, Lyra’s comforting smile, and Caleb standing silently beside them. For the first time in years, she didn’t feel alone.

She straightened her back, wiping the last of her tears. “No,” she said softly. “I’ll make him pay. I don’t want pity. I want justice.”

Her father smiled faintly. “Then justice you shall have, my daughter.”

Lyra placed a gentle hand on Mira’s back. “We’ll start by rebuilding you,” she said quietly. “And when you’re strong again, we’ll make them regret ever crossing you.”

Mira nodded. “Yes. I’ll destroy him the same way he destroyed me—slowly.”

For a moment, silence filled the room again. Only the faint ticking of the clock could be heard.

Her mother broke it softly. “You’re home, Mira. Whatever happens next, we face it together.”

Mira looked around at her family, her chest tightening with emotion. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Her father smiled proudly. “You’ve always been strong. But now, you’re unstoppable.”