Chapter 4

While Mia was still in Axel’s room, Brenda was already heading toward her daughter’s room, the syringe in her hand. It was past 10 p.m., and she expected Mia to be fast asleep by now just like every other night so she could quietly give her the dose.

But when she stepped inside, the bed was empty.

Brenda frowned and looked around.

"Mia?" she called softly. No answer.

Her gaze shifted to the bathroom - it was empty too.

"Where did she go?" Brenda muttered under her breath, a flicker of unease creeping through her chest.

She turned toward the door, ready to check the rest of the house, when it suddenly opened.

Brenda froze, her heart jumping. Then she exhaled in relief when she saw her daughter standing there.

"Where did you go?" she asked, lowering her voice. "I thought you were asleep."

Mia didn’t answer. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Without a word, she brushed past her mother, climbed onto the bed, and pulled the covers over herself.

She knew her mother would come soon that was why she hadn’t stayed too long with Axel this time. She hadn’t even washed his dishes. Axel hadn’t eaten; she’d simply thrown the food away and left the plates in the sink.

Now she just wanted to look asleep - safe from more questions.

Brenda stood by the door, watching her daughter quietly for a few seconds, the syringe still in her hand.

She wondered why Mia cared so deeply for that boy. No matter what she did, Mia’s attachment to him only seemed to grow stronger.

It was starting to feel impossible to make her stop liking him.

"Good night," Brenda said finally, switching off the light before stepping out. She knew Mia wasn’t asleep yet, but she planned to return later.

And that’s exactly what she did. A few minutes later, when Mia had finally drifted into sleep, Brenda quietly re-entered the room.

She moved to the bedside, drew the injection, and slipped the needle into her daughter’s arm.

"Seems like we’ll have to get rid of that boy sooner than we thought," Brenda whispered.

She lingered for a moment, staring at her sleeping daughter, her expression unreadable before quietly slipping out of the room.

By morning, Mia would remember nothing about what had happened that evening. Not the tears. Not sneaking into Axel’s room. Not even that she had forgotten to lock the door when she left.

The key still rested in her skirt pocket.

When she finally woke up, a dull ache throbbed in her head. Everything from the night before was hazy, slipping away like a half-forgotten dream.

She groaned softly as she sat up, her messy hair falling into her face. Even the morning light felt too bright, too sharp.

Her eyes felt heavy and puffy.

"Did I… cry?" she whispered, rubbing them gently with her small fingers.

She tried to remember why she would have - but nothing came. Just a blurry fog that made her chest feel tight and sad for no reason she could name.

It was the drug again, though Mia didn’t know that. All she ever felt was the same strange mix of confusion, a pounding head, and a heart that hurt for something she couldn’t remember.

Just then, the door opened.

Brenda walked in, her smile warm and gentle - the kind of smile that made everything look normal, even when it wasn’t.

"Good morning, darling," she said softly, sitting down beside Mia on the bed.

"Morning, Mom," Mia murmured, forcing a tiny smile, even though she still felt a little dizzy.

"Looks like you had a good sleep," Brenda said, gently brushing Mia’s messy hair with her fingers.

Mia shook her head slowly. "Not really, Mom. My head hurts… and my eyes feel all puffy."

Brenda frowned lightly, pretending to look worried as she leaned closer. "Oh dear, why’s that? Did you stay up too late again?"

Mia froze.

Something flickered in her mind - a blurry picture of Axel, lying on the floor. But when she tried to think harder, it slipped away like smoke.

Her chest felt strange, heavy, though she didn’t know why. But she couldn’t tell her mom.

What if she got in trouble? What if her mom found out she’d been sneaking out at night?

"Um… no," she said finally, forcing a small, awkward smile.

Brenda nodded slowly, still stroking her hair. "That’s good, sweetheart."

Brenda gently pulled her hand away. "Well, have your bath and come downstairs. I’ll give you some medicine to help you feel better," she said kindly.

Mia frowned. "Medicine?"

Brenda smiled at her daughter’s puzzled face. "Yes, sweetheart. You need to take it so your head stops hurting." She stood, smoothing her skirt with practiced grace.

"Hurry up and get ready," she added, flashing a bright smile before heading for the door.

When she was gone, Mia’s frown lingered. She hated medicine - the bitter taste, the way it always made her sleepy afterward. Still, she sighed and kicked off the covers.

As she stood, something jingled - a soft metallic sound.

Mia froze. She reached into the pocket of her skirt, her fingers brushing against something cold and heavy.

The key.

Her breath caught.

Then her brows creased into a small frown.

"Did I… go to see Axel last night?" she whispered.

She tried to think, but everything felt scrambled - like a dream she couldn’t quite hold onto.

"Why can’t I remember anything?" she murmured, her chest tightening.

"I need to return this," she said after a moment. "I just hope Dad doesn’t notice it’s missing."

Quickly, she slipped the key beneath her pillow, hiding it from sight. It felt safer there - for now.

Her father was probably still in his room, and the thought of meeting him made her stomach twist. So she decided to wait.

With that, Mia headed to the bathroom to freshen up, her heart thumping softly as she got ready..

After her bath, she tiptoed into her parents’ room and quickly returned the key to its place. Luis was still in the bathroom, and Brenda stood by the dining-room doorway, watching the maid set the table.

David was already seated, lazily drumming his fingers on the table while the food was being served.

A few minutes later, Mia came downstairs, her damp hair clinging lightly to her cheeks. She looked fresher, though her eyes still carried a sleepy softness.

Brenda looked up and smiled.

"I’m all ready, Mom," Mia said brightly.

"Good," Brenda replied, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her daughter’s forehead. "Go on, sit down and eat."

Mia took a seat across from David, who was already staring at her with a small frown. She gave a faint smile when she saw the food in front of her, but his voice made her stop.

"You look… normal," he said slowly, leaning back in his chair. "Different from last night."

Mia froze, blinking at him. "What do you mean?" she asked, her brows scrunching a little.

David smirked. "I just thought you’d be crying in your room all day or something."

His words made her chest tighten in confusion.

"David," Brenda said calmly, her tone carrying quiet warning.

David looked up and met his mother’s gaze. He rolled his eyes, then muttered under his breath, "Whatever," and went back to eating.

"Just eat," he added, stabbing a piece of toast with his fork. "We’ve got school to attend."

Mia lowered her gaze to her plate and began to eat slowly, though her appetite was already gone.

She tried to ignore David’s words. Maybe he was just teasing her, she told herself. Maybe everything was fine.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the strange, heavy feeling that something wasn’t right.

A little later, Brenda handed her a small cup of water and two tablets with a warm smile.

"Here you go, sweetheart. Take these before you go," she said.

Mia hesitated for a moment, then swallowed the pills. Brenda brushed her hair lightly and sent her off to school.

The driver was already waiting by the car, and within minutes, both children were gone.

Not long after, Luis came down the stairs, fastening his cufflinks. He looked calm and composed - a sharp contrast to the cold fury that had burned in him the night before.

His eyes swept over the living room as he reached the last step. "They’ve already left?" he asked.

Brenda appeared from the hallway, a steaming cup of coffee in hand. "Yes," she replied with a faint, practiced smile. "And as always, Mia doesn’t remember a thing about last night."

Luis gave a slow, satisfied nod. "Good."

He moved into the dining room and took his seat. One of the maids hurried forward to serve him, the soft clatter of dishes echoing through the quiet morning.

Brenda followed, standing by the doorway for a moment, her gaze fixed on him. Her expression was calm but beneath it, something uncertain flickered in her eyes.

She took a seat opposite him, eyes following his every bite. Luis noticed and paused mid-chew, lifting an eyebrow.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

"Isn’t it about time we get rid of that boy?" Brenda said bluntly, not bothering with a smile.

Luis shrugged, untroubled. "I know."

"Then why don’t you hurry up and take out his organ before you sell him off or whatever you’re planning?" she pressed.

"Don’t rush me, woman," Luis said coldy. "I don’t want the press sniffing around yet. And besides, I can’t do that while he’s in this condition."

"Do you want me to get arrested or what?" He snapped.

Brenda sighed, reading the warning in his voice.

"I know that. But you see… our dear Mia is getting too attached. I’m afraid she might one day expose us. She’s only a child...she’s still so young."

Luis pushed his chair back and stood, his brow knotting into a hard frown.

"Why don’t you leave this to me? Let me handle it the way I planned. I have my ways." His tone was final as he turned and walked out of the dining room.

"Luis—" Brenda called after him, but he didn’t stop.

He grabbed his blazer from the couch, slipping it on with sharp, tense movements before heading for the door. Without another word, he stepped outside, the echo of it closing behind him filling the quiet house.

Brenda let out a long, weary sigh and pressed her fingers to her temple. The room felt heavier now, emptier.

"I just… have a bad feeling," she murmured to herself, her gaze lingering on the door long after he was gone.