Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Emelia's Pov

“Arghhh!” I screamed, pain shooting through my spine as hot iron burned through the skin on my face. It hurts! It hurts so much! I was thrown to the floor, my chin hitting the hard concrete floor. Scrambling backwards, I clawed at my face, feeling the melting flesh drip down my chin.

“Hahahaha!” Nora, my younger sister laughed, her voice echoing in the dark room, her amusement piercing through the thick air like a blade.

"You look hideous now, dear sister." She mocked, twirling the branding iron in her hand. The tip still sizzled, glowing a furious red from the heat, "But don't worry, it's not like you had much to lose."

Tears blurred my vision, the sharp sting of burnt flesh sending fresh waves of agony through my nerves. I gasped for air, my body trembling violently as I forced myself to crawl backward.

"N-Nora… please…" I choked, my voice barely a whisper.

She sighed, tilting her head as if bored.

"I was hoping you'd put up more of a fight.” She mused, crouching beside me. Her fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at her, "Where’s that fire you always had, Emelia? Where’s that little spark of defiance? You know I never liked you, Emelia so why did you try to cover what wasn't yours? Why did you always try to get in my way? Why did you even have to stay in the mansion! You should have refused to become a RedField! Why were you always so greedy?!” Nora's voice rose the more she spoke and with my one good eye, I stared at her in shock.

“I was greedy?” I let out a choked laugh, my broken ribs protesting the movement. Greedy? That’s what she thought of me?

I could barely hold myself upright, my hands trembling as I pushed against the floor, but I still managed to look up at her.

"You call me greedy." I rasped, my voice hoarse from the pain. "But who was the one who took everything from me? Who lied? Who betrayed me? I only wanted to be recognised by my real parents! How was I greedy?!”

Nora’s smile vanished. Her grip on the branding iron tightened.

"You should have never been here." She hissed, "You should have never been born! You should have just stayed in that poor orphanage! How dare you try to take what's mine, huh?!" And with that, she slammed the iron against my shoulder.

A fresh wave of agony ripped through me. My body convulsed, the scream torn from my throat as my skin burned, the scent of scorched flesh making me nauseous.

Nora watched me writhe with cold satisfaction before finally stepping back, dropping the iron with a loud clang.

"By the time I am done with you, Emelia. The world won’t even remember you existed." She turned to the guards, "Lock the door. Make sure no one goes in or out.”

"You… will regret this…" I rasped.

For a moment, something dark flashed in her eyes. But then she grinned.

"Regret?" she echoed, her thumb pressing against the raw, burned skin of my cheek. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, "No, sister. The only one full of regret… is you."

She shoved me back, standing to her full height. I collapsed onto the cold ground, my chest rising and falling rapidly. Everything hurts. My body was battered, my face burning, my limbs too weak to even move.

Her words echoed in my brain, “The only one full of regrets is you.”

Right… That was right… I was the one who was full of regrets. She was right. I should have known my place, I never should have tried to ask for love from my real parents. I never should have tried to fit in with the people I called my family. I should have not been so naive to the extent that I believed they would treat me better than where I used to be. A bitter chuckle escaped my lips.

Why was I so stupid?

But then, a knock came from outside, it was so soft I almost thought I imagined it. I forced my eyes open, my heart shaking.

"Miss Emelia…" A whisper came.

I tried to move, to lift my head, but my body was sluggish, unresponsive. The window creaked open. A small figure crawled inside.

I blinked, “Lena?” What was she doing here?

She was trembling, her face pale, but her eyes were filled with urgency, "Miss Emelia, I came to help you but we have to go before Nora comes back." She whispered desperately.

I wanted to speak. To ask why she was here, why she was risking her life for me. But I couldn’t. Lena didn’t wait. She grabbed my arm, looping it around her small shoulders, and pulled.

"Come on.” She urged, "Please…"

With every ounce of strength left in me, I moved. Together, we stumbled toward the window. However, we had barely made it outside when a voice cut through the night.

"Going somewhere?"

It was Nora. She stood in the dim moonlight, arms crossed, her lips curling into a slow, wicked smile.

"You really never learn, do you, Emelia?" she sighed, shaking her head.

Lena froze. Before I could react, Nora's guards grabbed her.

"NO!" I screamed, reaching for her. Lena thrashed, kicking wildly, but she was no match for them. One of the guards yanked her arm and then…

CRACK.

A bloodcurdling scream tore from Lena’s throat.

My stomach dropped as I stared at her in horror. Her hand… They had broken her hand. Tears streaked her pale face, her tiny frame shaking from pain. But through her sobs, she looked at me.

"Run." She whimpered.

I couldn’t leave her. I couldn't. She helped me. She had helped me!

"GO!" she screamed. "Miss Emelia, please! RUN!"

“No… I can't… I can't leave you…”

“Miss Emelia, go, alright? I wanted to repay you for how you helped me back then and I finally had the chance to do that. I don't regret anything and neither should you. It wasn't wrong for you to ask for love. It wasn't. So please go, GO! RUN!”

My heart shattered.

But I ran. I forced my battered legs forward, sprinting toward the street. The cold night air whipped against my face, every step sending fresh agony through my body.

Behind me, I heard Nora’s furious voice.

"Don’t let her escape!"

Footsteps thundered after me. I pushed harder, lungs burning, vision blurring. The streetlights ahead flickered, the sound of car engines roaring in my ears.

I was almost there. I had almost escaped but then, I saw headlights and it shone into my eyes, I raised my hands to cover my sensitive eyes from the light. However, I couldn't react quickly. My body was hit by the car and I flew back, my body hitting the pavement with a painful thud, my spine cracking.

It was cold. It was really cold. I could feel life slipping away from me. Through my blurry eyes, I saw Ethan, my fiancé, come out from the car that had hit me. I could hear screams and shouts. Ethan and Nora stepped closer to me, he held her by the waist, comforting her as she cried. There was no emotion on his face.

I gasped, wanting to say something, but blood had filled my throat and the world was spinning. I knew I was going to die. But I didn't want to die. I didn't want to die. I want to live.

So please… if someone was out there. If they felt pity for me… give me a second chance. I won't ask for love anymore, I won't want a family anymore. So please, give me a second chance to right my wrongs! Please!