BLACK CARD, SOFT HEART.

LEILA.

Cruelty didn't arrived loudly. It came as calm.

The next morning, I stood alone in the guest room Aiden assigned me to always be whenever new ideas, challenges and memories flash in.

I watch the colour of the dawn, silence so clean that it feels expensive.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and I barely recognised the girl looking back.

She wasn't crying.

She's wasn't apologizing.

She looked empty.

And for the first time those emptiness felt useful.

....

My phone lay on the dresser, no missed calls, no annoying messages, and zero concern.

Only two messages from an unknown number.

BANK ALERT: account access granted, we are concern and sorry for the inconveniences. I blinked, is this a joke?.

Another message followed.

Aiden: they frozen your account, just to humiliate you, I unfrozen it to remind them that you exist, and this time around, they should use that as a reminder that you will be back stronger and one day you will be ready to revenge for your right that was taken away.

My finger trembled not in fear, but for the POWER, the society we are in, power and influence speaks.

....

I dressed slowly, not in the safest clothes this time, neither in anything loud or luxury, but in a simple cream dress with no jewelry, no logos but still I looked expensive. I brushed my hair back instead of hiding behind it.

......

Downstairs sits Aiden in the breakfast table, tablet in hand.

" You slept" he noted.

" Yes" I replied.

"Good" he looked up, today you choose who_".

I cut in eagerly, " choose what!".

" Who you stop being, you adapt to the new environment and a new life, indeed you make the best choice ever". He answered.

I was touched by his kind words. I sat across him, and for once I didn't fold my hands neither laying them on my laps.

I feel safer with a stranger than my own family.

"I want to go back"I said calmly, Aiden didn't react rashly or judge me.

" To the house?" He asked.

"Yes".I replied

" To beg for forgiveness?".

"No". My voice surprised even me.

" I'm going there to retrieve my belongings and my mother's documents!".

The atmosphere in the dinning table change, all I see was a determined lady, ready to first for what was rightfully hers.

Then he nodded once. "Take the car, just you no drivers".

My heartbeat spiked in disbelief of what I heard.

" You trust me? That much to give me your car?".

" I trust consequences" he replied "And you need them to feel the consequences of their actions one by one, bit by bit and boom it clicks".

I was thrilled by how he seems to understand the pain, even more than someone I called my father.

.....

Outside the house parked that one luxurious car,I blinked twice, tears rolled down my chin, is this all a dream, I never hold the keys to my father's cars, not to think of entering them or driving, and it wasn't because I couldn't drive or sits on them but because his favorite daughter claimed them all, and who I'm I to go against the princess of the house.

.....

The gate to my family house opened by the horns, it feels like nothing had happened, that was cruiest part that hit me hard.

The guard barely glance at me, their attention were all driven by the luxury car parked in front not me.

The flower still bloomed like betrayal wasn't steched into the walls.

Inside still smelled the same, polish perfumes and that favorite daughter superiority stills remain, I can tell with just the decor.

All are still her favorite colour and her pictures displayed like it was set for auctioning.

My stepmom frose in shocked when she saw me.

" Oh" she said fainting " you're back?".

"Briefly" I replied.

My door opens as Lydia's step out of my room, she wears a triumph smile on seeing me. The soft played music inside,giving the celebratory vibe.

I walked in, she stood before the mirror, dressed in white glowing dress,and those diamonds still dancing on her neck, she turned slowly to me,her lips curling in satisfaction.

" I wondered how it tooked you so long to crawled back,I don't know what you've been through too but have always known that you will be back begging for help".

I smiled back.

Not nervously.

Not weak.

" You don't have to act all bossy here, I knew you never meant those texts, so I never tooked them serious" she added rejocingly.

" What texts" I asked surprisedly.

" Oh dear sister, don't act all that stupid, you obviously know what I'm talking about, don't be embarrassed I_".

Before she could finished, I cut in truumphly.

" I came for my documents, and for my mother's belongings".

She laughed.

" You don't get to asked a question here Leila".

" I wasn't asking" I answered.

Her smile faintically disappeared, I move pass her and opened the drawer where my mother's letters had always been kept.

Empty?. My chest tightened, but I never express it.

"You burned them, didn't you"I asked calmly.

She shrugged"they were clutter".

Something shifted inside me then a clean break.

I turned to her slowly.

" Do you know why you won befor?".

Lydia straightened her posture.

" Because I'm smarter".

"No" I said " it's because I was kind".

Her eyes narrowed in shocked.

" And kindness," I continue, " is the luxury I no longer have something doing with".

I step closer to her, not invading her space but just enough to be undeniable.

" I want you to enjoy the moments" I whispers it into her ears.

" Every compliments, every camera's set to face, every lies, enjoy them while it last ".

She scoff. " Is this a threat".

"No" I smiled again, gentle as glass place in the cabin.

" It's a farewell my dear sister".

I turned and left without another word and not looking back.

No tears

No shouting

No begging

I left truumphly.

That was cruelty, because I never let her see my pain alone, I allowed her to feel my absence.

.....

LEILA.

Back at the villa, I stood at the balcony, overlooking the city.

Aiden join me, it was a total silent.

" I didn't cry" I said quietly " I thought I would break down on getting there".I turned to him " I'm I becoming cruel?".

He looked at the skyline. " That's how it's starts". And then he looked at me " no, you're not cruel, you're becoming perfect, and what you did there was a good start to becoming HER".

The city glowed, and behind me a door closed softly, sealing off the girl who once begged for love in her family, I watched her disappear.

....

And somewhere else, Lydia was staring at a photo that would haunt her down forever.