Chapter 1

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A/n
Before the story begins, I want to give you a better imagen of Leyla.
Katie Douglas as Leyla Latrova

Katie Douglas as Leyla Latrova

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Leyla's POV

I was sitting on my favorite roof. You see, here I have an amazing view over the crowded New York City.
It's basically my safe place and I come here if I need a time-out of life ... that's nearly every single day.
Yup, you could say my life is a complete sh*t.
I mean, I live at an orphanage where I get abused, but that's not the worst part of life. It's just, ... I'm not normal.
Before you ask, I won't tell you at least not now.
It's a topic for another day. I hate to think about it.

I took a last look at the city. It was getting late and I had to get 'home'. If you could call it that way.
Slowly I climbed down the fire escape and walked down the street, not wanting to get to the orphanage. I knew I would get a worse beating up there.
Miss Seaper hates me, only me, to the others she is nice. I don't know why. I've never done anything bad to her.
As I crossed the street I saw a yellow school bus driving kids to an overnight field trip. I would love to go to school, but Miss Seaper won't let me go. In fact I've never gone to school. As a kid, well yeah, the people I stayed with wouldn't let me go either.
After 30 other minutes of walking, I reached the orphanage. It was an old grey building. I always have to think about a haunted house.
Luckily I haven't seen a ghost...yet.

I opened the door slowly, not wanting Miss Seaper to hear me.
But of course the devil herself was waiting for me in the entrance space.
"Where have you been young lady!?"
"I was out for a walk."
"Sure, you need 5 whole hours for a walk. Do you think I'm dump? Don't lie to me!
Do not forget that I'm the one giving you a roof to sleep under or that I'm the one feeding you! You should be thankful for it! I could easily throw you out."
Then the beating started.
She first pushed me to the ground and punched me a few times.
Suddenly Penelope, one of the 5 year old kids came down the stairs.
"Out here, quickly! Out!" Miss Seaper yelled at her and the poor terrified girl ran off immediately.
Then she continued to hit me.
There were more punches in my face and I already felt blood trailing down my face.
Then she kicked me, over and over again.
I was sure that I would wake up with a few new bruises tomorrow.
After she had enough, she left. Or so I thought.
Suddenly I felt something cold hitting my head.
Then I heard her walking away.
My face was wet, I assumed she threw the flower vase from the cupboard near the stairs at me.
I got up quickly and walked to my 'room' in the basement, not wanting any of the other kids to see me like this.
I laid down on my 'bed'. Well, it's basically just a dirty mattress.
After the pain stopped I got up and went to the small bathroom next to my room.
I'm the only one using it, the others use the big clean one on the second floor.
I cleaned up my new wounds. And the old ones too.
It was midnight and I went to bed intending to sleep a little bit. But I had trouble falling asleep.
I was afraid of the nightmares that were haunting me.
They are about my past. Believe me if I tell you my past was awful, you don't want to know it in detail. Even if you wanted to, I'm not ready to speak about it. It would cause a mental breakdown and I'm not looking forward to have one.

After one whole hour, I finally fall asleep.

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Young Leyla's POV

"Leyla, come on it's time to get home." called my mother from the bench she was sitting on. "No, I ... I don't want to go home " I said frustrated. I just wanted to stay on the playground and have fun with a few other kids.
"Come on little one, tomorrow is your birthday and you don't want to be tired, do you?" mom tried to persuade her.
"Nooo, wait, I'm coming."
I yelled while I was running to my mother.

After we reached our house, I went to bed. Quickly I fall asleep.
But when I woke up in the early morning I wasn't at home anymore. I woke up in a broken house. It was dark and cold, plus I was scared. I walked out of the house just to see that the whole city was destroyed.
"Mom! .... Mom! ... Dad! ... Where are you?" I yelled but nobody answered me. I decided to run around in the unfamiliar place. This wasn't the town I used to know. It looked like my hometown, but destroyed and scary. I started crying. I never expected my third birthday to be such a disaster.

Suddenly I heard a voice behind me
"Hey, little girl. What are you doing here without your parents all on your own? "
I turned around and saw a man. I wasn't sure if I should answer or not. My parents always told me not to talk to strangers but the man looked nice and nobody else was there. " I ... I ... I can't find my parents. " I answered quite.
"Oh my dearest one, you could come with me. I could take good care of you. "
The man offered. But I remembered my parents always told me not to go with strangers. " I'm not allowed to go with strangers " I said quickly.
" Well, if I would tell you my name I wouldn't be a stranger anymore, would I?" The man asked.
" I assumed not ..." I told the man.
"My name is Dreykov and yours ?" the man said.
" Leyla... " I answered shyly.
"Well, Leyla would you come with me? " Dreykov asked. I nodded and smiled. It wouldn't be a mistake, would it?
Then I walked with the man to a car but before we reached it, everything went black.

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Leyla's POV

I woke up shaking. I knew that it was a huge mistake to go with Dreykov in the past but now, in the present, I couldn't change anymore.

A/n
OMG, first chapter is done!
I hope you like it and it's not too confusing.
I tried not to spoil her past too much. I promise this wasn't the last time she dreamed about her past.
The author 💕

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