Shattered

~ A bitter legacy ~

"In a house where shadows whispered and smiles concealed malice, Silence was the ultimate price for survival"

The rain slashed against the window, casting shadows that dripped down the walls of my bedroom. I pressed her palm to the glass, feeling the cold seep into my skin as I stared out at the sprawling estate, an endless stretch of manicured gardens and looming iron gates that seemed to trap me in place. 

Inside, the air was thick, oppressive, laced with the faint scent of my stepfather's cigars and the sharp, suffocating silence that followed his every command. Somewhere down the hall, my stepsisters' voices rose and fell, twisted with cruel laughter that curled through the house like smoke. 

My stomach knotted, each mocking word a reminder of this place in this twisted hierarchy, my identity slipping further away with each taunt, each carefully placed barb. And yet, beneath the weight of my dread, something simmered, a fragile, unyielding spark of defiance. I didn't know where it would lead me, but I knew one thing: this life wasn't meant to be mine.

I am Kiara Kapoor, and I live with my mother and her new husband in the countryside of England. Sebastian Ainsworth an notorious mafia figure known for his violent nature. Alongside him, his two vindictive daughters Gabriella and Isabelle, whose cruelty knows no bounds.

I glance across the room a family photograph catches my eyes. My gaze fixes, staring hard at the supposed 'perfect' family with me shunned into a corner of the image, concealed from view.

From the beginning, i've always felt like I was the odd one out in my family, I didn't look like any of them, my tanned brown skin, raven black waves stood in stark contrast to the other fair features, I was told I inherited this from my father. I wasn't included in anything with them, whether it was family outings or just a simple conversation I was always on the outside looking in. Instead of being embraced and supported I was cast aside, made a prisoner in my glided cage. Their insufferable behaviour only just intensified after a family faced financial ruin.

Yes unfortunately despite all the wealth we had acquired over the years, nobody seems to understands how to manage it wisely. Our extravagant lifestyle and poor investments seems to finally be catching up on us now. I had the unfortunate pleasure of hearing Gabriella whining to my mum about not being able to afford the lavish new dress she saw in season at the outlet.

Typical, right? Always finding something to complain about.Meanwhile, my mother literally got a second job just to be able to keep up with their endless demands, while I get the scraps they discard to suffice my actual needs. A half-eaten sandwich at lunch (which I very much refused), a worn out pair of shoes that didn't quite fit. Don't get me wrong I appreciate what my mother did, but the fact she was willing to make those efforts for others and leaving me with the bare minimum did hurt to say the least, its the fact she could do it so easily for near entitled strangers, but her own child she struggled to make the effort.

 Since, we had to let go of all our house help, the burden of chores fell on my shoulders. It was as if nobody cared to make my life any easier; I was constantly cleaning up after them, scrubbing floors, washing dishes and tidying rooms that I barely had any claim to! Did nobody seem to want to try; help me out, or even offer a damn thank you! I mean is it really that difficult. The workload i would receive was constant. I was even dubbed "cinderbitch" from my step sisters a title that was as ironic as it was cruel. The name stuck, a constant reminder of their twisted sense of humour and my unfortunate reality of a situation.

They thrived on the mind games they enjoy playing, crafting elaborate scenarios to keep me on edge. One day, I was just scrubbing away at the floors, trying to focus at my task on hand, when one of them came barreling in, slipped, falling dramatically onto the ground. I was sure I hadn't even mopped up that bit yet, she found a way to turn it around and making me  believe I did and was to blame for the situation, which I did feel some empathy for, as she could have been seriously hurt, I lost some privileges for nearly causing her "serious damage" a punishment that left me feeling even more trapped.

Days turned into weeks, and I began to realise that if I wanted to escape this nightmare, I'd have to fight back. The spark of defiance in me was growing, fueling myself by the realisation that I was stronger than they thought. I would no longer allow their cruel games to dictate my life. I was done being the silent victim in their twisted story, I wanted to reclaim my identity, my worth, and my future.

It was time for me to regain control of my fairytale...