- l i l a -
Damien called me down for dinner that day. He had told me that someone was coming over and asked me to dress nicely.
Do I care? No.
I put on my favorite baggy hoodie and ripped jeans and went down.
When I came down, the table was already set and almost everyone was sitting there in their usual places. I went and sat between Lijah and Xavier.
"Who's coming?" I asked Lijah expectantly.
"You'll see."
A few moments later, the bell rang and one of the maid opened the door. I moved a bit to see who was there and froze.
There stood Mia. The bitch.
When we were kids, I used to think we were distant cousins. But as I grew up, I realized that we were not related.
I didn't know much but apparently her parents worked for my dad and they had died during some project and she was under my dad's care ever since.
But what the hell was she doing here?
Honestly I never liked Mia. She was just an attention seeking prick. She lived in California but visited us during vacations.
When we were young, whenever Mia came over she would act like she was their sister, not me. She would act like the queen of the house.
I still remember how she used to take away all of my precious things without permission and then flaunt them in front of others.
And to think she's not even an Alfonso.
But what was more heart breaking was how Xavier always stood up for her. While he always annoyed and irritated me, he would always play with her.
Was I jealous back then? Yes.
Do I care now? No.
I never liked her but I started hating her when she took away the pendant dad gifted me on my third birthday.
When Mia saw me, her face paled. It was priceless. Someone give me a fucking camera. But she quickly covered it and all I wanted to do was laugh.
The maids started serving once everyone settled down.
"I see Lila is back." Mia said giving me the most fake smile.
"Umm. . .Sorry but you are?" I gave her the blank look I had mastered in years.
"Ah yeah. You probably don't remember me now. Let me introduce myself. I'm Mia."
"Mia who?"
"Mia Costello."
"Oh so aren't you that ass who used to steal all of my things."
Her jaw dropped to the ground. From the corner of my eyes I could see Xander biting back a laugh.
"Oh come on. You used to give me those things yourself. So for how long are you here?" She said quickly changing the topic.
"Lila is not going anywhere. I'm her guardian and she's living with us now." Victor answered for me in his usual icy cold voice.
"That's great." She said smiling but you could easily see the disappointment on her face.
The dinner was going peacefully until Ms. Mia the hoe Costello decided to interrupt in her oh so sweet voice.
"I received the dress you sent me Xavier. I know I said I liked that gown but that doesn't mean you had to buy me that."
Even though my entire attention was on the food in front of my eyes but I could still see the wide smirk plastered on her face. I know what she was trying to do but I'm not falling for her trap.
"Its alright Mia."
"But why did you not attend the exhibition though? I was expecting you."
"I was busy."
"It's okay. I've the photographs. You might like to see them." She said flashing her phone towards Xavier. It was some sort of art exhibition. I was going to ignore it when but then my eyes fell on a familiar painting.
"Are you sure?" It was Patrick.
I was going to grab something to eat when I heard Mom and Patrick talking. Being the nosy me, I decided to eavesdrop.
"She can't paint anymore Patrick. If she'll keep looking at these art works, it will only hurt her, nothing else."
"So you will throw them, just like that?"
"I can never throw them. I'll send it to him for now." I could hear her sigh.
"Quite exceptional works you have got there."
"I know. Anyone could easily mistake it for some professional artist." Mom said in a proud voice.
I never questioned where Mom sent those paintings to, I never wanted to know because somewhere I knew that she was right.
I snatched Mia's phone and zoomed it on the painting.
"How in hell did you get that?" I yelled shocking everyone.
"W-what?" Her face paled.
"That's my painting Victor. I made it." I said passing on the phone to Victor.
"H-how do you even know that it's yours? You're not the only one in the world who could paint."
"Oh my God Mia, I always knew that you were dumb but to this level." This girl had some serious problems. "Any sane person could see my credentials at the bottom."
I was looking hopefully at Victor but his face remained blank, void of any emotion, his eyes silently scrutinizing the photo before he gave the phone back to Mia and continued eating like nothing had happened.
You got to be kidding me.
"Seriously Victor? You have nothing to say to her, even now."
He remained quiet. I looked expectantly at others but they too were busy eating. Mia, who was cowering and stuttering in fear a while ago, now had a exceptionally wide smirk plastered on her face.
Is this really my family?
"Forget it. It was a shame to even think that you would stand up for me against her, your dear Mia." I spat, as bitterly as I could. I wanted to see them exactly how much I hated them.
Before anyone could say anything, I ran to my room locking it behind me. All I remembered after that was to cry myself to sleep.
~
After Lila left, no one wanted to eat anymore. How could they even sit there and enjoy dinner when they knew that their little sister was probably crying in her room after everything that had happened.
After Victor motioned, everyone quietly left the hall but not before shooting daggers at Mia who was too busy enjoying her little victory against Lila to notice.
Mia had always been jealous of Lila. She had everything Mia always wanted, good looks, money and power. When they were young, she would bully Lila for her own satisfaction, to make herself feel superior.
After Lila left, she thought that she could replace her. She would spend time with her brothers and make them treat her like their own sister. It had been ten years and she had thought that they had forgotten Lila by now.
Only if she knew how wrong she was.
After all she could never be Lila. She could never be an Alfonso. She could never match the powerful aura they possessed that radiated wealth, dominance and glory.
For the brothers, she would always remain the pitiful young girl whose parents died for their family.
The girl whose every mistake was forgiven until now.
The very same girl who made their little sister cry a few moments ago.
And their was no way Victor Alfonso was going to forgive it.
Because for him it was not a mistake but a sin.
~
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