"I never believed in something called afterlife until I witnessed it myself and to say the least, it was horrifying." - Estella
THE room was crowded, a lot of students were shuffling and their boots, scuffling against the floor.
A girl, with lustrous ebony hair and striking hazel-blue eyes, was reading a book intently.
Suddenly, with a loud thud the book, which the girl was reading, suddenly dropped from her pale hands.
The girl clutched her head as she whimpered with pain.
N
The scuffling of the boots was replaced with soft murmurs, the girl tried to stand up but failed miserably as she dropped to the ground with a loud thud.
For the girl, the whole world blacked out as she passed out.
The loud, worried shouts for help came trickling to her ears as her consciousness finally gave out.
_*°*_
It was the scene of a hospital. In a ritzy, scrupulously spotless hospital ward a girl could be seen laying on the bed.
She was covered with a thin cotton, white colored duvet which came up to just below her chin, covering her up perfectly.
The girl had pale cheeks, her eyelashes were slightly trembling, her forehead creased into small frowns and her hands clutching the duvet tightly.
The girl was slowly mumbling as she shook her head numerous times.
Small whimpering sounds could be heard in the near distance.
The girl was woken up by the small ray of sunlight which came through a crack in the window.
She tried sitting down, was even able to with some trouble.
As she sat down, the smell of bleach assaulted her nose as she frowned.
The girl clutched her head which was paining, a headache slowly brewing out.
She didn't know what caused it or how did she end up here.
Just a few minutes ago she was in her class, the girl was attending one of the last lessons before the school ends.
The girl groaned with pain, What the heck? What's up with this headache? It's paining so much!, The girl thought as she saw a nurse entering through the door,
"How's your headache now?" The nurse asked as she came close to the girl.
The girl answered with a small nod as she said,
"It's still painful but it's tolerable."
The nursed hummed and with a few scribbles in her notepad, she turned away and opened the door to let in a woman and a boy.
The woman, was beautiful with the same blonde hair and striking green orbs, came in with a worried expression.
The boy, with ash brown hair which looked fluffy and stormy grey orbs, entered after the woman with his head down.
The girl, of course, identified her only mother and brother and scoffed after realizing that her father didn't come.
The headache was still paining but the memories were the one which kept haunting the girl.
Memories of the future. Her future.
If she said that her future was very bright, she would be blatantly lying. Cause, it was the opposite. She couldn't believe that her mother would die out of heartbreak, her brother would disappear, her childhood friend dying in a plane crash, her other childhood friend losing his life by the hands of her enemies as he tried to protect her from the dark and her life would come to an end by the hands of her lover and best friend or should she say the illegitimate daughter of her father.
She got her hands, legs and nose broken, her kidneys taken out and her eyes gauged out. She couldn't say that was a nice way to die.
Heck! How could I, Estella Etoile Adler, die so horribly? And how could I have such bad luck?
No, the girl was most definitely not stupid. She knew the heavens were warning her, be it the nightmares she got in the night or the headache.
She wasn't going to let this off. Her father had always been a scumbag, he had million affairs but her mother always forgave him.
I want to spit on that trash's face. How dare that girl try to kill her?
"Stella! Are you ok? Do you need water or apple? Should mother bring food for you? Do you need new clothes?" Her mother rambled after witnessing her little daughter's frown.
The girl looked up and saw her mother's pale face and her brother keeping his head down but still observing her like a hawk.
She didn't knew if what she saw was true or not but she still missed them. She felt like they were too good for her.
Tears dropped down from the little girl's eyes as she looked at her family.
Who cares about that trash! I have a family which love me so much, he can go die in hell with his illegitimate daughter!
"Stella! Does it hurt! Should I call the doctor? Doct-" Her mother rambled.
"No, I'm completely fine Mom." The girl smiled as she assured her mother.
"Oh, ok. Your fine right?"
"Yes, completely fine." The girl assured her once again with a small smile gracing her lips, as she looked at her brother who was discreetly observing her with his head down.
Brother, your not good at acting so don't try to act as if this means nothing!
The girl looked at her brother from head to toe, the boy tensed up under her gaze and his back straightened out.
The girl and the boy were not real siblings and that was the reason how that illegitimate girl developed a crack in their relationship by saying, he's not your real brother! He wants to covet your property!
Bullshit! The girl cursed in her mind as she slowly said to her brother, "Elio, come here."
The boy came forward with his head slowly rising up as he observed the girl in from of him.
She had always been his star, his reason of existence, but now she was always screaming at him and saying how he is her servant. But still, he loved her the most.
When he heard her voice, he couldn't help but think why didn't she just gestured him with her fingers? Why did she talk to him when she had earlier said that his name was to disgusting to even say? But he still came forward.
The girl looked at her brother, whose face seemed as if was carved out by the angels from a priceless piece of jade. She was jealous, why was he so handsome?
But she loved this boy, he wasn't even a boy anymore he was 23. She loved her brother, he was always there for her. She knew how rude she was to him, all because of that illegitimate girl.
The girl wrapped her hands tightly around the man as she hugged him tightly, not letting go.
Elio was shocked, why did she hug him?
"Brother, I'm sorry! Forgive me! Brother, sorry!" The girl cried out to her brother.
Elio was once again shocked to the core, she was apologizing? To him?
Of course, he knew why. But he wasn't even angry at her, but still he hugged her tightly. The only existence, his sister, the one who saved him.
"Why aren't you saying something?!" The girl shouted as she looked up to him while still not moving their position.
Elio was happy, she came back, his little sister came back, his star came back and that was all that he needed.
"You look like a clown, with that red nose of yours." Elio flicked her forehead as he grinned boyishly, adding even more to his attractive charms as could be witnessed by the nurse's loud gasp.
"Ugh, sorry brother. I'm sorry. Forgive me. I'm sorry. Forgive me." Estella cried softly as she kept apologizing. She was stupid, dumb and naive. She didn't know if what she saw was true but what she was sure of was that he disappeared in her dream.
"It's completely ok, Stella is forgiven. You didn't mean to do that. It's ok. I forgive you." Elio kept running circles on Stella's back with his thumb as he muffled her soft cries against his chest. The cries slowly turned into sobs and Stella calmed down.
Her mother, Alisandra, was looking at her two children. Even though Elio was not her own child but he was her own, they accepted him. She was watching with small tears, her daughter finally came back. She didn't know what happened to her, but she was always moody, hated her and always acted badly with Elio.
But now her little star was back.
She was slowly cutting the apple in small pieces, as she listened carefully to the siblings conversation, not missing out on a single word.
Estella stopped crying and broke off from the hug, making the boy groan. She looked at her mother, she was looking fresh and beautiful. Soon, she was going to be heartbroken by her scumbag of a father when they divorced. Her mother was from a noble family but broke off her relations because of wanting to marry Stella's father. Her mother had graduated at the top of her class from the best school in the continent, but became a housewife.
Mom just you wait, I'll make you the best fashion designer in the whole country after you divorce that sorry excuse of a husband!
"Mom, I want to go home. Let's go, please?" Estella pleaded her mother.
Alisandra was still cutting up the apple when she heard her daughter, she looked up and saw her daughter looking adorably at her. Not knowing how to decline her, she obliged. And in the few minutes, Estella was back to her house.
This stupid house, who wants to live here?! Humph! The vixen and the illegitimate daughter have been here too many times!
"Star, what are you glaring at? This is our house." Elio said as he looked at his sister glaring at the entrance.
"Oh." Estella couldn't be bothered anymore.
Who even thinks of this as a house?!
They all went in, the first to greet her was Butler Augustus. He was a middle aged man who had been working for them since the time of her birth.
She quickly ran up to her room, closed the door and laid down in her fluffy bed.
Let's recollect about what I now know, and what to now do.
Estella sat down in her chair facing her study table as she took out her personal diary, it was a pastel blue, stiff backed, girlish diary with the drawing of her favorite snowflake on it.
She started jotting down all that she knew alongside with what she now have to do.
It was about 1'o clock when she wrote down everything and went down the stairs to eat something.
My stomach's been grumbling way too much. It actually hurts. I wonder what is for lunch today?
Estella walked down and saw her brother lying leisurely on the sofa in the living room, with his laptop.
She walked up to him and sat down on his back.
"Stella, what do you want?" Elio asked, not removing his gaze away from his laptop as he continued to code.
"How did you know it was me?" Estella asked him when she saw he didn't even look at her.
"Do you think mother will do something like this?" Elio asked rhetorically.
"Touché. Brother, you don't work, right?" Estella asked with slight hesitation.
"What do you think?" Elio asked amusedly. This little girl thought he didn't work? What does she think he is doing now?
"You don't right?" Estella was confused, did he work or did he not?
"Do you know about the new fictional game 'The Stalker'? The horror one?" Elio asked Estella with a small grin framing his face.
"The super popular one? Yeah." Estella naturally knew about it since it was featured in countless shows.
"I'm the one who made it with my company." Elio said as he looked at the changing expressions of the girl. It went from confusion to realization to being horrified.
"You-your game?" Estella was shocked, it's brother's game?!
"Mhm." Elio nodded.
"So your rich, right?" Estella asked with a small mischievous face but soon her face contorted into a solemn expression.
"Yeah, how much do you want?" Elio asked nonchalantly. She could ask him for money, and he would give it. No matter how much she wanted.
"It's 5 million, but it's ok. You don't have to give me." Estella shook her head as she thought, brother won't have that much. I shouldn't be greedy.
Elio was amused, 5 million? He had money in billions. Why would he disagree in giving her a few millions?
Elio went upstairs and brought down his bag, he took out a credit card, a black card.
Estella was shocked, what the heck! Is that a premium black card, I see?!
"Here, it contains about 10 million. Take the whole money." Elio handed out the black card towards Estella.
"Bro-Brother you didn't rob a bank, right? How do you have so much money? The game wouldn't be able to produce 10 million." Estella asked suspiciously as she looked at her brother.
"Would you hand me to the police?" Elio asked amusedly.
"Of course not! But tell me, did you rob?"
Elio was most definitely amused with his sister's questions, "Do you know about the company 'Etoile'?"
"The one leading the gaming market, right?" Estella looked at her brother confusedly.
"Mhm." With a slight ruffle of her hair he continued, "Where do you think 'Etoile' came from?"
Estella kept thinking and squeaked loudly when realization dawned upon her, "My middle name! It's yours?" Estella asked with confusion. Everyone kept confusing her today.
"Mhm. I'm the CEO." Elio said ruffling his sister's hair dotingly.
"Ah! Brother, what's this about! Why didn't you tell me! You could have told me sooner! I wouldn't have let that stupid woman say you had cheap clothes! Let's go to the mall, and buy the most expensive clothes! How dare she say my brother's cheap!" Estella kept shooting and cursing, she clutched her brothers hand and walked out in full speed.
Elio was surprised, did she mean his biological mother? She remembered such a small detail?
Estella dragged Elio by the hand,
"Brother, where's your car?" Estella had never been attentive to details, she didn't know where her brother kept his car at.
Actually, which car is it?
She let go of his and started running towards the garage, behind the villa.
Eventually she came across two cars, one was a Bentley Mulsanne and the other one was a Toyota.
Just from a glance, she deciphered that the Mulsanne was her father's and the other one was her brother's.
Tch, that old trash! How dare he?! Isn't it completely unfair?
Estella looked at her brother with a sympathetic look. I know, it's hard for you brother. Even still, Fighting!
Elio didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. His own little sister was looking at him as if he is a poor abandoned puppy. It was too much for him.
"Brother, let's just walk. Walking is good." Estella suggested, Brother, your too pitiful.
"You sure you don't want to go by my car?" Elio asked with a smirk. Did this girl think that old Toyota is my only car?
"Yeah, let's just walk. I don't think this old Toyota will be able to make it till the end." Estella had always been honest, so she didn't feel bad saying that his brother's car sucked.
"Even when it's a Porsche Cayenne?" Elio's lips rose into a clear, big smile reaching his ears as he observed his sister's dumb look.
Huh? In what way does that look like a Porsche Cayenne?
Brother's gone senile?
Estella wasn't buying that, Nuh uh.
Naturally, she looked at Elio with a suspicious gaze.
Shall I take brother to the doctor? Maybe, we should pay a visit.
"Brother, what are you talking about?" Estella asked once again to confirm her doubts, if she's correct she would drag him all the way to the doctor's clinic without a second thought.
"Come here." Elio said as he took out his phone, finding a contact, he wasted no time to dial the number.
Estella was confused, what is he doing?
In a couple of seconds, the call was connected and a clear sound answered, "Good evening Sir, what can I do for you?"
Elio answered with a few words and the call was ended.
Estella looked at her brother in suspicion, who was the person calling brother 'sir'?
In a matter of 10 minutes, a white Porsche Cayenne stopped in the front of the entrance of the villa.
Estella looked at Elio in awe, It's brother's car!
"Brother, is this your car?" Estella asked as she ran her finger through the surface of the expensive car.
"Sure is, let's go Star." Elio helped Estella into the car and himself got seated. The car started smoothly.
"Brother, marry me. I will be happy for my whole life!" Estella joked as she clasped her hands together, in a praying gesture.
"Even if I don't marry you, I will still spoil you. You are after all my star." Elio said as he ruffled Estella's hair which was followed by an annoying grumble by the young girl. Nonetheless, both were having the day of their lives.
Elio had become distanced by Estella and couldn't even dare to touch her. Estella, on the other hand, never allowed anyone aside from her father, Fiancé and Roxanne to come close to her and that included her mother and brother.
I believed and loved the people who were seriously the reincarnation of snakes.
Estella couldn't help but be mad at herself, Was I an idiot? What's wrong with my brain?!
Soon the car halted at the parking stop of the mall, both of them walked out of the car and started walking towards the mall's entrance.
"Star," Elio called out softly.
"Yeah?"
"What did you want 5 million for?" Elio asked. He was not mad at her, simply curious. What did she exactly want?
Estella was in dilemma, should I tell him or should I not?
At last she decided to tell him, he was one of the persons whose condition of living would be changed drastically, he had to know.
"Brother, what do you think about Father?" Estella asked her brother softly in a meek voice.
"He's dumb." Elio answered with a blank face. He always wondered how did that man start such a successful company? With his abilities, it should've been in the ditch way earlier.
"Pft hahaha! Ahem, aside from that. What about his moral character?" Estella laughed when she heard her brother's answer. Sure, she knew her father was dumb but to call him so, that even so easily, was something else.
"He's a douche bag and doesn't love mother?" Elio had always seen his shitty behavior with Alisandra.
"Wait, he doesn't? Oh right, he doesn't." When Estella heard her brother for a second she couldn't think anything else but still she knew that her father didn't love her mother, at all. "If I told you something concerning mother and I would you help me or leave me?" Estella was scared, what if declines to help?
"Of course help mother and leave you." Elio answered with a smirk.
"I'm just going to assume that you said your going to help us both." Estella said seriously, making Elio laugh as she fiddled with her fingers nervously.
"Sure." Elio answered amusedly.
"What would you do if I told you father's cheating on mother?" Even saying it made Estella's stomach churn in anger.
"Break all of his bones? Wait, he isn't right?" Elio answered calmly with an underlying threat hidden in his orbs.
His question was followed by silence, a suffocating silence.
"So he is. Just let him come home today." Elio couldn't believe it, he knew he didn't love her but to cheat on her? He was furious, but could only show his anger in a small, uncomfortable smile.
"No no no, brother I want to open a boutique by mother's ideas." Even though Estella didn't want him to live happily, to let him die was another thing.
"That's a great idea." Elio, naturally, didn't question her idea and thought that it was a nice one.
"So, will you invest in it? " Estella asked with hopelessness laying in the depths of her inky blue eyes.
"Sure. That's not even a question." Elio didn't hesitate, which gave Estella comfort.
"You will?" She thought he wouldn't believe her.
"Yes, I will." Elio once again answered, but this time with a small smile adorning his face, which gave a new type of charm to his already charming face.
"Brother you're the best!" Estella was really happy, she jumped at her brother as she circled her hands around his neck.
Both of them soon stepped back, Estella tidied her clothes as she started moving inside one of the shop.