To live was either to fight or surrender.
It's either you struggle to swim or choose to let yourself drown.
In her life, Sheridan was never been loved.
Everyday was a battle.
Everyday she was like lying in deep ocean currents, sweeping her away in engulfing despair.
She tried to find the way onto shore, but there were the intense squalls that surfaced with sudden brutal ferocity, stirring the depths with malevolent force.
"Now, remember what I've always told you, Shery. Don't let anyone see your face. Stay in one corner and don't you ever dare try to talk with anybody. Oh well, I doubt you have the audacity to talk to these powerful people here in this room." Octavia gave Sheridan a piercing glare before turning around and gracefully walked towards a group of luxurious people in the middle of the grand hall.
Octavia. She's Sheridan's twin sister. The fact that they totally have the same face was like a shackle preventing Sheridan to let the world know her existence. The reason was simple.
Octavia was disgusted by Sheridan's very existence. Because she was an illegitimate child of their father.
Well, they're twins, so that made them both illegitimate children. However, Octavia refused to see it that way. She doesn't want to accept the fact that they both came from the same womb, and worst was, they're illegitimate children. Children that weren't supposed to be born, that their very existence was just illegal and forbidden. That's just how illegitimate children were being viewed by society.
And that's something Octavia refused to accept, thus, she bent the truth according to what she wanted. Altering her very existence into something not just acceptable but rather honorable.
She worked very hard to be acknowledged by their parents, to be a child worthy of people's praises. She was wise and intelligent that for just a span of two years after she graduated she achieved her dream career and became one of the most successful persons in the world.
Octavia became the very embodiment of perfect in the eyes of many.
It was something that even Sheridan could be proud of. They're sisters after all.
But on the other hand, in Sheridan's 24 years of existence, what did she ever achieve?
Blood?
Tears?
Pain and sufferings?
Were those things something to be proud of?
Definitely not. That's why Sheridan decided to also bend those things into something useful. To somehow become something she could be proud of.
Sheridan became Octavia's shadow.
Unlike Octavia who uses brain and pens to step up to the brightest light, Sheridan uses body and weapons that she could only stay still in the dark, supporting and protecting her sister as Octavia embraces the light.
Sheridan became the protector of the successful Octavia, a personal bodyguard for her beloved twin sister.
Despite being mistreated, Sheridan respected her sister very much. She's left alone thinking she doesn't have the same courage as her sister, the same willpower that made her surpassed the shameful truth about their birth.
It may felt like a battle everyday, but Sheridan was contented for the very reason that she could be useful to her sister. She swore that she will protect Octavia even if it cost her life.
Soon, the day of Sheridan's oath unexpectedly came.
Here, tonight in this grand hall, Sheridan watched silently at the corner with her appearance hidden inside a hooded cape.
Octavia was chatting joyfully with her guests in the middle of the hall. Today was rather a special day. It's Octavia's birthday celebration. In this room gathered quite a number of the wealthiest people in the society, even some of the famous celebrities that Octavia was acquainted with were present.
Sheridan was quite used to this. At some point in her life, being Octavia's bodyguard gave her the opportunity to stand in the same room with her on the day of their birthday. That's more than enough. Octavia deserved all the spotlights and Sheridan was nothing but someone who should lurk in the shadows.
As usual, Sheridan did nothing the whole time but observed everyone moving all around the hall. Everyone's enjoying the majestic atmosphere, some already started to make use of the music and the dance floor. Sheridan even saw a few gentlemen asking Octavia for a dance and she would pleasingly accept those she found quite attractive and high ranking.
In Sheridan's point of view, Octavia was shining brightly as she gracefully danced. She looked like a very glorious queen, one that's clever, splendid, and flawless. It wouldn't be far from impossible if the gods were watching her from above and at any moment a crown might fell on the top of her head.
But suddenly, that magnificent view vanished in an instant and was replaced by a deafening sound of explosions, followed by the screams of the guests.
In impulse, Sheridan vaulted on her feet. Her hand instinctively reached for the pistol hanging idly on her waist as she ran the distance between her and Octavia.
The place momentarily shook and a fire broke out at the other side of the hall.
"Shery!"
Sheridan heard her sister yelled amidst the deafening screams of the guests that were hurriedly running in panic out of the hall. She saw Octavia slumped helplessly on the floor. As she caught sight of the blood trickling down from Octavia's forehead, she almost threw herself in the air to quickly reach her sister.
"Octavia. What happened?" Her hand trembled as she knelt down in front of Octavia.
"Something heavy fell on my head. Ugh! Hurry up and get me out of here!"
Within the hall the fire spread quickly, turning the once perfect floor into a maze of flame. Black smoke billowed up the pillars and the smoke thickened.
Sheridan tried to lift Octavia's body when she suddenly noticed a presence coming in their direction. She narrowed her eyes into the thickened smoke and she could catch faint silhouettes approaching them.
"I don't think those are rescuers," Sheridan muttered quietly.
Octavia began to feel anxious. Because of the injury in her head, she's fighting the urge to end up unconscious.
Sheridan gently grabbed her sister to hide behind one of the ruined ballerina statues. "Octavia, this is no accident. This is an assassination attempt. Those figures out there, they're probably up for your head."
"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Just kill those fuckers already—ugh!" The pain of Octavia's injury kept on getting worst, making Sheridan reluctant on leaving her.
"Judging from the presence I could feel from them, they're Mafias. If this is truly an assassination attempt, they must've planned this thoroughly. Facing them head-on right now will be a great disadvantage to me. They'll surely use all underhanded methods to pin me down."
"So, what? Are you telling me you're not going to fight them?"
Sheridan removed her cloak and put it around Octavia.
"What are you doing?" Octavia glared at her.
"I've been fighting Mafias my whole life, but not once my identity was revealed to them. We both have a very similar appearance. I will use that to deceive them that I am you and lure their attention to me while you escape." Sheridan reached for something inside her pocket. It's a car key. "Here. When you get outside, head straight to the car, there's a gun hidden underneath my seat. Use it in case you face any danger while you escape." She glanced past the statue, "This bait won't surely last the moment I start fighting them. They'll figure out I'm not you, so you should hurry outside before they notice."
Sheridan heard Octavia murmured a curse before she finally stepped out of the statue and left her sister.
"Be careful, Octavia."