Nora Perspective
I was sitting at dinning, room with my stepfamily. Dad was not home because he has to go to lunch meeting so it's only us. I was scrolling on my phone. The food arrived everyone was eating food. There was silence when Ms. Sana broke it.
"Did your father told you that we are meeting his friend?" She said not looking at me.
"No what friend?" I asked kind of not interested.
"Your father's friend. Oh god. Do you even live here. Be ready at 7:00, we are going to a restaurant where we're going to meet them. Right mom." Lucy said in a disbelieving tone, that everything happened in this house by telling me. I roll my eyes on her. Once there was a moment that I thought she was my friend and I almost accepted as a sister. Almost.
"Understand what Lucy said." Sana said stern tone.
"Understood." You wretch.
"Good" She chirped.
"Mom, I am going to a party, so I am not going to come there." Lucy said to her mother.
"Well, my beautiful daughter you know you can do whatever you want, and I never stop you but this special, so postponed this party and come with us on time." She cooed her and stroke her hair. I wipe my face drink my juice, uncomfortable with the motherly gesture.
"But mom I- " Lucy was cut off by Sana stuff some food in her mouth and shut her up.
"I am done" I stand from my seat and head to my room. I sat on my bed and get some files for the presentation of yesterday from office, but my mind was elsewhere, a friend reunion. I didn't knew dad had such close friends to had dinner with them, but than again I didn't even knew that he would marry another woman. There was knock in my door that snapped me out of my thoughts. I sat up straighter and put my nose in the file. Sana walked in with he frown in her face. I scowled not welcomed.
"Why are you here?" I asked not looking at her.
"I was here to telling you, that you are not going to come with us." Sana said snatching the file from my hand. I pursed my lips.
"It's not like I want to come with you." I mumbled but she heard it.
"I mean, that you are going to come in another car because there some gifts and some stuff I've order so you have to that with you, you got it." She spoke. I nod my head not moving my eyes from the file. "Nora" she called.
"Hmm" I don't want to answer her. She stands Infront of me, held my chin and made me to look in her eyes.
"Don't open your mouth there, don't tell them that I am your stepmother and most importantly they don't have to know that you are only daughter of the duke, You will tell them that Lucy is your blood sister no step sister, got it?" She said in a sweet tone patting my cheek harshly. I look at her like she is crazy. I stood up as she took a step back, distancing.
"Why do I tell them that daughter of yours is my blood sister." I said pointing finger at her than at me. "I don't even consider her my step sister." She glared at me. A smirk playing on my face as her confuse expression came, "Do you think that I am that fool to say anyone's brat is my blood sister." Her hand meet my cheek in a harsh way.
"How dare you?" She said grabbing my neck, "How dare to call such a thing to my daughter." Her nails dug in my neck as she grasped it tightly in her hands. Silent tears ran from my eyes but I wasn't crying, my breathing was reducing. When she realize that my beathing going to end she pushed me on the bed hard. I rub my neck and glared at her. She glared back.
"You know that you are here because of my father." I said as soon as my breathing became even. "If it wasn't for my father yo wouldn't be here... or killing my mother." Her eyes got wide, I chuckled, "What? You thought That I didn't know the reason you are here? I know that hoe brutally you killed my mother and god mother." She grab my neck again harshly, grasping it tightly. Her breath was hitting my face like hammer, I almost stopped breathing.
"You are nothing, you get that? You are nothing like my daughter, everything, everything what you have had to be hers. Even your father. You were never meant for this, my daughter was. Not you, not Sophia." She said in a desperate one, it looks like she was telling her self more to me, or my mom. She slammed me on the floor hard. I coughed and gasped for the breath. She grabbed fistful of my hair and faced me to her. I le out a shrieked scream as angry tears streamed down my face, "You think that I don't know what you're planning for me. "She tucked my hair, "I killed your mother for peace but you know what it wasn't enjoyable." She said in a twisted way and a creepy smile crept her face, "But than I get to know that Sophia has a daughter, so why not treat her like your mother treated me." Tears streamed down my face as she tucked my hair harder. It was like she was ripping my hair, "I get weird fascinating and enjoyment whenever I treat you like a bitch. Because if Sophia can't suffer that her daughter can, right?" I shook my head and grasp her hand whenever she pull my hair. "And about your father," she scoffed, "he is one hell coward I know."
She slammed my head on the dressing and walk out of the door mumbling about something to get ready and slammed the door shut. I locked it behind and walked to my dressing. I watch the girl in the mirror. Blood shed eyes, face wet because of tears, hairs mess like someone try to rip it, red marks on the neck like someone strangling hard almost killing her. the girl was mess. The girl in the mirror was me, original me. And she was a mess.
I bandaged the wound on forehead and put cream on my neck, wash my face, put drops in my eyes, brush my hair, wipe the cream and put foundation on my neck and the scar on the leg that was behind my knee to my ankle, wear a black dress full sleeve that come to my knee, it has pockets. I put pink lipstick and some makeup. I look in the mirror and the girl who I was looking wasn't me. It was fake me. That was only pretending, she was looking pretty. I wore black heels, take a purse, out a phone in my pocket and head to the living room.
All of them were about to leave and I came my dad look at me. His hand on Sana waist. She wore a silver dress, her blonde hair in curls, a proud smile on her face. Beside her was standing Lucy she wore a royal blue dress sleeveless that come to her knees with silver pump heels, he was just giving her a kiss on cheek. I looked away.
"Your mother told you that you are not com-" I cut off my dad.
"I know it." I mumbled and walked past him slamming my shoulder with his shoulder.
Stomping my foot i get in the car, head to the gift shop. I try not to cry in the car and focus on the outside. We arrived at the shop I quickly take the flowers and gifts, get in the car and went to restaurant. We went out the car. I grab the flowers and gifts. I saw dad car in parking lot. They arrived. I walk in and ask the receptionist reservation under Duke. She led me to them giving me weird glancing but I didn't care. They treated me more badly than this.
The receptionist showed me the door, I nod toward her. I went in without knocking and got stumbled on my heels. The flowers and gifts were going down with me but two hands grab me from arms, cold hands. I flip my hair from eyes so I can look who is the person. It was a guy, he has black same as mine. Brown eyes with full of worriedness, he has v-line jaw, he was quite good looking.
I saw everyone attention is in me now. I nod at him and pull out from him, he helped me by getting the flowers and gifts from my hand. I introduce myself, "hello, my name is Nora." I catch the Sana eyes, "a-an eldest daughter of my father." I stutered. A woman came over and gave me a warm smile and hugged out of nowhere. I didn't hug back and held a confuse expression.
"I thought you were some mate or something, come sit." She said, I immediately pulled out from her. Mate? From where I look mate? I saw a kid in hi teens or something slapping his forehead. The guy from earlier pulled out a chair from me beside Lucy. I stared at him than at chair. "Sit." She said, I did. The woman also sat on her chair beside her was an old man who was handsome in his age. he has black hair and a little mix of white, he has brown so much brown that they look almost yellow. He smiled at me and wrinkles appear under his eyes. I nod at him. As I look at there table they have eaten. Without me? Why I am feeling emotional, it's not like they waited for me ever.
Suddenly all the adults stood up and Sana announced, "Enjoy kids. We are going to talk something, okay? Enjoy." All of them walked out. I look at dad but he didn't look back at me.
"My name is Violette. You can call me violet." The girl beamed, instantly grabbing my attention, I gave he difficult smile. She was wearing violet color dress hugged her figure from every direction. She has short brown hair and eyes like her father. She was cute girl.
"My name is Seth. I am her older brother." The boy who slapped his forehead said. His expression was mirrored mine. He has black hair. I started to look at the restaurant interior. "Bro, introduce yourself." Seth whisper to the guy who saved me from getting embarrassed a guy cleared his throat to get attention. I turned towards him.
"Hi. My name is Nicholas." I nod and look at the painting. "You like that painting." It was the painting of four friends. Two girls and two boys at side. All of them smiling and arms of each other shoulder. They look like they were happy and sadness never touched them. For a moment I want to be in the painting. I nod, looking at him. "My father made it." Nicholas said, proudly.
I look at him and he also look at me and the same time. "I like it" I said smiling, a genuine smile. He smiled back. Then there was a silence for some minute until a door opened and a waiter came. He gets the drinks and serve us all.
"Excuse me Ma'am." He gets my attention.
"Yes? " I said.
"Are you Nora?" The waiter asked.
"Yes" I answered.
"This is your glass and plate. Your father Mr. Duke order it for you." The waiter said politely, bowed and ran away. I grab the plate of pasta and started to ate it.
"Your father really care for you." Nicholas said. I look at everyone. Siblings were in a fight and Lucy was on her phone.
"Yeah, I guess so." I chuckled a bit then answer.
"So, what you do?" He asked.
"Nothing, just handle a business." He nods and make his lips in thin line. "What do you do?" I said wanting to converse,
"I do what you do" He said smiling. I started to eat again,
I ate my pasta and staring at my drink when some laughter gets to my ears. Dad came laughing, there was another man, Mr. Bretons. he was older just like my dad. I was staring at my juice that it is most interesting thing in the world.
"Nora, you didn't drink the juice, it's your favorite, drink it." My dad said. I took a sip and gave him a satisfied nod, Dad cleared his throat and turned toward the Mr. Bretons. "Meet him, Nora. He is my best friend, James Breton. He's also your mother friend." I nod at him. Mr. Bretons tilted his head and spoke words i didn't were true.
"You are just like Sophia, Nora" He said.