The Majesty—one of the most expensive residential places in the country. Only those who could pay upfront had a privilege to own a house in that place. But even if you got the money, a selection would be done after a thorough screening.
She took a deep breath as Skylar drove them to the Majesty. She wouldn't deny the fact that one of her dreams was to live in a mansion. And now that she's just a step away from being an owner of one of the biggest houses in the country, she couldn't hide her excitement.
Mia remembered the last years she spent with her mother, and how she ended up living with her Aunt Molly.
When her mom was still alive, they had to move from one place to another because they were kicked out of their apartment. She experienced living in a subway for a month after her mom was fired from her job.
When autumn came, days grew shorter as everyone prepared for the long, cold months ahead. But for Mia and her mother, it felt like the days were longer than before.
After Athena Lane was diagnosed with cancer, she never stopped working to support Mia and herself. She knew she was dying, but how could she let her six-year old daughter starve?
They got a tiny space for them to live in. No living room, no kitchen. Just a single bed with a small table beside it. Still, they were thankful to have found a place before winter.
"Mom, how about we ask father for money?" Mia once talked to her mom.
"We can't. Promise me you won't ask anything from him. We can do this, Mia." Her mom smiled bitterly.
Winter finally came, turning everything into a serene and beautiful scenery. The streets were wrapped in a spotless white sheet of snow, making the roads still and quiet. The occasional sound of the cold breeze made the tree branches dance as they were covered in ice and crystals, making a complex silhouette on the ground.
But Mia would never appreciate the beauty of winter. It was when her mother took her last breath. The smile and laughter of the only family she had was forever carved in her heart.
And the screams of pain of her mother as she suffered from her illness would remain a nightmare for Mia. She was seven when she became an orphan.
The cold breeze of winter embraced her during the most difficult time of her life. With no one to support her, she started roaming around the streets begging for money.
Barefooted and wearing nothing but a thin pink camisole to fight the cold, she ran around the busy streets of Westfall City asking a penny from whoever passed her way.
She didn't know how she managed to survive for a month. The only thing she had in mind was her mother's last words.
"Mia, never give up. Be strong. Winter will pass, and everything will be okay."
"Mom, please don't leave me… What will I do without you? Can you just take me with you?" She sobbed.
Her mom patted her head and smiled. "If I take you, you won't be able to go anywhere. Do you remember when you told me about the northern lights? You want to see it, right? And I told you I want to see Mount Fuji. I want you to fulfill our dreams, Mia. Promise me you will travel the world and see not only the northern lights, but everything we want to see. Will you do it for me?"
Tears just kept falling from her eyes as the words were stuck in her throat. Her mom died with a smile on her face which she never understood. Why did her mother die smiling? She suffered, but why did she look happy when she passed away? Mia always asked herself.
The world had always been cruel to them. In Mia's innocent mind, she wondered why the other kids lived in luxury while she lived in misery. She wondered, but she never questioned her mom. The years she spent with her mother were short, and although they had nothing, it was still the best years of her life.
Two months after being a homeless orphan, a woman saw her scavenging food in the garbage. She took her to an orphanage where she stayed for another three months. She was already up for adoption when her Aunt Molly stepped in.
Back then, she really had no choice but to live with her aunt. If she had and if only she knew about Molly's plan on extorting money from her biological father, she would never go with her.
"Mia, we're here." Ady gently tapped her by the shoulder.
A dream. She thought inwardly. It was her first time to dream about the past, and her mother. She looked outside the car window to see the magnificent mansions boasting the area.
"My friend said that only thirty mansions were built inside the Majesty. And out of that thirty, only six have been occupied." Skylar commented.
"Why? This was built a year ago." She frowned.
"They don't accept a client that easily. Money is not the only criteria for being the owner here."
"Then what?" She asked.
"I don't know either. My friend didn't tell me."
She rolled her eyes at Skylar. "You have one job, Sky. I told you to gather enough information before we do anything."
"I know. But I was busy and had no time."
Skylar parked in front of a white building that looked like Majesty's office. Then he turned at the back, staring straight at her.
"I'm sorry. But we're already here. We have nothing to lose anyway. If we get rejected, we'll just have to look for another."
She sighed in disappointment. "If you weren't my brother, I already fired you." She pouted.
A man in black suit rushed toward them, greeting them with a smile on his face. There were quite a few people who came to see the mansions for sale, and Mia noticed a very familiar figure.