Kaliyah woke up to the sound of silence. She lay in bed for a moment, her mind slowly coming to terms with the fact that today was the day she would be leaving this apartment, and Malachi, behind.
She threw off the covers and got out of bed, her eyes scanning the small room one last time. She took a deep breath, and then began to get ready for her new life.
The bathroom was a small, cramped space, but Kaliyah made the most of it. She ran a hot bath, adding a few drops of lavender oil to the water. As she soaked in the bath, she felt her muscles relax, her mind begin to clear.
After her bath, Kaliyah stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. She looked pale, her eyes sunken, but she knew she had to put on a brave face. She began to get dressed, choosing a simple white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans.
As she dressed, Kaliyah's mind wandered to Malachi. She had always known that he didn't love her, but she had never understood why. She decided that she needed to speak to him one last time, to ask him why he hated her so much.
Kaliyah made her way downstairs, her heart pounding in her chest. She knocked on Malachi's door, and when he told her to come in, she took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Malachi was sitting at his desk, his eyes fixed on a piece of paper in front of him. He looked up as Kaliyah entered, his expression unreadable.
"What do you want?" he asked gruffly.
Kaliyah took a deep breath. "I want to know why you hate me so much," she said, her voice shaking slightly.
Malachi's expression didn't change, but Kaliyah saw a flicker of something in his eyes. "I don't hate you, Kaliyah," he said, his voice cold. "I just don't care about you. You're not my real daughter, after all."
Kaliyah's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Malachi shrugged. "I found you by the side of the road when you were just a baby. My wife and I decided to take you in, but you were never really ours. You're just a burden we've been carrying for years."
Kaliyah felt like she had been punched in the gut. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and she knew she was going to cry.
But before she could break down, there was a knock at the door. "Miss Kaliyah?" a voice called out. "It's time to go."
Kaliyah wiped her tears and took a deep breath. She knew she had to be strong, no matter what. She turned to Malachi, but he was already looking away, his expression cold and unyielding.
"Goodbye, Malachi," Kaliyah said, her voice firm.
Malachi didn't respond, and Kaliyah knew she would never see him again. She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Malachi and her old life behind.
As she walked out she saw a dignified old man. He was dressed in a formal black suit, complete with a crisp white shirt and a black tie.
"Good morning, Miss Kaliyah," the old man said, his voice warm and gentle. "My name is Paul, and I'm Mr. Cian's butler. I'm here to escort you to your new home."
Kaliyah raised an eyebrow, surprised by the old man's friendly demeanor. "Good morning, Paul," she said, her voice neutral.
Paul smiled and took Kaliyah's suitcase from her. "Shall we?" he said, gesturing to the car.
Kaliyah nodded and followed Paul to the car. As they drove through the city, Paul chatted amiably about the weather and the traffic.
Kaliyah listened politely, but her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about what Malachi had said, he wasn't her real father, who were her real parents and why did they abandon her to suffer whoever they were she did not want to meet them and she hopes they suffer as much as she did, drops of tears rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped them off before Paul would see but she was too late he had seen it.
Paul seemed to sense her unease, and he turned to her with a kind smile. "Don't worry, Miss Kaliyah," he said. "You'll be just fine. Mr. Cian can be a bit... formidable, but he's a fair man."
Kaliyah raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Formidable?" she repeated.
Paul chuckled. "Well, perhaps that's not the right word," he said. "Let's just say that Mr. Cian is a man who gets what he wants."
Kaliyah's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with possibilities. What did Cian want from her? And what would happen if she refused to give it to him?
As the car turned up the long driveway, Kaliyah caught her first glimpse of Cian's mansion. The building was enormous, with towering spires and sparkling windows that seemed to stretch on forever. The walls were made of a warm, honey-colored stone that seemed to glow in the sunlight.
The mansion's facade was imposing, with a grand entrance that featured a pair of massive wooden doors adorned with intricate carvings. The doors were flanked by a pair of stone lions, their eyes seeming to stare out across the driveway.
As the car drew closer, Kaliyah saw that the mansion was surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, complete with sparkling fountains and carefully trimmed hedges. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and Kaliyah could hear the distant sound of birds singing.
Paul, the butler, stepped out of the car and opened the door for Kaliyah. "Welcome to your new home, Miss Kaliyah," he said, his voice warm and welcoming.
Kaliyah took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, her eyes fixed on the mansion's imposing facade. She felt a sense of trepidation wash over her, but she steeled herself and followed Paul towards the entrance.
Even if this mansion was beautiful it still didn't change the fact that this was a new prison, a bigger prison.