Shadows of the unwritten

Unknown POV

My name is Aliani. I grew up never knowing what it felt like to be loved. Or rather, what is love? That itself sounds like a luxury, I thought to myself with a bitter chuckle.

Many times, I look at different people and compare myself, always using the same question: What if? You may ask why, right? Well, let me tell you a brief story about my life.

I grew up in an orphanage—well, not entirely. From what I've heard, I was supposed to be the heir to Bronze Empires. I know, even the name sounds funny. But in reality, it was one of the biggest corporations in the world, leading in electronics, home appliances, and so much more. Millions of dollars flowed in and out of that company, countless business deals, investments, and some... things I probably shouldn't even mention.

So, how did the heir to such a prestigious company end up in an orphanage? Trust me, I ask myself that question all the time, racking my brain for an answer. An answer I hope to find someday.

But for now, let's return to my present life—as a poor...

Poor...

Poor...

I mean, literally poor college student, I muttered under my breath, earning a few curious glances from passersby. But I couldn't care less.

One look at me and my situation was obvious—my white top, stained with old brown splotches, my frizzy hair sticking out in all directions, my oversized trousers that barely fit me anymore, and my worn-out sneakers, struggling to keep my toes from peeking through. I sighed as I glanced down at myself, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me. But I kept telling myself that one day, it would all pay off.

I am brilliant—or at least, I try to be. I couldn't afford to attend prestigious universities because I could barely feed myself, but I pushed through. I worked tirelessly to pay my way through high school and college, sometimes even eating expired food just to survive. Scholarships? I applied for plenty, but every rejection email told me I didn't meet some requirement or another.

But all of that would finally be over. My internship starts in two days.

If everything goes well, I'll be graduating early, which means I'll get my certificate. I hope. Because so far, nothing in my life has ever gone smoothly.

I sighed as I finally arrived at my apartment after my third part-time job of the day—waitressing at Joe's Diner. It was already 7 PM. Exhausted, I reached for the light switch, but nothing happened.

No light.

Confused, I rushed outside to see if the whole building had lost power. But no—it was just me. Dread settled in my stomach as I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed Zoey, the agent who managed the apartment. The phone rang... and rang... and rang. No answer.

I stood there, helpless, until my phone finally rang back. I answered immediately.

"Hello?" I said, breathless.

"Hi, Ali," Zoey's voice came through.

Relieved, I wasted no time. "I noticed I'm the only one without power in the building. Is something wrong?" I prayed it wasn't what I thought it was.

Zoey hesitated. "Yeah, I was just about to call you, Ali. Your electricity has been cut off until you clear your outstanding balance."

There it was—the sentence I had been dreading.

"But I told you I'd pay at the end of the month," I pleaded.

"I know," she sighed. "I begged Mr. Preds on your behalf, but he didn't budge. I'm really sorry, Ali."

I swallowed hard. "Alright. Thanks for trying, Zoey. I'll get the money to you soon."

I ended the call, knowing full well I didn't have a single penny to my name. With a resigned sigh, I used my phone's flashlight to change into my nightwear and collapsed onto my bed, trying to push away my worries.

The next morning, my phone buzzed, jolting me awake. A call from Vonsmonth Group—my soon-to-be internship company.

"Hello?" I answered groggily.

"Good morning, Miss Aliani. We're calling to remind you that your internship starts tomorrow."

I frowned. Why would such a prestigious company personally remind me? But I wasn't about to question it.

"We also wanted to inform you that this is a paid internship," the voice continued. "Since you'll be working as the personal assistant to the deputy CEO."

I sat up straight. Paid? My heart leaped with hope. Finally, something good was happening!

"Oh, and one more thing," the caller added. "You'll need to start a day early."

"Wait… a minute." My eyes widened. That's today?

I checked my phone's clock. 7:00 AM.

Panic set in. I quickly refreshed my inbox, hoping they had already sent the details I needed.

They had said later today... but what was I supposed to do now?