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WHEN her mother walked into her room without knocking that night, Athena stilled. Immediately, Celia Malfoy started pointing to the unpacked trunk right in front of Athena's bed and shook her head while tsking.

"You have not even bothered to unpack," her mother remarked, her gaze landing on her with icy intensity.

Athena, who had been reading a book in bed, put the book down and stood. She had, in fact, not unpacked. She did not want to spend her time unpacking when she was wishing to escape already, even though it had been only a day back at Malfoy Manor.

She had to endure thirteen more days.

"Sorry," mumbled Athena quickly before crouching down and ignoring her mother's gaze that followed each step she took.

She opened her trunk and took out her clothes, her actions tense and rigid as she did so. She could feel her mother breathing down her neck, could feel her eyes on her the whole time.

"I apologize," Celia Malfoy corrected with a mocking sneer. Her arms were crossed behind her, her lips painted a striking red that emphasized the cold gleam of her eyes. Her blonde hair—a testament to her Malfoy marriage—was her greatest source of pride. "Clearly, you still haven't learned how to speak like a true pureblood."

Athena clenched her jaw, stopping herself from replying and making it worse.

Instead, she hung her clothes in her wardrobe and shut it closed.

Her hands lingered on the handles of the wardrobe, her gaze landing on the mirror stuck to the outside of it.

Her mother was right behind her, looking at her through the mirror.

Suddenly, Athena's head was wrenched back as her mother seized a fistful of her black hair, curling her lip in evident distaste.

"You dare defy your own mother?" she snapped, her voice cutting like ice. "I believed I made it abundantly clear how unacceptable your appearance is!"

Athena cringed at the pain her scalp felt, tears prickling in her eyes. Yet, she did not let a single one of them fall. "Mother—"

Her hair was yanked harder, and Athena could almost sense the knots forming, a painful reminder of her mother's disdain.

She felt the tightness in her chest, as if each pull was stealing her breath away, the sting of her mother's actions wrapping around her heart, leaving her gasping not just for air, but for understanding.

"Do not talk back, Athena." Her mother's glare only hardened further, as if Athena's mere voice brought her rage.

The sound of footsteps made Celia Malfoy let go of her daughter's hair and flatten it down harsher than needed, as if trying to hide what she had just done to the intruder.

The intruder, who was Abraxas, knocked on the door a moment later. His gaze landed on the teary Athena, making him frown in concern.

"Abraxas," Celia Malfoy said, her red lips curving upwards at the sight of her son.

Her son, who was wearing black pants, a black turtleneck, and an expensive coat over it. Her son, whose polished black shoes were shinier than ever, and the Malfoy heir ring shone even more on his finger.

Athena wiped her tears before turning around and avoiding his gaze, feeling his eyes on her.

She hid her face as she sat down on her bed, turning the opposite way from the door.

"Are you ready, Mother?" Abraxas asked, his gaze leaving his sister and landing on their mother, who nodded.

"You and I will have a discussion later," their mother stated coldly, but Athena chose to ignore her entirely. Celia smirked as she snatched the purse left carelessly on her daughter's desk, her expression shifting to one of satisfaction as she turned to her son. "Come along, Abraxas. It's time to find you that suit."

When the door shut, leaving Athena alone entirely, she let her tears flow freely and did not bother wiping them.

She did not care when her tears turned into sobs—sobs that she tried to muffle into the pillow.

She wished she could be loved.

She wished she was worthy of her mother's love.

Athena knew it was not her fault her mother did not love her, but she had nothing else to blame. She only had herself to blame.

If she did not blame herself, the fact that her mother despised her for no reason would hurt even more.

She hated seeing Abraxas grow up with love when she herself had never felt an ounce of it in the same place he felt most of it.

From a young age, that was what pushed the twins apart. Athena, alone, spending her time in the gardens and trying to find something to do, while her brother had been in their father's study, being taught things he was born for.

Athena was not born for anything.

Her existence was extra.

Unwanted, even.

And she carried that deep, deep inside her chest.

She pushed away Abraxas the most, because when she realized how alike he was becoming to their parents, she knew he would believe them over her any day. Him always telling her how immature she was and ignoring her was proof of that.

Athena did not only push Abraxas away—Abraxas also pushed Athena away.

The twins that were once inseparable became separated.

Thrust into two different worlds of the same family.

Abraxas, destined for success and becoming Lord Malfoy, while Athena was destined for... nothing, really.

That was what pushed her to get top marks in school. That was what drove her—the desire to prove to her family that she was not actually nothing.

But if Athena was being honest... deep down, she wanted to prove to herself that she was not nothing.

Not to her parents, whose opinions of her would never change.

But to herself.

To the little girl who grew up believing every mean word of her mother's and took her father's absence in her life but not in her brother's personally.

Two hours later, Athena was in the library. She was laying on one of the couches there, her gaze out the window beside her, watching the snowflakes fall onto the outside gardens of Malfoy Manor.

The manor that was so cold and empty was only getting colder and emptier.

She did not look up when someone sat down on the end of the couch, because she knew who it was.

"Mother bought you a dress, since you did not want to join us." Abraxas looked at her, his face holding an expression of guarded concern. He followed her gaze out the window and said, "It's getting colder. Hogwarts is not safe anymore. Father heard that the Minister wants to shut Hogwarts down, and Headmaster Dippet is trying his best to not let it happen, along with Professor Dumbledore."

Athena ignored him, his words floating away into nothing as she continued to look out of the window.

She could only imagine how pale she looked, with her lipstick-less lips and hair tied up into a bun.

Her mother would have a fit again.

Finally, she ignored his last statement and asked quietly, "Who said I did not want to join?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. "Mother did."

She finally looked away from the window and at him, a sad look she did not bother to hide on her face. "I never said I did not, Abraxas. Truthfully, I do not know where you all went. I do not know why she even bought a dress as you claim she did."

"For the Yule Ball, of course. The ball that will be held in our manor in two days—" He stopped himself, noticing the surprise in her eyes. His lips parted, then he composed himself and said more to himself than to her, "You did not know."

"No." Athena shook her head before turning to the window yet again.

She was in the library with no book in her hands for once. She had just been there to think and have some time alone, since her room did not let her do so.

Her room was only colder than usual.

"Mother must've told you," Abraxas tried, confusion in his eyes.

"She did not."

He stopped and shook his head. "But you knew about us going out. Mother said she told you and you denied coming out with us just like always—"

"Lies, Abraxas. She is feeding you lies."

For a moment, Athena wondered if the words got to him.

She expected him to stand up for their mother, though, and she seemed to be right as he said, "Do not disrespect her by calling her a liar, Athena. I saw her in your room before we left. She was there to ask you to join us."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She did not even believe that she really thought he might've understood her for once.

"Whatever you say, Heir Malfoy." Her words were a mockery of his title, of the ring around his finger, of his whole existence.

And that hit the spot, since Abraxas stood up angrily. "Do not mock me for something you have wanted your whole life!"

"I never wanted to be an heir, nor an heiress." Athena did not stand, did not change her position of laying as she turned to him once again. "That has always been your position. I have never wanted to take it from you. I have always just wanted—" she stopped herself.

Stopped the words from coming out.

I have always just wanted their love.

"Well?" Abraxas raised a challenging brow, scoffing when she did not finish. "Exactly."

She did not bother to stop him when he turned around and left the library, leaving her alone and having only her own company once more.