I ran behind mom so that he doesn't find me,

"Dad she hid behind mom" Olly cried.

He pulled me out and slapped me hard.

"You are really a disgrace to my family." he cursed.

That night mom fought back and left the house with me.

"Mom, do you love father?" my innocent soul asked her.

"Yes dear, why do you ask me this suddenly?"

"You fought with him and left him. You love me more than him?"

"I love both of you equally, even Olly. Don't worry about this. Your dad is coming to pick us both tomorrow morning." she said and didn't let me talk more.

Even though they didn't talk the whole night, 

As she said dad came and took us happily back home with an apology.

Ava's POV:

"Is she awake?" I heard a female voice. I woke up to Amara's and Romano's little argument but didn't want to open my eyes yet, so I just kept listening to them.

"No, Amy, you've been asking me this for the last hour."

One hour? Was I unconscious for that long?

"Yes, because you're being stupid. Why would you bring her like this to my party? Now even Dad agrees that you're out of your mind."

Dad? Where am I? Did he actually kidnap me to bring me here?

"It's not my fault. She wasn't ready to come, but I promised you. I don't like breaking promises."

"Yeah, right! But when will she wake up?"

"She's awake and has been listening to us for a long time now. Looks like your new friend is a very bad actor."

I opened my eyes, pretending to wake up only now.

"Ava! Finally. I thought my stupid brother had actually harmed you." Amara said, coming near me and hugging me tightly.

"Brother?" I asked, shocked by the new information.

"Oh yeah! Let me formally introduce you to my twin brother, Romano Decuza."

Wait! Did she just say "twin"? Just like me and Olivia? But why didn't I notice this before? Even their eyes are similar. God, I'm really stupid.

"Ava, are you okay? You seem to be lost."

"No, I... Where am I?"

"My place," she said, sitting on the bed near me. I realized that she and I were alone in the bedroom. I didn't even see him leave.

Before she could say anything more, I remembered something important and got up from the bed immediately. Dad.

"Look, Amara, please let me go. I have to get home," I said while walking out of the room.

But when I exited the room, loud music assaulted my ears, and I realized that Amara's birthday party was still in full swing, the place crowded with people.

"Why, Ava?" Amara's voice came from behind me as I turned to see her now sad face.

"It's just a situation, Amara. I can't explain right now, but I promise I'll be back soon," I told her, pleading for her to understand and let me go.

She suddenly grew angry, stormed over to the DJ, and with a loud 'BANG,' she threw his equipment on the ground, shouting, "THE PARTY'S OVER, EVERYONE! YOU CAN ALL LEAVE NOW."

The DJ and the partygoers looked at her and then at the ruined equipment in shock before promptly vacating the premises. I stood there feeling guilty for causing the cancellation.

Romano emerged from the kitchen with a couple who appeared to be their parents, having heard Amara's outburst.

"What happened, Amy?" the man asked, surveying the mess she had created.

Ignoring them, she went upstairs, presumably to her room, and slammed the door.

The woman noticed my presence and came near me with concerned eyes.

"Dear, are you okay now?" she asked in a motherly manner.

This concern suddenly reminded me of my mother, and I forgot the guilt I had been feeling moments earlier.

"I'm fine," I replied, not realizing that tears were streaming down my face.

The man approached his wife and tried to comfort me, attempting to wipe away my tears. I closed my eyes, savoring a warmth I hadn't felt in years. Before they could question me further, I ran out of their house and into the street.

A Few Years Ago:

"Dad, I'm not feeling well. I don't want to go to school today," I had told him while lying in bed.

The previous day, we'd had an ice cream party because Olivia had won a competition. Despite feeling unwell due to the rain, I joined them. Olivia had convinced me to participate. Now, I had a pounding headache and an upset stomach.

Dad had come to wake me up for school, and I was trying to explain my condition to him.

"Don't come up with excuses to skip school, Ava. Just get up, get ready, and join Olly and your mother downstairs for breakfast," he'd told me before leaving my room.

As I tried to rise from bed, I felt dizzy and everything went black.

When I finally woke up, it was already 2 p.m., and I was alone in the house. Why had they left me alone when I was unwell? They never really cared about me. On that day, I cried and locked myself in my bedroom. By the evening, when they returned home, I was asleep with dried tears on my face.

End of Flashback

I didn't know how long I had been sitting on the garden bench, but the sound of a car horn brought me back to reality.

I looked up to see Romano sitting in the driver's seat with a blank expression.

"Are you trying to get sick? It's going to rain any moment. Just get in the car, and I'll drop you home," he said.

I felt numb.

Numb was all I could feel.

I didn't want to reply to him, but I complied, and he soon dropped me off at my place.

The following days blurred together for me. Emotions I had long avoided were suddenly haunting me. Nightmares returned, and sleep eluded me. My consciousness about my appearance dwindled, and I ate poorly.

Everything was spiraling downward, and I was once again alone...

I wanted to run. Run from the penthouse. Run from Dad and his guards. Run from my mission. Run from this country. But I was trapped.

It was a pity; my father wouldn't even care if I died today. But I had grown accustomed to this. No one had cared for me since childhood, except Olivia. So I would never give up on her.

Third Person's POV:

"You saw her but still failed to bring her to me?" The man spoke dangerously, glaring at the figure before him.

"I'm sorry, sir. I tried, but Amara abruptly ended the party, and we had to leave."

"And you just left? You could have waited outside."

"We did, but we lost her."

"You... you're utterly useless. Get out of my sight."

Once again, the opportunity had slipped through his fingers. She wasn't even attending college these days.

'Where the hell are you, Ava D Luca?' he seethed.

__________***__________

Do you think Romano likes Ava?