𝓩𝓪𝓪𝓻𝓪

Actresses are known for one thing and that is their beauty and even arguably, their body. 

One thing that is believed in the industry is that if you have a fresh face, whether it's real or fake, it's bound to make you a star. 

That is the only golden rule my family was told, and the only rule we've stuck with. 

Not a hair out of place, not a wrinkle in sight. 

God Forbid one of us even dares to bend the rules. 

My name is Zaara, a pretty name means a pretty face as my parents like to say. 

My whole life, I've been surrounded by A list celebrities, endorsements, and opportunities to make myself younger. 

But even if I would rather eat a eel then be here, I have to pretend to like it because that is how you make money. 

This whole business thing started when my aunt Rayyana ran away in the middle of the night to become an actress. She had dreamed of becoming an actress ever since she was young, and once my grandparents but their foot down and refused she decided to take matters into her own hands.  

Unfortunately for her, my grandpa was quick to find her. They had beaten her up pretty good and sworn her to her room for a month when a director had personally visited their house to convince them to let her join the industry. They showed my grandparents Rayyana's work and even they had to agree she was good, but they still refused. 

There is a famous saying "Money makes one greedy" I didn't believe in that, until I heard that my grandparents only said yes for the money. 

Greedy ass motherfuckers. 

Anyway, that's how my mom and her two brothers ended up joining the industry. 

Aabid, Amir, and my dear sweet mother Aya found themselves becoming child actors, slowly turning into A list celebrities. 

As for Rayyana? Well shes been hiding for a while. Not hiding hiding really. More like..sworn into secrecy. Something happened to her, and now she sits in her room alone without so much as a peep. Me and my siblings aren't allowed anywhere near her room. 

I tried once, never again. 

I still remember as I opened the door slightly to peek into Rayyana's room trying to catch a glimpse of her. But the room was too dark it was hard to see anything. I was about to back up when the door swung open, with a gasp I looked up to see my aunt dead in the eyes as she looked down at me. 

She didn't say anything, didn't move either. Her eyes were so dead set I was convinced she was dead. But something flashed in her eyes before she turned away from me and sat down on her rocking chair. 

I was frozen solid not wanting to go in, but I was also curious. I walked in looking around at her palace of a room, all white and cream looking fresh. 

"a-aunty?" My voice was shaking like it did when I was nervous. Aunt Rayyana slowly stopped and turned to look at me. This time, she didn't scare me. This time she looked sad and even lost as if she didn't know who she was, or why she was here. 

I couldn't look away from her. She was so beautiful yet so broken. "what happened to you aunty?" I found myself asking. Questions I had always wanted to ask started bubbling in my head. Should I ask her them? 

A hand clamped down on my shoulder making me jump. I looked up to see our head maid Maria staring down at me "What are you doing in here?" I turned back to Rayyana who was now facing the window, slowly rocking back and forth. "You can't come in here Zaara and you know that, come!" 

As Maria dragged me away I vouched to myself that I would find out what happened to Rayyana. 

I never did.