Chapter 4 Her Attitude
Chapter Four — Aria’s POV
Her Attitude
I sank onto the soft couch, but it didn’t feel soft to me. My whole body trembled, weak from the long walk through the forest and the shock of everything that had happened today. My stomach growled loudly again. It hurt. I hadn’t eaten properly in days. My arms and legs felt heavy, like they were made of stone. My head felt light. I felt like I could faint any moment.
The TV was the only bright thing in the room. I stared at it without really seeing anything. I just wanted my mind to go quiet. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to sit here without being noticed, without being shouted at, without being hurt again.
But suddenly, the screen changed. A hand pushed past me and switched to another channel—bright dancing lights, loud music.
My heart jumped in fear.
“What are you doing?” a sharp voice snapped.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
Mina.
The adopted daughter. The girl everyone loved. The one who had cried fake tears earlier and taken all the attention that was never mine in the first place. Her eyes burned with anger, as if my sitting on the couch had stolen something from her.
“I… I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I… I’m only looking for a place to stay. A home. Food. I’m not here to take your parents from you. I just… need somewhere to rest.”
She laughed. Not a kind laugh. A cold, sharp laugh that made my skin crawl.
“You think you can stay here peacefully?” she asked, stepping closer. “No chance. I’ll make sure they don’t even look at you. You want to live here? That’s too much. I’ll make this place hell for you.”
She leaned down, her voice turning low and cruel.
“Be careful… so I don’t poison your food.”
My whole body shook. Fear shot through me like ice. My hands clutched my clothes tightly, and I stared at the floor. Poison? Would she really go that far? She looked like someone who could. She looked like someone who wanted to.
“I… I won’t cause trouble,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “I swear. I won’t disturb anyone.”
Mina didn’t stop smiling. She reached into her bag and pulled out a bright gift box, wrapped beautifully.
“It’s my birthday,” she said softly, but her smile was full of pride and wickedness. “Mom got me so many gifts before she went out. Look at this one.”
She placed it loudly on the table, right in front of me, as if she wanted to remind me how small I was. How forgotten I was.
My chest tightened. Today was also my birthday. But no one remembered. No one had ever remembered. I didn’t even expect them to, but the pain still hit hard—sharp, deep.
“And guess what?” Mina continued. “My four brothers also went out to get me gifts. All for me.”
I swallowed, but my throat felt too tight. All of this… all of her words… they pushed me deeper into the couch, deeper into myself. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to be invisible. I didn’t want gifts, I didn’t want attention. I just wanted a place where I could breathe without being afraid.
I lowered my eyes so she wouldn’t see the tears falling.
Then… something changed.
Voices.
Deep, strong voices echoed through the house. Footsteps—heavy, confident, steady.
I froze. My breath stopped.
At first, I thought it was the TV. Or maybe I was dreaming. But the sounds grew louder. Closer.
“This time…” a deep voice said.
Another voice added:
“…our gift is for Aria.”
My heart stopped.
My name.
Not Mina.
Mine.
My hands shook uncontrollably. My stomach flipped so hard I felt sick. My heart pounded against my ribs like it wanted to break free.
Mina’s smile faded. She turned toward the hallway, her eyes wide, her face tightening. For the first time… she looked unsure.
But I just sat there, frozen.
My name… on someone’s lips.
It didn’t feel real. It felt like a dream. A strange, beautiful dream I was too scared to reach for.
The footsteps grew closer.
And all I could do was wait.
Shaking. Confused. Afraid.
But somewhere deep inside me… a small light flickered again.