Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Lingering Echoes**

"Niaaandra! Niaaandra!!!" The echo of my name resonated through the imposing corridors of our ostentatious mansion. I could sense trouble brewing, as familiar as the weary exhaustion that clung to my bones. Wearily descending the grand staircase, I prepared myself for another bout of family theatrics.

"I'm coming, Ma," I mumbled, my voice barely audible to my own ears. The serenity of the environment contrasted sharply with the impending storm within the walls of the mansion. My physical and mental fatigue weighed me down, and the only solace I found was in the tranquility surrounding me.

Despite being theoretically regarded as an equal to my siblings, life within these opulent walls dictated a starkly different reality. My siblings, embodiments of entitlement, reveled in their bratty demeanor. Servants attended to the needs of my parents, yet I, the supposed equal, found myself relegated to the role of an unseen servant. Leftovers during dinner were my portion, a reminder of my perceived worthlessness in the eyes of my family. Today, I was coerced into wearing a dress for a family picture, an attempt to portray the facade of a "perfect family" that was anything but perfect.

As I made my descent, my family awaited in their carefully orchestrated tableau, minus Trisha, the ever-perfect Barbie doll. Our interactions were not strained; they were downright toxic. Polite smiles masked a festering contempt, a venomous cocktail that poisoned any semblance of familial warmth.

"Ah, there you are, cutie pie," my mother's greeting dripped with insincerity. "Good morning, madame. I hope you slept well," I retorted, earning a disdainful glare. One to zero, Mom.

"Go call Trisha, darling. We can't keep the poor man waiting for too long now, can we?" My mother's tone, sweet as saccharine, hid the venom beneath.

"No, of course, we can't. I'll be on my way now," I responded, a practiced smile barely concealing the bitterness within.

My journey continued to the ice queen's lair. I knocked on her door with more force than necessary, relishing the impending confrontation.

"Who's at the door?" Trisha's voice called out.

"It's Niandra. Mom told me to call..." The door swung open abruptly, revealing Trisha in all her pink-clad, meticulously made-up glory.

"Did nobody teach you to use the doorbells, or were you just too dumb to learn how to?" she sneered.

"I think it's just because I had a really dumb teacher who couldn't do anything but sprout shit for the whole day. I wonder who that is. It's probably someone irrelevant because I forgot who they were, dear sister," I shot back, savoring the moment.

"If you might excuse me, I'm taking my leave, and, by the way, you look rather astonishing." With a smirk, I left, leaving her seething in my wake.

After an agonizing wait, Trisha finally joined the family for pictures, and I could sense the beginning of my momentary freedom. The façade of a perfect family crumbled between each forced smile, revealing the fractures in our relationships.

The family pictures were a chore, a theatrical performance orchestrated by my mother. As they left for their outing, I found myself relegated to staying home, the perpetual outsider. Yet, this solitude granted me the freedom to pursue my passion—music.

In the music room, I sat at the piano, channeling my frustration into a composition that echoed with the dissonance of my existence.

In the chamber of solitude, a melody of desolation plays,

Amidst the grandeur, a lone soul sways.

Wearied smiles, a symphony out of tune,

Behind glistening masks, a silent monsoon.

Beneath the gaze of disapproving kin,

Unheard whispers, the shadows spin.

In the basement of dreams, where silence weaves,

Loneliness cloaked, in solitude it conceives.

Dresses adorned, a puppet's charade,

In this mansion of emptiness, a masquerade.

A family's portrait, a facade so brittle,

Picture, picture, in a canvas so little.

Through curtains drawn, a glimpse of despair,

Loneliness lingers, like mist in the air.

Boredom, a companion, in these opulent walls,

A hollow echo through luxurious halls.

Yet, in this realm where purpose is lost,

A stranger intrudes, a destiny crossed.

"Oh, hello there," his words unfold,

In this mansion of apathy, a story untold.

*To be continued...*

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