-CHAPTER 1-

VALERIA

Photographers outside snap pictures of celebrities as they pose on the red carpet. Inside the ballroom, a diversity of all kinds of celebrities are mingling together. The atmosphere is filled with excitement as conversations and laughter can be heard from every corner of the room.

I refill my tray with drinks and move around the room, offering them to the guests. As you've probably guessed, I'm not a guest. I'm just a caterer, putting on a respectful smile as I pretend to like serving these privileged people. I hate my job, but the salary helps provide for my family.

I have two younger siblings who are twins, and I'm their sole guardian. I'm the only family they have left, so they count on me, and I'm not about to let them down. I made a promise to care for them with my life the day Mom died.

Suddenly, my eyes fall on two people I'd rather avoid. Every time we run into each other, they make it their mission to make my life miserable. Especially when I was in high school. I shudder, thinking about it.

First, there's Rebecca Nina Mathew, with her golden blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and smooth, fair skin. Physically, she's stunning, but her personality is another story—truly dreadful. Next to her is her sister, Sylvera Andrea Mathew, with white blonde hair, steel gray eyes that everyone envies, and a cute heart-shaped face. Truly beautiful, but more on the cute side. Compared to her sister, she's not that bad, but sometimes I can't help but think she's acting. She's mimicking her sister for some reason, but then again, I could be giving her too much credit. I shrug mentally.

I turn my back to hoping they don't recognize me when the ballroom doors swing open, and a loud announcement echoes welcoming the members of the Kane family. The Kane are the richest family in the country, or at least they were until a few years ago, but they're still very influential.

A man in his forties walks in the room arm in arm with a woman. His copper hair has streaks of gray, and his brown eyes contain such dominance. He wears a smile on his face, softening his rough features. This man is William Kane.

Beside him was a beautiful woman with lustrous brown hair and almond-shaped eyes twinkling in the light. She wears a long red gown that hugs her curves, and the deep V-cut neckline accentuates her figure with a slit on the side. She has an angelic smile, but her eyes show deceit and arrogance. She is Adelia Kane, the wife of William Kane.

Behind them, there is a young woman with copper hair and almond-shaped eyes, which already proves who she is. She wears a black off-shoulder dress that exposes her shoulders with floral patterns at the hem. She is their daughter, Georgia Jade Kane.

As they gracefully descend the stairs, people are captivated by their elegance. Photographers and paparazzi prepare their cameras and microphones for pictures and interviews. Meanwhile, the caterers refill their trays and approach them, hoping to get their attention, but I already know it's futile. Such people don't care about waiters; we are below in everything. Money, power, jewelry, houses, cars, and even their food are above ours.

Mr. Kane strides to the stage and clears his throat before starting his speech: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to thank you for attending this event despite your busy schedules. We are here to celebrate the return of my son, who I haven't seen for over a decade." His voice is as rough as his looks.

"I'm certain many of you are curious as to the reason I sent him abroad. I knew one day he would take care of the company, but I wanted to see the humble aspects of life. I wanted him to enjoy his childhood before shouldering so many responsibilities. And I knew I wouldn't be able to accomplish it here, so I made the decision to send him abroad, and during his time there, he lived a good life and gained experience from various individuals."

"Now, I'm proud to say my son is ready to enter the business world. Without further delay, I present to you my son, Xaiden Esteban Kane, the new CEO and face of Kane Corporation."

Claps resonate through the room as the door swings open once again and a young man walks in. He's irresistibly handsome with his tan skin, sleek jet black hair, and those hazel-green eyes. Women are swooning over his looks; even married women can't help but peek at him. While the men look at him with envy, they can't deny that his handsomeness is simply on another level.

There's something else that catches my attention, and it's really strange—he doesn't look anything like Mr. and Mrs. Kane.

He strides to the stage, and all eyes are fixed on him as he starts his speech. "Good evening. Thank you for your presence tonight. It feels good to be back by my father's side." His voice is deep and smooth, sending shivers down my spine, but everything he says contains no sincerity. The worst lie I've ever heard.

"Father," he turns to Mr. Kane, "as I take on my new role, I hope I can make you proud. I'll make sure to work hard and eliminate every threat that stands in the way of our success. Not literally, though," he lets out a small laugh, but I can feel the sarcasm in his tone. He whispers something in Mr. Kane's ears, which makes him turn red in anger, but he keeps his composure.

He turns back to the audience and says, "Let's make a toast to our future and prosperity." Being the nearest person to the stage, I present him with a tray holding a single glass of champagne, and he snatches it. He raises his glass, and the guests join in, clinking together. He sips his champagne and returns the glass back to the tray.

Walking off the stage, he blends into the crowd, leaving an air of mystery around him. The party carries on with passion as couples swirl on the dance floor, and laughter floats around every corner. I head to the kitchen,swapping one tray for another as my other colleagues prepare the next course.

At around 1 a.m., guests start leaving, and others are even drunk because of excess alcohol. Photographers start packing their equipment, and we, the caterers, are tasked with restoring the venue to its original state.

When all the guests are gone, we switch into cleaning mode. Taking off the decorations, washing the dishes, and scrubbing the floor. All the work takes 2 hours, and I get back home at around 3:30 a.m., looking forward to sleeping.

I insert the keys and unlock the door to enter the quiet living room. I find Kasey, the twins' babysitter, sleeping on the couch. She must've been tired. I grab a soft blanket from my closet and place it over her shoulders, making sure not to wake her up.

"Thank you, Kasey," I murmur, running my hand through her red hair. I retire to my room for the night. After taking a refreshing shower, I slip into my pajamas and head to bed. The moment my head touches the pillow, I'm fast asleep.

Waking up at 7:30, I'm still tired from yesterday's event, but more energized than when I went to sleep.

Once I'm done making my bed, I complete my morning routine and head to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Rummaging through the fridge, I gather the ingredients before starting to cook.

"Hello, Valeria," a voice startles me, making me almost drop the spatula, but I catch before it falls. I turn to Kasey with a smile.

"Good morning, Kasey. Want some breakfast?" I ask as I flip the pancake.

"No, thank you. I need to go home," she answers.

"Please, stay. Take it as a thank you for babysitting the twins so late last night," I insist. Kasey is the only person that I can entrust the twins to, and they love her a lot.

I still remember when they first met her; they loved her instantly, which was unusual considering their usual wariness towards strangers. I think it's understandable considering the things they've been through. They are young, but they have gone through things children their age shouldn't have, and I always feel proud that they never carry any hatred for this world.

"No, I'm sorry," she refuses. "My parents must be worried about me."

The word parents stirs a pang in my heart. Parents used to be the most important thing for me, until they didn't. That word is almost non-existent in my life, and it's all because of him.

"You're right," I tell her with a bittersweet smile. "You should check your bank account; I left a small bonus for staying here so late."

"Thank you, Valeria," and she leaves.

I continue making breakfast, which includes eggs, toast, milk, pancakes, and a steaming cup of coffee for me. I start setting the table when I hear the twins' voices.

"Good morning, Val," they greet in sync. My full name is Valeria, and 'Val' is the nickname they gave me when they were toddlers and couldn't pronounce my name correctly. Even when they could finally speak properly, the nickname stuck.

"Hello, Girls! How are you?" I ask, serving them their meal.

"We're fine," they respond in sync again. I remember when I used to be amazed every time they did those twin things; it was even better since they were identical twins with the same raven black hair and ocean blue eyes.

They are so identical, making it difficult for people to distinguish one from the other. They not only share the same eyes and hair color, but their faces are similar, from their foreheads to their cheekbones, and the shapes of their lips and noses are similar. All the same, but as their sister, I can easily tell one from the other.

Between the two, Mira is the oldest, and Maïra is the younger twin. The only thing that makes them different from each other is that Mira has a mole on the bottom of her right eye.

We finish eating our breakfast, and the twins help me clean up everything. I return to my room to catch up on some much-needed sleep.But instead of sleeping, I find myself thinking, and my heart throbs when I recall what Kasey said earlier.

When was the last time someone other than the twins worried about me? When was the last someone apart from them worried about my well-being? Worried if I was healthy? Or even checked if I was okay?

It's not like I want someone in my life; I'm content with having just the twins by my side, but it doesn't hurt to wish for something more, does it?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

What are your thoughts on this character? It's the first chapter, and it's exciting to think about the next chapters.

This story will not be perfect as it is my first story so please be patient with me. Also, if you'd like to have faster updates, this story is also on Wattpad and on Inkitt under the name Xealta. But I will warn you, the book cover there will be different. To recognize it, here's the picture of it.

Warning: This story will contain themes of rape and depression so please don't report my story. I've already warned you.

Enjoy your reading, and like, comment, and subscribe for more ❤.

^^^XEALTA^^^

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