Sister's Secret Unveiled
The house is dark, and Adeline quietly enters, carefully closing the door behind her.
The air is still, and she tries not to make any noise to avoid waking her parents. She sighs, exhausted from the long night, and heads straight to her room.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*places her bag on the chair and moves toward her bathroom*
The sound of running water fills the small space as she prepares for a much-needed bath. She undresses, sinking into the warm water, hoping to wash away not only the physical exhaustion but also the unsettling events of the day.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*closes her eyes, the image of the masked man flashes in mind, causing to tense up*
Adeline Martino (FL)
"Who was that man? Why were there gunshots? And why do I feel like something worse is about to happen?"
She frowns, running a hand through her wet hair, trying to calm her racing thoughts. The tension in her chest remains as she replays the night's events.
Adeline Martino (FL)
"I should’ve told someone. But how could I explain it without sounding paranoid? I’m sure I’m overthinking it… right?"
She finishes her bath, feeling a little calmer, and wraps herself in a towel. As she walks back into her room, she goes to the window to close it, but something outside catches her attention.
The view from Adeline’s window. The street outside is dimly lit, but she can make out the figure of her younger sister, Natalya, stumbling toward the house.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*eyes widen in shock as she sees her sister swaying unsteadily, clearly drunk*
Adeline Martino (FL)
*panicked* Natalya? What is she doing out so late… and in this state?
Natalya fumbles with her purse as if searching for something, and Adeline realizes that if she rings the doorbell, it will wake their parents.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*urgently, whispering to herself* Oh no…
Without wasting a second, Adeline throws on her robe and rushes downstairs, her heart pounding as she races to the door. She reaches it just as Natalya raises her hand to press the doorbell.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*quietly opens it before Natalya can make any noise*
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*stumbles inside, her eyes glassy, her movements clumsy*
Adeline Martino (FL)
*trying to stay calm* Natalya, what are you doing? You’re drunk! You can’t come home like this…
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*glares at Adeline, her expression quickly turning from confused to furious*
Adeline Martino (FL)
*looks with concern*
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*angry, lashing out* Oh, look at you… Miss Perfect Adeline! Always saving the day, huh? You think you’re so much better than me?
Adeline Martino (FL)
*gently* Natalya, please… let’s just get you upstairs. You’re going to wake Mom and Dad.
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*bitterly* Mom and Dad… yeah, like they’d care about me. All they care about is you, Adeline! The perfect little orphan they took in… while I’m always in the background, invisible!
Adeline Martino (FL)
*heart sinks at the venom in Natalya’s voice*
She’s heard the resentment before, but it still hurts every time.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*softly* That’s not true, Natalya. They love you, and I—
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*cutting her off, voice rising* Don’t you dare say you understand! You don’t know what it’s like being in your shadow!
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*further added* You’re not even their real daughter, but somehow, you’re still the favorite!
Adeline’s eyes well up with unshed tears, but she stays quiet, letting Natalya vent her frustration.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*pleading* Natalya, please… let’s not do this right now. You’re upset, and you’re drunk. Just come upstairs with me, and we can talk in the morning.
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*mocking* Talk? Oh sure, we’ll talk, and you’ll tell me how I should behave better, right? You’ll tell me how you handle everything so perfectly, how you always have it together!
Adeline Martino (FL)
*whispering, desperate* That’s not true… I don’t have everything together. I’m just trying, like you. I care about you, Natalya… I love you.
Natalya Martino (FL Younger sister)
*sarcastically* Love? You? You don’t even know what that means, Adeline. You’re just playing the good daughter role so everyone will love you more.
Adeline stands there, frozen, her heart aching as Natalya’s words cut deep. She watches helplessly as Natalya begins to climb the stairs, each step unsteady.
Adeline Martino (FL)
I just want you to be happy, Natalya… that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
But Natalya doesn’t respond. She disappears up the stairs, leaving Adeline standing alone in the hallway, the tension of the moment heavy in the air.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*holding back her tears; whispering to herself* I’m sorry…
She stays there for a moment longer, letting the quiet of the house settle around her. The confrontation with Natalya has left her shaken, but she knows there’s nothing she can do right now.
Slowly, she turns and heads back toward her room, the weight of the evening pressing down on her.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*closes the door behind her and leans against it, her eyes closed as she takes a deep breath*
Adeline Martino (FL)
"Why does it always have to be this way? Why can’t she see that I’m not trying to take anything from her?"
She moves to her bed, sitting down and wrapping her arms around herself as she stares out the window. The moonlight casts a soft glow over her room, but there’s no comfort in it tonight.
Adeline Martino (FL)
*whispering to herself* I wish I knew how to fix this…
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