Hidden Power

"Help me, big sister!" Eva cried out, reaching towards Matilda. Matilda wanted nothing more than to escape those restraining her. She fought and punched the men trying to control her, but no matter how hard she resisted, they kept reappearing.

"Eva..." Matilda screamed, reaching out desperately for her little sister, but she was quickly losing energy. She glared at the man who resembled the devil himself, laughing loudly as he reached his filthy hand towards her sister's face.

His eyes, full of lust, were fixed on her. Matilda wanted to gouge out those eyes, break his bones, and tear his heart out. How dare he even consider touching her sister!

The man, with an eerily joyful demeanor, held her sister, his hands roving over her body. "You're so pretty," he gloated, "and after I'm done, I'll let my guys have a turn...hehe."

"And Eva, your sister isn't bad either. Maybe I'll have fun with both of you," he continued, breaking into sinister laughter.

"Ahahahahahahhah!"

In response, Matilda screamed. She lashed out at her captors. Her foot shot out with brutal force, connecting with the groin of the nearest man. The man's eyes widened in surprise and pain, and he crumpled to the ground, clutching himself.

In the resulting chaos, Matilda spotted an opportunity. One of the men had been momentarily distracted, and his grip on his gun had loosened. Acting on pure instinct and adrenaline, Matilda lunged forward, her fingers curling around the cold metal of the firearm.

She had never held a gun before, but in that moment, it felt like an extension of her own will, the embodiment of her desperate need to protect Eva. Without a moment's hesitation, she swung the gun around, pointing it at the man who was holding her sister.

His eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of fear in his gaze. Then, Matilda fired. The gun recoiled, the gunshot echoing loudly.

"Bang!"

She woke up abruptly from her nightmare, screaming. Sweat was pouring down her forehead and back. She got up from her bed, her hands trembling. In a fit of anger, she punched the wall. "This won't happen again," she vowed fiercely.

Matilda got up and looked out over the balcony. It was nighttime, and time for her to go to work. She took a long, hot shower; the pain in her hand made her feel more alive. She welcomed the pain as it reminded her that she was still alive.

She dressed in long black pants, a bra, and a hoodie which covered her hand. It also concealed her hand injuries so no one would notice. Going downstairs, she saw her father setting the dining table for dinner.

"Matilda, you woke up early, you can sleep some more," her dad, John, said while setting a dish on the table. "It's okay, Dad," Matilda replied. "I want to go to work early and return early in the morning."

Matilda glanced at her cousin and sister sitting in the living room, watching a movie with Mom.

"Matilda!" her cousin cried and ran over to hug her. For some reason, they always felt safe around Matilda, as though no one could hurt them. Eva also came over, wanting to join the hug.

Matilda returned the hugs, ruffling her cousin's hair and planting a kiss on Eva's forehead. Her heart warmed at the sight of their smiling faces.

"Guys, let's eat before your sister leaves for work," her mother called out to everyone.

"Yes, Mama," they responded with a mock salute.

Matilda smiled at their playful response as they all moved towards the dining table. Matilda couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. It was these moments of togetherness and familial warmth that she cherished the most. The dinner table was a burst of colors, with dishes laid out neatly. Laughter and chatter filled the air as everyone settled into their seats. John served the food, its aroma wafting through the room. Matilda's mom asked about her work schedule and Eva excitedly shared stories about her day at school.

"By the way, Matilda, when are you planning on becoming the manager of the ShieldPro company?" Matilda's mom inquired. Matilda's heart dropped; it always broke her heart to lie to her mom, but it was for the best. She couldn't tell them the truth; the job was just a cover-up to hide the fact that she was the boss of this city.

Due to her mother being a housewife and her father's accident, they were unable to work regular jobs and Matilda didn't want her parents to work either. It would be a joke if people saw the city's big boss's parents working. So, she was the sole provider. They had a spacious mansion and enough money in the bank, so her parents didn't worry.

"In just a few more days. Then I won't have to work so much, and I can spend more time with all of you," Matilda answered, her smile masking the inner turmoil.

Sara and Zach, her cousins, both cheered. "Yay, then we can all play together!" They always yearned for more time with Matilda.

She grinned at them and promised, "We'll play loads of board games, and maybe even go camping. How does that sound?" Their faces lit up with joy at the prospect of all the fun they were going to have.

Eva, her younger sister, squealed in delight, her small fists pumping into the air. "Can we go shopping too?" she asked, her eyes wide with hope. "Of course, sweetie," Matilda assured, playfully ruffling Eva's hair.

After dinner, the children insisted on helping with the cleaning. Matilda found herself laughing as she watched Sara and Zach take turns trying to stack as many dishes as possible without dropping them. Amidst the giggles and playful scolding, Matilda couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth for these simple yet precious moments.

When it was time for her to leave, she stood up and announced, "I have to head to work now." She saw their faces fall a little, but they quickly replaced it with understanding smiles.

Before leaving, she knelt down to be at eye level with Sara, Zach, and Eva. She ruffled Zach's hair, pinched Sara's cheeks playfully, and gave Eva a gentle hug. "Be good, okay? I'll see you all tomorrow morning."

She grabbed the lunchbox they'd prepared for her and her keys. "Bye, guys," she said, waving as she stepped out.

Matilda stepped outside and looked around. She saw some guys hidden nearby. They were special soldiers she had saved. They were here to keep her family safe. A year ago, she was given a new start. She used it to save these soldiers and turn them into her followers.

Using her knowledge of the future, she placed her people in different jobs. Some worked as police, others in courts, showbiz, and business. Furthermore, during one of her interrogations of a spy, Matilda discovered a unique power: she could tell if someone was lying or telling the truth. This ability greatly helped her to weed out disloyal people from her gang.

"Just thinking about how I can control this city with my own strength excites me so much," Matilda mused, a wicked grin spreading across her face.