The Girl

I stood at the pinnacle of the most absurd comedy, in a sleek, modern mansion, living a prosperous life filled with happiness, only for it all to vanish in an instant.

"What are you waiting for? Lucia, take your suitcase and go away, disappear from my sight!" The man was my father, a figure who once loved me before the blonde woman stood beside him. "From today, Anderson is no longer your family name. You are no longer my daughter!"

He disappeared behind the black gates, leaving me with the disgrace of a situation I couldn't comprehend.

A familiar, mocking laugh pierced my ears. I turned to see Emily's sneering face. "Well, Lucia? Do you still not believe how easily influenced your father is?" She stepped closer, reaching out to touch my dark hair. I snarled in anger, dodging her touch, and grabbed her face, scratching it fiercely. "Aww!! Help me! Let go of me, Lucia! Damn it!!"

"Awww!!! You've hurt my face, Lucia! You wretch! Hey, help me!!!"

The louder Emily's screams, the tighter my grip, my hatred and disappointment growing stronger because of her.

"Hey! Stop it! Lucia! You're really shocking me! How can you do this? Hey, let her go! Lucia, why are you so barbaric, hurting Emily like this?!" The man who rushed out of the Maybach was Adrian. Damn him! This man was my fiancé just a month ago!

"What's going on here?! What is this ridiculous scene?! Oh my God, Lucia, you're so out of line!!"

"Anderson! Get Lucia away quickly, Emily could be scared!" My father pulled me away from Emily, and I smiled in satisfaction, seeing my nails had left their mark on Emily.

"LUCIA!" Slap!

The hot slap burned my cheek, not just my cheek but my heart as well. "Father, what are you doing?" My trembling voice caught in my throat. Anderson's pale face, his shaking hand, all of it made me weak, my knees buckling as I sank to the hot pavement. For the first time in my life, my father had slapped me, cast me out of his home. He had truly changed.

"What do you think you're doing, Lucia? You've shamed my name. I cast you out, and you take out your frustration on your sister! You're despicable!"

Anderson's eyes were full of disappointment. I could see it all, but was this my fault? "Dad, she! Emily started all of this! She! She hurt me, she stole my fiancé, she ruined my exhibition! She destroyed my studio! She's the one you should punish, Dad! But why, why are you kicking me out and slapping me? Why, Dad?" Hot tears welled up in my eyes, it was so hard to get these words out, but I managed even if I had to swallow repeatedly, hoping Anderson would listen to me just one more time. That was my only hope.

Though I didn't turn to look, I could see Emily's mocking expression. She was enjoying this father-daughter fight. When I turned, my suspicion was confirmed, Emily was grinning, mocking my misfortune. "Emily! Tell my father that you did all of this! You destroyed me! You and~~ you and Adrian! You both destroyed me!"

"Mom!!! Mom, please help me! Lucia keeps blaming me, she keeps accusing me, I would never do anything bad like that, Mom, you believe me, don't you? Dad, Dad, I couldn't hurt my sister, I love her so much!" After hugging the blonde, Emily leaned on my father's chest, while I could only grit my teeth at her fake face. "Dad, I'm sorry for giving you that recording and causing a fight with your daughter, Dad, I'm innocent, I didn't know it would turn into a disaster, I didn't want you to scold Lucia, Dad, forgive my sister, Dad, please!" Disgusted, I closed my eyes not wanting to see Emily's cheap acting pretending to be on my side.

"Emily, you did your best, and now it's my turn. Miranda, take Emily and Adrian inside! I'll deal with her!"

"I hope you handle this well, honey. Look at Emily's face, oh dear, what if these scratches leave scars, oh my, my daughter's beautiful face. Emily, Adrian, let's go inside!"

The sound of footsteps faded, leaving just me and Anderson.

"You're making me confused, Lucia. Why did you go this far? I never expected any of this! You've deceived everyone, Lucia. You're so vile!"

Anderson seemed to refuse to look at me, as if disgusted. But I needed answers. I held Anderson's hand, looked into his eyes full of hope. I hoped to find a father's love in them, but all I saw was a whisper of darkness. "Dad, at least tell me, what did I do wrong?"

Anderson didn't respond to me. He turned his back and walked away, closing the black gate once again. The loud bang made me shiver with fear.

"Fine!" The sun climbed higher, I hadn't even had my breakfast, my last breakfast in this house. "If this is what you all want, I will leave, but not forever. I will return, I will reclaim my seat, just wait!"

The sun grew warmer as the breeze blew my long black hair. I pulled my suitcase, turning back repeatedly, hoping this was just a dream. I hoped my father would open the gate, open his arms and call out my name like he did when I was a child. He would catch me, lift me, and fly me around while calling my name with a smile.

"Luciaaa… Luciaa… Dear…"

Tears continued to fall, warm on my cheeks, as warm as the morning sunlight. I left, but not forever.

~~~~~

"Sir!"

"Hmmm…"

In a room with a plaque reading CEO, Evan Sander, a mysterious-looking man with glasses lifted his head, putting down the document in his hand. "What is it, Assistant Han?"

"I've got the recording from that night."

"Hmmm, show it to me!"

The two watched the CCTV footage on the monitor. On the screen, it was clear that a girl had entered Evan's room that night.

"Hah! Is she a thief?" Evan looked anxious, seeing the girl stumble into the room and fall onto the bed where he lay with his bare chest.

"Let's finish watching it first, sir. I don't think her style matches that of a thief, except maybe a heart thief~" Han's words stopped as he saw Evan's deadly serious glare. "Alright, I'll continue the video~"

The girl on the screen took off her high heels, laid down on the bed, and crawled over Evan, who was asleep from exhaustion after a long night's work.

"Hmmm… you're here, darling? Hmmm… I'm so desperate, I'm such a failure… I give up, darling, I give up, do something fun!" The girl was seen crawling on top of Evan, her lips pursed, ready to kiss ~~~

Plip!

The screen was turned off, Evan raised an eyebrow at Han, signaling him to leave since he was uncomfortable watching the rest of the scene. "How could the CCTV capture such detail? This is a violation of privacy!"

"Sir, you requested surveillance because of your bad habits while sleeping."

"Okay! But did this CCTV capture the next part?" Evan's eyes were full of worry because he clearly remembered that night's events, not just one round; they really worked up sweats that night.

"Umm~~ honestly, the CCTV operator turned off the camera when he saw you two getting so~ close~ very close in bed! I think you should tip the surveillance guard because he's very skilled at monitoring you, he knows which scenes to capture and which parts to cut~" Han closed his mouth after seeing Evan's deadly serious and angry glare.

"Investigate this girl!"