"Please… don't do this," Lilly cried, her voice trembling as she backed away.
My body went cold. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
"Dad… please, let her go," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He turned to me slowly, his eyes empty—like I didn't exist anymore.
"Stay out of this."
Before I could move, something tightened around my wrists. I gasped as the rope dug into my skin. I struggled, but it only made it worse.
"Don't even try," he said coldly.
Tears blurred my vision as I shook my head. "Please… we won't tell anyone… just let her go."
No one listened.
I was forced to watch, frozen in fear, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. Lilly's cries filled the room, each one cutting deeper than the last. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying for it to stop… begging for it to stop.
But it didn't.
Her voice grew weaker… and weaker… until there was nothing left.
Silence.
A silence so heavy it crushed me.
"If you ever speak of this," my father's voice came again, sharp and threatening, "you'll be next."
Footsteps faded. The door shut.
And just like that… they were gone.
Leaving behind destruction.
And death.
---
"I'm sorry, Lilly… I'm so sorry," I sobbed as tears streamed down my face.
Her breathing was shallow, uneven. I dragged myself closer, ignoring the pain burning through my body.
"Nina…" she whispered weakly.
"I'm here… I'm here," I cried, my voice shaking.
"You have to leave this place," she said, her voice barely holding on. "This isn't a home… it's a prison."
"I have nowhere to go," I whispered. "This is all I have…"
"No," she shook her head faintly. "You deserve more than this… more than pain… more than fear."
Tears fell faster.
"I saved some money… under my bed," she continued slowly. "Take it… start over… and when you make it… please… help my family."
"I will," I said quickly, gripping her hand. "I promise. Just don't leave me… please…"
She gave a faint smile.
And then…
Her hand went still.
"Lilly…?"
No response.
"No… no, please…" I cried, my voice breaking apart.
But she was gone.
And in that moment… something inside me died too.
The pain. The fear. The helplessness.
It all swallowed me whole.
Everything went black.
---
.
.
.
---
I woke up to cold water hitting my face.
"She's awake," Anna's voice rang out, filled with mockery. "The murderer."
I tried to sit up, but pain shot through my body, forcing me back down.
My head spun as their laughter echoed around me.
"What do we do with her?" Annabella asked casually, as if they weren't talking about a human being. "Should we pretend to care and send the body home?"
They laughed.
"That would bring too many questions," my stepmother said smoothly. "We'll handle it quietly."
"Smart as always," my father added with a smile.
I said nothing.
I had learned long ago… my voice didn't matter in this house.
"Anyway," Bella spoke again, suddenly excited, "there's a talent show tonight at THEVOICE! You know I've always wanted to be a singer. Can we go?"
My heart skipped.
THEVOICE.
"Of course, princess," my father said instantly.
They cheered.
"Can she come too?" Anna asked, glancing at me.
Hope flickered inside me… small, fragile.
"Why?" my father scoffed. "So she can embarrass us?"
"No," Bella laughed. "She'll go as our maid."
The hope shattered instantly.
"She can carry our bags," my stepmother added with a smirk.
"Fine," he said dismissively.
And just like that… my fate was decided.
---
THEVOICE.
The biggest entertainment company in the city.
Owned by four of the most famous singers alive—Jeremy, Andrew, Lucas, and Dave.
Together, they were known as JALD.
They discovered talents. Created stars. Changed lives.
My mother used to talk about them all the time.
She believed I would stand on their stage one day.
That I would shine.
But she died before that dream could ever come true.
And now…
I was nothing more than a shadow in my own life.
A servant.
A nobody.
A girl the world had already forgotten.