Chapter no 5
The Brother's Privilege
Lina was four when she began to understand something that had always been true but never spoken aloud:
Her brother was the sun of the household.And she was the shadow cast behind him.
His name was Adriel, though everyone called him Adi.Where Lina's existence was ignored, Adi's was celebrated.Where Lina's small mistakes were punished, Adi's mischief was dismissed with laughter.
To her parents, he was everything they had ever wanted.To Lina, he was a reminder of everything she could never be.
The Golden Child
One crisp morning, Lina sat on the wooden steps of the porch, tracing circles in the dust with a stick. The air smelled of firewood and the last hints of summer. She watched her brother through the open door as he twirled around the room wearing a brand-new red sweater.
Their father clapped proudly.Her mother beamed, fussing over his hair.
"You look so handsome, Adi!""Just like your father.""He's going to be someone big, I just know it."
Lina sat still, the stick dropping from her fingers.
Her father noticed her for the first time that morning.
He stepped outside, looking down at her with the same expression he used when trash piled near the door.
"Why are you sitting there?" he snapped.
Lina blinked.She was too young to understand the question, too scared to answer.
He scoffed, turned his back on her, and shut the door.
But Lina didn't cry.She only hugged her knees and watched the sunlight fall across the dusty yard, wishing she knew how to make them smile the way Adi did.
The School Decision
Later that week, a visitor came to discuss school enrollment.
A teacher from the village school stood at the door, holding forms and explaining fees.
"Your son should start next month," the teacher said warmly. "He's at the perfect age to begin learning."
Her parents nodded proudly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"And… what about your daughter?" the teacher asked politely, peeking inside and noticing Lina hovering behind the doorway, half-hidden.
Her mother stiffened.
"Oh, she's… not ours," she lied with a smoothness that came too easily. "Just the maid's friend's daughter. We're only helping her stay here."
Marla froze mid-step in the kitchen, her hands tightening on the bowl she was holding.
The teacher nodded awkwardly. "I see. My apologies."
But Lina heard every word.
She didn't understand why her mother denied her……but she felt something inside her chest collapse in on itself, sharp and cold.
The teacher left after a few more minutes, and the parents turned to Marla.
"Have the girl help you more," the father ordered. "She's old enough to work."
Marla bowed her head obediently, but her heart burned with quiet fury.
The Shoes That Didn't Fit
A few days later, the mother came home carrying a new pair of shiny brown school shoes. The room filled with excited energy as Adi ran in circles wearing them, giggling.
Lina watched from the hallway, barefoot as always.
Her mother spotted her.
"No touching anything," she snapped. "Those are for Adi."
Lina lowered her eyes.
But Marla approached from behind and touched Lina's arm softly. "Come help me with laundry, sweetheart."
Lina nodded, following her to the backyard where the air felt lighter.
While they hung clothes in the sun, Lina asked quietly:
"Why does Adi get shoes? And new clothes?"
Marla paused.
Because he is loved.Because they wanted him.Because you were never meant to stay.
Those were the truths.But Marla couldn't speak them.
So she knelt beside Lina, brushing her fingers along her cheek.
"Because the world isn't always fair," she whispered. "But what matters is that you keep walking, even without shoes. One day… you will walk farther than any of them."
Lina looked down at her small, bare feet.
Something in her heart tightened — a quiet determination she didn't yet understand.
The First Jealousy
One afternoon, Adi ran to the yard carrying a pretty tin lunchbox decorated with colorful drawings.
"Look! Mama bought it for me!" he shouted proudly, waving it above his head.
Lina approached slowly, curious.
Before she could even touch it, Adi yanked it away.
"No!" he snapped. "Mama said it's mine. You can't touch my things. You spoil stuff."
Lina stepped back, hurt blooming across her expression.
He turned away from her and ran to show their parents again, who laughed and praised him.
Lina remained in the yard, staring at her empty hands.She didn't want the lunchbox.She didn't want the shoes.She didn't want the attention.
She just wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere.
A Small Kindness
That evening, as the sun set, Marla brought Lina a bowl of warm soup in the storage room. She sat with her on the floor, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl's ear.
"Lina," she whispered, "come here."
The child crawled into her lap instantly, her small body fitting perfectly against Marla's chest.
Marla held her tightly, whispering into her hair:
"You are not less. You are not unwanted. Their cruelty does not define you."
Lina didn't understand all the words — but she understood the feeling.
She clung to Marla's shirt, breathing in her warmth.
And for the first time that day, she smiled.
The Lights Return
Late that night, when Lina was asleep, the room dimly lit by moonlight through cracks in the ceiling, something flickered near her cradle.
A soft shimmer.A glow like starlight.
Two gentle hands appeared again, floating just above her.
They brushed lightly against the necklace Marla had tied around Lina's neck.The bead glowed faintly… as if responding.
The hands lingered longer this time.A protective caress.A silent promise.
Then they disappeared into the darkness.
And miles — worlds — away, someone stirred, feeling the soft pull of destiny.