Elena slammed the door behind her, her hands trembling with anger. "Mom! You can't just leave me and David to suffer while you chase men and parties! I'm tired of this!"
Vanessa, lounging on the sofa in a silk robe, barely looked up. Her expensive perfume filled the room, clashing with the smell of old rice and laundry detergent. "Tired? Elena, you think life owes you anything? You're nothing without me, and if you think I care about your whining, think again."
Elena's fists clenched. "Nothing without you? Mom, you left me to raise David! I'm twenty-five, working every day just to keep us alive. And you—" She swallowed her anger. "You've had… I don't even know how many men. Do you even know who your children's fathers are? I don't even know mine!"
Vanessa's eyes narrowed. She pushed herself up from the sofa and stepped closer, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. "How dare you talk to me that way! You have no idea what I went through. And you—stay out of my life! Don't act like you're better than me. You're just a girl playing grown-up while I live my life!"
Elena flinched as Vanessa raised her hand and slapped her across the face. Pain and shock burned on her cheek. "Stay out of my business, Elena! Don't touch my world. You will never belong there!"
Tears welled up in Elena's eyes, but she refused to cry. She turned toward the door. "I'm done, Mom. I'll survive without you," she whispered, her voice shaking.
Vanessa smirked and picked up her phone, already texting some man she had met the night before. "Good luck, girl. Don't bother me again."
Elena exhaled shakily and walked down the narrow hallway. The apartment smelled of old carpets and rice water. David, her nineteen-year-old brother, peeked out from his small bedroom, his face pale. "Elena… are you okay?"
She knelt and hugged him. "I'm fine, David. Don't worry. We'll get through this… like we always do."
David nodded, but the worry in his eyes made Elena's chest tighten. She was twenty-five, working multiple jobs, cooking, cleaning, and paying bills, all while making sure David didn't feel abandoned. Their father? Unknown. David's father? Another man Vanessa never bothered to tell them about. And she had no clue that she herself carried a secret far greater than their hardships.
Elena sank onto the small sofa that served as both a chair and bed. She ran her hands through her hair, thinking of all the nights she had cried quietly while David slept. Every day was a struggle, but she was determined to survive. She couldn't rely on her mother, and no one else cared. She only had her own strength.
Her phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Liam, her colleague at the bookstore. Even in the middle of all this chaos, Elena felt a flicker of warmth at the thought of him. *"Can you cover my shift tonight? Family emergency."*
Elena sighed. She wanted to say no, to rest, but she couldn't. She had responsibilities. "Of course," she whispered, typing back quickly.
As she prepared to leave for work, she glanced at a photograph on the wall—her mother smiling with some unknown man, oblivious to the children she left behind. Elena's chest tightened. Why had her mother abandoned them? Why had she never cared enough to tell her about her father?
The ride to the bookstore was quiet. Elena's mind wandered as she imagined a different life, one where her mother cared, one where she didn't have to struggle every day. But reality hit her as soon as she stepped into the shop. The familiar smell of paper and ink greeted her, and she quickly lost herself in the tasks at hand. Organizing shelves, sorting deliveries, and helping customers gave her a sense of purpose, even if fleeting.
Her phone buzzed again, this time with an unknown number. Curiosity overcame her fatigue, and she answered.
"Hello, is this Elena Grace?" a calm voice asked.
"Yes… who is this?" Elena replied cautiously, her heart skipping a beat.
"My name is Mr. Hawthorne. I'm calling from the law firm of Hawthorne & Co. regarding your identity. You are requested to come in immediately. This concerns a matter of utmost importance."
Elena frowned. "Identity? Matter of utmost importance? What do you mean?"
"There are documents, Miss Grace, that you need to see in person. Please come to our office as soon as possible." The line went dead.
Elena sank onto a chair behind the counter. Her pulse raced. What could this be? Who would send her something like this? She had never even imagined anyone in a position of power would care about her. The world she lived in was small, harsh, and unyielding.
She barely noticed the door chime as Liam walked in. "Elena, you okay? You look pale."
"I… I think so," she said, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
Liam frowned, concern in his eyes. "If you need help… I—"
"It's okay," Elena interrupted gently. "I've got this."
Even as she spoke the words, doubt crept in. Could she handle anything else? Her life had already been a constant battle.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Customers came and went, but Elena's mind kept returning to the mysterious call. What could it mean? Her life was already complicated enough with her mother abandoning them, her brother depending on her, and her constant struggle to survive.
By the time she walked home, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the city in golden hues. Elena's apartment seemed smaller than ever, the walls closing in with the weight of her responsibilities. She opened the door quietly, careful not to wake David.
He was sitting at the small kitchen table, reading a textbook. "How was work?" he asked, eyes lighting up briefly at her return.
"Busy," Elena said softly, ruffling his hair. "But we're okay. We'll manage."
David smiled faintly, trusting her as he always did. And for a moment, Elena allowed herself to imagine a different life—one where she didn't have to fight every day just to survive.
Then her phone buzzed again. Another message from the same unknown number:
*"Elena Grace, you are hereby notified that you are the sole heiress to the Blackwell empire. Contact the law firm of Hawthorne & Co. immediately. This concerns your father."*
Elena froze. Her hands trembled as she read the words over and over. Blackwell empire? Sole heiress? Her father… could it really mean what she thought it meant?
Everything she had known about her life, her struggles, her mother's reckless choices, seemed insignificant compared to this. She sank onto the sofa, staring at the message in disbelief. For the first time in her life, she wondered if the world could change for her—if everything she had suffered through could suddenly lead to something… unimaginable.
And deep inside, a tiny spark of hope ignited. Perhaps, just perhaps, her life was about to change forever.
Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. *Could it really be true? Could she, a girl who had known only struggle, really be the daughter of a powerful man she had never met?*
The city lights flickered outside, as if hinting at the secrets waiting for her. Elena clenched her fists, determination rising within her. No matter what, she would face whatever came next. She had survived so much already—this, she could handle.
But she had no idea that this message would pull her into a world of wealth, danger, and secrets far beyond her imagination.