Not a Nobody

THE UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

Fiona's heart was racing as Max led her to a room she had never seen before.and he had been tight-lipped about their family. All she knew was that her parents were alive, and she would finally get to meet them today.As they approached the door, Fiona's nervousness intensified. What if her parents didn't like her? What if they were disappointed in her? Max seemed to sense her anxiety and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he said softly. "They're going to love you."

Fiona took a deep breath and nodded. Max opened the door, and they stepped inside. The room was elegantly decorated, with a large window that offered a stunning view of the city.

Fiona's eyes scanned the room, searching for her parents. But instead, she saw a figure standing by the window, her back turned to them. The woman's long, curly hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

"Who's that?" Fiona whispered to Max.

But before he could respond, the woman turned around, and Fiona's eyes in surprise.

"Viola?" Max exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise.

Viola's eyes locked onto Fiona's, and a look of confusion crossed her face.

"Who are you?" Viola asked, her voice firm but curious.

"I'm...I'm Fiona," she stammered.

Viola's expression didn't change.She looked at Max, then back at Fiona.

"I've never seen you before," Viola said, her voice laced with suspicion."What are you doing here?"

Fiona's mind was reeling. What was going on?

Max stepped forward, a look of unease on his face.

"Viola, I can explain," he started.

But Viola cut him off.

"No, Max. I want to know who this girl is

Fiona's eyes locked onto Viola's, and she felt a pang of sadness. She had been so excited to meet her parents, but now it seemed like her whole world had been turned upside down.

"I'm your sister," Fiona said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Viola's expression changed from confusion to shock. She took a step back, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"That's not possible," Viola whispered. "I'm an only daughter."

Fiona's heart sank. What was going on? Why didn't Viola know about me?

As the tension in the room escalated, Fiona realized that she was in for a lot more than she had bargained for.

Fiona's eyes never left Viola's face as Max intervened, trying to calm the situation.

"Viola, please listen," Max said softly. "Fiona is our sister. She's been living with grandma for years in india, and I just recently found out about her."

Viola's expression turned from shock to anger. "This is ridiculous," she spat. "I don't believe you."

Fiona felt a pang of sadness as Viola stormed out of the room, leaving her alone with Max.

"I'm sorry, Fiona," Max said, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't expect Viola to react like that."

Fiona shook her head. "It's not your fault, Max. I just wish...I wish she could understand."

Max nodded and took her hand. "Come on, Fiona. It's time to meet Mom and Dad."

Fiona's heart skipped a beat as Max led her to a door at the far end of the hall. He opened it, and Fiona's eyes widened as she saw her parents standing in front of her.

Her mother was beautiful, with long, curly hair and bright blue eyes. Her father was tall and handsome, with a warm smile on his face.

"Fiona," her mother whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Our little girl. We've missed you so much."

Fiona felt a lump form in her throat as her parents enveloped her in a tight hug. She had dreamed of this moment for so long, and now that it was finally here, she felt overwhelmed with emotion.

As they hugged, Fiona felt a sense of belonging she had never felt before. This was her family, and she was finally home.

But just as things were starting to feel perfect, a voice cut through the happiness.

"You're not who you say you are," Viola spat, standing in the doorway.

Fiona's parents turned to face Viola, their expressions confused.

"What are you talking about, Viola?" her father asked.

Viola's voice echoed through the room, her words laced with venom. "What is this? Why are you guys crying over some unknown girl?"

Max's face turned red with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. "Viola, that's enough," he growled.

But Viola was beyond reason. She glared at Fiona, her eyes blazing with resentment.

Fiona's father stepped forward, his voice calm and soothing. "Baby, Viola, please listen. Fiona is Max's sister, your sister. She's been living with her grandmother in India."

Viola's expression changed from anger to confusion. "India?" she repeated. "You mean, the country you're from?"

Her father nodded. "Yes, Viola. I told you about our birth country, didn't I? Fiona's mother and I, we...we had to send her to India for her own safety. She's been living with her grandmother all these years."

Viola's eyes widened as the truth dawned on her. She remembered all the times her father had brought back gifts, saying they were for a "special person". She had always assumed they were for her, but now she realized they were for Fiona, their biological daughter.

A cry of anguish escaped Viola's lips as she stumbled backward, her eyes fixed on Fiona. "No, no, no," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "This can't be. You're not my sister, I don't have a sister and am the one and only daughter of mum and dad... You're just some...some impostor."

Fiona's face fell, her eyes welling up with tears. "Viola, please," she whispered. "I'm not trying to replace you. I just want to be part of this family."

But Viola was beyond consolation. She turned and ran out of the room, her sobs echoing down the hallway.

Fiona's father sighed, his face etched with concern. "I'm sorry, Fiona." I didn't mean for it to be like that. We'll give Viola some time to process everything. She'll come around eventually."

Fiona nodded, her eyes still fixed on the doorway where Viola had disappeared. She hoped that her father was right, Max quietly crying. “Don’t worry, Maxy,” Fiona whispered softly, stepping closer. “Won’t you join us for a family hug?”

Max looked up, eyes red but hopeful. Slowly, he wiped his tears and ran over, wrapping his arms around their mom and Fiona. The warmth of their group hug made the sadness ease away just a bit.

Her mom stepped over gently, wrapping an arm around Fiona’s shoulders. “We’re all hurting from the lost years, sweetheart,” she whispered. “But we’re here now, together. We’ll find Viola. We’ll make things right.”

Her dad stood nearby, wiping a tear from his cheek, a soft smile breaking through his worry. He had never seen Max this emotional before, and the sight of his children reunited stirred something deep inside him. Yet beneath the smile, a shadow of concern lingered. How was he going to protect Fiona, Max, and their mother? And what about Viola — his other daughter, still missing from the room, still out there somewhere?

His heart both swelled with pride and tightened with fear.

Fiona nodded, tears prickling her eyes. She looked down at Max, still trembling slightly. She knelt beside him and took his hand. “Maxy,” she said softly, “I know we lost so much time. But we have each other now. And I promise, I’ll never let you feel alone again.”

Max squeezed her hand back, a small smile breaking through his tears.

Suddenly, Meera, their grandmother, appeared beside them, wiping tears from her cheeks but smiling through the emotion. “Family isn’t just about who you’ve known the longest,” she said gently, “It’s about who’s here, right now.”

Fiona looked around at the faces — her mom, her dad, Max, and Meera — and felt a quiet hope stir inside her. Maybe today wasn’t about the past or missing pieces. Maybe it was about building something new. Together.

Viola stormed out to the garden in the back, tears streaming down her face, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and hurt. Only a few guards were stationed there, giving her just enough space for her outburst.

“Where did that b*tch come from?” she shouted fiercely, her voice cracking with emotion. Who is she? Just some cheap girl acting for money! I’ll show Mom and Papa her true colors, right in front of the whole world! And I’ll make sure they remember that I am Viola, the only sole heir of this empire!”

Her fists clenched as she spat the words, then suddenly stopped near the stairs, confusion flooding her face.

Wait… she thought, trembling. How could Mom and Dad accept her just like that? How is that possible? No, no—it can’t be.

Her knees buckled, and she stumbled, falling forward. A servant nearby held her gently. “Young mistress, are you alright?” he asked softly, steadying her.

Another servant handed her a glass of juice. “Here, young mistress." Please drink this.”

Viola took the glass, a cold smile creeping across her lips. Young mistress… she thought darkly. With a newfound, dangerous calm, she smiled evilly and wiped her tears away.

Turning back toward the house, she walked confidently toward the function area. Just as Viola was heading back toward the house, she suddenly bumped into someone—hard enough to stagger back a step.

“Oh! "I’m so sorry!” said Jennie Dante, the sole heir of the powerful Dante family. Jennie was cute and sweet, with a bright smile that could light up a room. But there was something about her that always seemed to push Viola’s buttons.

Viola narrowed her eyes, her anger flaring instantly. Why does she always have to be here? She thought bitterly. Jennie doesn’t even try to hide how much she enjoys making me furious.

Jennie, noticing Viola’s icy glare, gave a cheeky grin. “Hey, Vi! "Didn’t expect to see you here so… emotional,” she teased, a playful sparkle in her eyes.

Viola clenched her fists. “Don’t ‘Vi’ me,” she snapped. “You don’t know anything about what’s going on.”

Jennie laughed softly, unfazed. “Maybe not. But I do know one thing—seeing you this worked up is kind of… fun.”

Viola’s scowl deepened, but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn’t let Jennie get the best of her—not today. Not when so much was at stake.

With a cold smile, Viola turned on her heels. “Watch yourself, Jennie. This isn’t over.”

Jennie waved cheerfully after her. “Looking forward to it!”.