THE STERLING SIN _ MY SECRET SISTER

CHAPTER (5) The Black Velvet Box

I didn't expect a grand welcome back because it was my first day at work, but I did expect a warm welcome because I was with my family.

Immediately I stepped into the house I knew my aunt was back home.

The atmosphere was different from yesterday's, Mrs Martha rushed towards me and insisted on carrying my work bag upstairs.

I let her even though I didn't fully buy the idea of being treated like I was a Queen, all I needed were honest and loving people that actually cared.

The empty living room smelled of cool breeze and vanilla air freshener.

The dining table had plates set down like dinner was about to be served.

I could hear Lena's laughter as I climbed the stairs, the events of the day kept repeating in my head. It was such a bad day on the first day of work.

I was literally so tired to the point that my legs were failing to carry me to my room, every step I took towards my room felt like I was being forced to walk.

I finally got to my room after what felt like forever, at that point you could feel the happiness on my face even though I wasn't smiling, but deep down I was glad the day was finally over or maybe that was what I thought.

I slumped down on the spring bed, the softness of the bed melted into my whole body.

“Oh my Goodness, thank you Jesus” I said to myself as I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath.

I lay down for about 10mins, not thinking about anything. I just lay down breathing freely for the first time since the day started.

The exhaustion of the gala finally dragged me under, but sleep wasn't a sanctuary.

In my dream, the air was cold. I was standing on the edge of the cliffs at Willow Creek again. I watched the twin red stars of Mom’s car dive over the edge, the bright red glow staying in my eyes for a second before the darkness took everything. "Mom!" I screamed, but the wind swallowed my voice. I reached out, trying to grab onto anything, but my hands only met empty air.

I bolted upright in bed, my breath coming in with ragged gasps. My work uniform was damp with sweat, and the moonlight hitting the attic floor felt like ice. My heart was thumping against my ribs like a trapped bird.

"It was just a dream," I whispered, pressing my palms to my forehead. "Oh mother, I miss you too.

I reached down instinctively, my fingers searching for the cool, familiar metal of the SilverSnow pendant against my ankle. I needed to feel its weight to know I was still grounded. To know I still had a piece of her.

My fingers met nothing but bare skin.

The world seemed to stop spinning. I scrambled out of bed, dropping to my knees on the hardwood floor. I ran my hands frantically over the rug, under the thin mattress, and along the floorboards.

"No, no, no," I whimpered.

I checked the other leg. I checked the sheets. Nothing. My mind raced back to the Imperial, the 40th floor, the way Mrs. Sterling had screamed at me, the way I had hurried to the elevator with tears blinding my vision. I remembered the sharp tug at my ankle near the door.

Maybe I haven't just been treated like trash. I had left the one thing that mattered in the lion's den.

I was still on my knees, my fingers frantically raking through the rug fibers,still trying to see if the universe was just pulling a trick on me when my bedroom door hit the wall with a violent bang.

"What on earth are you doing on the floor?"

Selena stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her designer robe. She didn't wait for an answer, her eyes darting around my cramped attic room with a look of pure disgust. "Actually, don't tell me. I don't care about your weird village rituals."

I scrambled to my feet, trying to pull my fancy black neck tie. My heart was still racing from the nightmare, but the sight of Selena’s smug face brought a different kind of heat to my chest.

"Did you not learn to knock? Or is that a 'Veridia' thing you haven't mastered yet?" I snapped, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

Selena’s eyes flashed. "Watch your tone, charity case. You’re in big trouble. Mom is downstairs, and she looks like she’s about to breathe fire. Apparently, you decided to play 'CEO' at the Imperial tonight instead of just serving the drinks like you were told."

My stomach dropped. Aunt Beatrice knew.

"I was just doing my job," I whispered, though I knew that was a lie. I had done much more than my job.

"Well, your 'job' was to be invisible, not to embarrass us in front of the Sterlings!" Selena stepped closer, a cruel smirk playing on her lips.

"Mom wants you at the diner room now. And trust me, Rory, she's not calling you to eat your meal and be satisfied, you messed with the Sterlings' business, and in this house, that’s a way to trigger mother's anger.

She turned, her silk robe fluttering behind her. "Better move fast. She doesn't like to be kept waiting, and you've already caused enough trouble for one lifetime."

I stood frozen as she disappeared down the hallway. I was stuck. I had no pendant to give me strength, and I was about to face a woman whose face looked like she didn't come to play even when she was joking.

The air at the dining table was thick with the scent of freshly prepared turkey and fried rice. She sat at the edge of the table, her shadow stretching long and thin across the floor like a dark finger pointing at me.

"Do you have any idea what you’ve done?" Aunt Beatrice's voice was a low, dangerous silk. She didn't look at me, she was busy polishing a silver letter opener. "You were sent to the Imperial to be a shadow, Aurora. Instead, you stood in a room of the most powerful men in Veridia and made them look like fools."

"I was helping them, Aunt Beatrice," I said, my voice small but firm. "The statistics were wrong. If I hadn't spoken up—"

"If you hadn't spoken up, you would still be invisible exactly where you belong!" She slammed the letter opener onto the table, the sharp clack echoing in the room. "The Sterlings do not look for 'help' from girls like you. They look for obedience.

By showing off, you’ve put a spotlight on this family that we cannot afford. Do you understand? You are never to speak to Kelvin Sterling again. You will go to work, you will keep your head down, and—"

Ding-dong!

The sound was heavy and deliberate, echoing through the grand hallway outside.

Beatrice froze, her eyes snapping toward the door. It was too late for a social visit, and the staff knew better than to interrupt her when the door was closed.

"I thought I said no interruptions!" Beatrice called out, her irritation rising.

The door opened slowly, but it wasn't a nervous maid. It was the Dacksoline butler, his face unusually pale. He held a small, black velvet box on a silver tray.

"My apologies, Madam," he stammered, his eyes darting toward me for a split second. "But a car just arrived from the Sterling Estate. A courier insisted this be delivered to Miss Aurora immediately. He said... it belongs to her."

I felt the air leave my lungs. My heart hammered against my ribs so hard it hurt. The pendant. Beatrice stood up, her face turning a ghostly white. "A gift? From the Sterlings? To her?”