HATED BY MY FIRST LOVE

Aria’s POV “You’re nothing, Aria. And you’ll always be nothing.” Phoebe's voice was mean and harsh. She pushed me hard with her hand as I tried to walk through the living room. I stumbled and almost fell. I should have been used to this by now, fourteen years of this and counting, and yet the pain still felt like a fresh wound. Every time she spoke, her words were a harsh reminder of my place – unwelcome, unvalued, and unloved. “Not today, Phoebe,” I muttered, keeping my voice as low as possible. I didn’t want them to see me break. Not today, when I had an interview. “Oh, did you hear that, Chloe?” Phoebe laughed, flipping her perfect blonde hair. “Not today. As if she ever has a day.” Chloe, her shadow as always “She’s probably off to scrub toilets or beg for scraps. Daddy should’ve thrown her out years ago.” My heart squeezed. I turned my gaze toward the man sitting in the leather armchair—my father. He didn’t even lift his head from his newspaper. Of course he didn’t. He never did. “Dad—” my voice cracked before I could stop it, “are you going to say anything? They’ve been at me all morning.” He shifted once, eyes still glued to the paper. “Don’t start, Aria.” Of course, I'm not surprised at all. Selena, my stepmother, emerged from the staircase with her designer heels clicking against the marble floor. She didn’t even bother hiding her smirk. “Oh, don’t play the victim, sweetheart. We all know what you are.” “What I am?” My fists tightened at my sides. “Yes,” she purred, her eyes gleaming with cruelty. “A killer, the reason your mother is dead. The reason this family has been burdened with you. Nothing but a curse. Always bringing bad luck into this family” Her words hit like daggers. I sucked in a shaky breath, blinking back tears. “Always the same story,” Phoebe added with a mocking pout. “Poor Aria, tragic little girl. Maybe you should tattoo it on your forehead so the world knows why no one wants you.” “Enough!” My voice rang louder than I intended. “You don’t get to define me. You don’t get to decide who I am. I am not—” my voice broke, but I forced it steady—“I am not a nobody.” For a second, silence cut through the room. Then Chloe giggled again, and Selena leaned against the wall, satisfied. “You keep telling yourself that, darling.” Selena’s tone was sweet venom. “But no matter where you run, you’ll always be the girl who killed her mother. Stupid girl” The air rushed out of my lungs. My vision blurred. They knew exactly which wound to reopen every time. And my father—my own father—still hadn’t looked up. It had always been like this. Fourteen freaking years. Ever since that night when I was ten and the car headlights blinded me, and my mother shoved me out of the way, only to be hit herself. She never made it to the hospital. And I never stopped paying the price. I held my bag tighter, moving toward the door. If I didn’t leave now, I’d break down right here in front of them, and that was the one thing I swore never to give them again. “Run along, Aria,” Phoebe called after me, her voice dripping with laughter. “Don’t be late to your grand destiny of… being invisible.” I walked faster. I didn’t trust my voice to reply, not when tears were already threatening to fall. The door shut behind me with slam. --- I walked fast, almost running, my breath hitching. “I’m not a nobody,” I whispered to myself, hiccuping through sobs. “I’m not a nobody.” But my voice wavered like I didn’t believe it. As I arrived at Wolfe Enterprises, I still had tears on my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away with my sleeve and took a deep breath. The building was huge and made of glass, looking very modern and impressive. I stood up straight and reminded myself that this was my opportunity. I couldn't afford to fail. When I stepped inside, I was greeted by the luxurious atmosphere. The air smelled of high-end polish and perfume. My hands were shaking slightly as I held my résumé tightly and walked up to the reception desk. The interview was a blur of questions and nervous responses, but somehow I managed to impress them. The HR lady smiled and congratulated me. "Congratulations, Miss Hayes. You've got the job. Welcome to Wolfe Enterprises as Mr. Wolfe's new assistant.” I blinked. “Assistant? To… who?” “Mr. Wolfe, of course. Come with me.” Relief and fear crashed together inside me as she led me down a polished hallway. My heart hammered louder with every step. Mr. Wolfe. Somehow that name sounded familiar. Too familiar. When the office doors opened, I froze. Now I know why that name sounded familiar. It's Him. Those stormy green eyes. That sharp jaw. That presence that sucked the air out of the room. Adrian Wolfe. My Adrian. My first love. My highschool boyfriend. My heartbreak. The same boy who had left me shattered in high school. My stomach flipped. I felt a hint of old, familiar spark that I thought I had long burried. I forced my voice to work. “I—I think there’s been a mistake. I applied for an assistant position, not—” The HR lady smiled like it was obvious. “Yes, Mr. Wolfe’s assistant.” My pulse roared in my ears. “Mr… Wolfe?” “Yes. He's the CEO of this company and he's your boss now.” I staggered back a step, throat dry. My mind screamed to run. I can't face him. I was thinking at all. The thought of facing him again scared me. I turned and tried to run out of the place but my hasty retreat was short lived. I suddenly smacked straight into someone. “Oh my God, watch it!” A tall brunette in a scarlet dress reeled back, her designer expensive looking handbag fell to the floor. People around us gasped. “I—I’m sorry, I didn’t—” Before I could finish, she slaps me hard across the cheek. The pain and burning sensation spread across my face, leaving me feeling embarrassed and hurt. The entire office fell silent. Dozens of eyes turned. “How dare you, b***h?” she spat, her perfect lips curling. “Do you know how much this dress costs? Pathetic lowlife. Who the hell even are you?” My face burned. Words stumbled on my tongue. “I… I was just—” “Oh, shut up.” She sneered, cutting me off. “You don’t belong here b***h” Every eye was still on me. My humiliation was complete. My chest tightened until I could barely breathe. And then our eyes met. Adrian. My heart skipped a beat. I felt it drop to my stomach. I couldn't look away, caught in his intense gaze and I felt that same flutter in my chest. Oh God… does he know me? Does he recognize me? Please God, I hope he doesn’t. His stare was sharp, dark, and impossible to read. He didn’t blink, didn’t look away, just studied me like I was some puzzle he needed to figure out. Slowly, he pushed away from his desk and stood up. He started walking towards me. Every step he took toward me felt heavier than the last, like the whole floor was shaking beneath my feet. At that moment I felt like the ground should just open and swallow me. I couldn’t move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even blink. My heart was beating fast, too fast. My mind kept telling me to run but my legs wouldn't obey. Oh God… I’m so f*****g done. What is he going to do to me?