Black Stilettos

♡. Chapter One

Shaira woke up with a sharp gasp, her head pounding from the nightmare she just had, her own voice as a child still ringing in her own ears.

She sat up with a sigh, throwing the long braid of her blonde hair over her shoulders.

It has been so long since she's had one of those nightmares.

There was a time they had actually been a problem, when the incident first happened, she had those nightmares every single night.

It got so bad that she became terrified of falling asleep, developing insomnia and having to be put on medication.

She was much better now and she was sure that the reason she had the nightmare again after so long was because today was the day that she was to return to New York city.

The city of lights and glamour, where she truly belonged, not this little town where her mother had run away with her as a child to keep them safe.

As if her mother could sense her uneasiness, a soft knock rapped on the door.

“Come in.” She invited, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“Good morning baby, I hope I didn’t wake you.” Her mother greeted in her sweet voice.

Shaira smiled at her mother’s presence which always calmed her down, she remembered her mom staying awake with her when she still had chronic nightmares.

“You ask that every time.” She lightly scolded her mom, letting herself be kissed on the forehead. “And my answer is always the same, you knock so softly that there’s no way I’d hear if I wasn’t already awake.”

“Fine.” Fiona agreed, patting her perfectly styled bun although it needed no further adjustments, some habits were hard to break.

“Are you ready, Aira?” She finally got out, concern in her loving, soft brown eyes.

She had taken to calling her that after the incident because her father had liked to call her ‘Aira’.

Shaira could tell that her mother felt guilty for putting all the weight of restoring her family’s status but she didn’t know that Shaira had looked forward to this all her life, just for a very different reason.

She wanted revenge.

She was out on a mission to find her father’s murderer and get her revenge on him and she would do that while restoring her family’s status.

“Of course, mom.” She got out of her bed to pace a little in her cramped bedroom. “We have been preparing for years and it was finalized after I turned 18, I’m ready.” She said firmly, determination in her sea green eyes.

“Good.” Fiona nodded, deciding to trust her only daughter, the only reason she got out of bed each day after her life fell apart, literally.

After they fled for safety that fateful night, they tried to reach out to family and friends but they all shunned her, not wanting to be a part of the scandal and also to use the opportunity to go after Nick’s abandoned but vast estate.

They branded Fiona a suspect and with no one on her side, not even her own family, she decided that remaining in hiding was the best option, at least until it all blew over.

She had barely made ends meet with what little she had in her own personal account as her dead husband's accounts had gotten frozen and she could no longer access it.

She had to get a job to train Shaira in school with Lucy helping out in whatever way she could.

“Lucy is already finishing up the preparations, clean up and come down for breakfast so that we can leave for New York City.” She concluded, making her way out.

Shaira watched her mom leave with sadness in her eyes, it hurt her that her mother had to suffer so much.

She made her way around her cramped bedroom to an even smaller bathroom, it was only for a little while longer though, she was about to get back what was rightfully hers.

She made her way down to the kitchen, their makeshift dining room was also in there, wearing skinny, washed blue jeans and a delicate pink top, her curly, blonde hair in a ponytail.

Lucy immediately showed up like she could sense Shaira’s presence. “Good morning, Little Miss, please sit, I’ll serve you.”

“Good morning, Lucy.” She smiled at the elderly lady. “I’ve told you to not bother with calling me that, Shaira will do just fine and don’t worry about me…” She hurried to give her a hand. “I can take care of myself.”

Lucy’s face fell at this, she stepped back, letting Shaira serve herself breakfast while she watched.

She felt a bitter-sweetness at how fast the little girl had grown and now she was about to lose her forever.

She was taken by surprise when Shaira suddenly hugged her out of the blue. “Thank you so much.”

Shaira meant every word that she said to the woman who was pretty much the reason that she and her mom were still alive today.

“We don’t have nearly enough time for this, Little Miss.” Lucy panicked at this rare show of excess emotion. “Madam Fiona will come worrying soon enough.” She said quickly, putting distance between herself and Shaira. “Plus I still have some more luggage to pack up.”

Shaira shook her head fondly at how quickly Lucy hurried away but she failed to catch the bright smile that her old nanny had been wearing just before she left the kitchen.

But if there was one thing she was right about, it was how much of a fuss her mom would make, she had better hurry up with her meal.

Her appetite was nonexistent but she forced herself to scarf it down, she had to be strong and healthy for the task ahead.

The drive down to New York city was at least a four hour drive away, then they would have to get to the new apartment they had rented with her mother’s meagre savings and get ready for the Soiree coming up.

It was their only chance to reenter the rich society and also to keep themselves afloat, Shaira would have to work hard to catch the eye of a billionaire bachelor.