Throne or love?

Emily's inner turmoil

As Emily drove through the highway circle, a wave of shivers ran down her spine upon realizing her parents had returned home before her. Parking her car in the compound garage amidst beautiful daffodils, the sight of her parents' cars made her uncomfortably anxious, sparking panic within her.

"I wish God could just take away this vision," she muttered silently, frustration washing over her as she remembered Bello's humiliating behavior and her own unsuccessful attempt at confronting him.

"I'm giving up on that arrogant monster," she continued, slamming her car door out of fury. Inside, she felt as though she were burning, both from the sight of her parents' cars and the memory of her recent embarrassment at school.

Opening the parlor door with extreme caution to avoid making any noise, Emily tiptoed through the sitting room toward the staircase leading upstairs to her room. She couldn't shake off the feeling of walking like a thief in her father's house.

Her mother, seated at the dining table, uttered words of disdain. The sound of her mother's voice sent a shock through Emily's body, leaving her feeling intimidated. "Oh no, not today," Emily muttered silently, terrified of what her mother might do.

Emily's parents were peculiar, to say the least. Despite being their only child, they showed her no affection, only chaos. They considered Emily to be a bad omen, blaming her for the death of her elder brother, Austin, who passed away from cancer shortly after her birth. In their eyes, having a daughter was a disappointment, as they had hoped for a son to carry on the family name. Consequently, Emily spent most of her childhood under the care of a nanny, rarely seeing her parents.

Ms. Elisa, the nanny who cared for Emily from the age of two until she turned ten, was Emily's saving grace. Elisa taught her many things and showed her the love and affection her parents withheld. However, when Elisa got married, Emily was left to fend for herself.

Despite being from one of the wealthiest families in town, Emily kept a low profile at school, avoiding the company of her affluent peers. She preferred solitude, finding solace in her own company.

Emily's fear of her parents was palpable. She couldn't even bring herself to look them in the eyes without feeling a wave of fear wash over her. As she stood frozen at the foot of the stairs, her mother's voice echoed in the mansion, prompting the cleaners to rush to the sitting room.

"Why are you sneaking into my house at this hour, Emily?" her mother's voice rang out, filled with disdain. "Oh, you are eighteen now, you feel it's okay to hang out with those spoiled brats from school and start doing rubbish right?"

Emily stood with her head bowed, her hands clasped together in fear. "Sorry, Mum," she whispered, terrified of what might come next.

Sele, her mother, eyed Emily's simple frock gown with irritation. "Where are you coming from, Emily? This is the last time I'll ask."

Tears welled up in Emily's eyes as she fought back her fury. "I'm coming back from school, Mum, I swear," she pleaded.

"Should I call your department chair to confirm?" Sele threatened, her words striking fear into Emily's heart.

"Okay," Emily stammered, hoping her mother wouldn't follow through with the call.

"Get out of my sight," Sele snapped, turning away dismissively. "You can't disgrace this family, no matter how hard you try."

As Emily ran upstairs, the harsh words of her mother echoed in her mind, piercing her heart. Though she was accustomed to her mother's verbal abuse, it never failed to hurt.

Bello sat in his bathroom feeling the weight of sadness, the sound of the shower water running echoed in the quiet room as droplets fell on his skin, each drop mirroring the tears that streamed down his face, feeling like a reminder of the memories that had been stolen from him as he pondered the face of his real parents, wondering what they would have looked like if they were still alive.

Amidst the turmoil, a flicker of determination piqued him, making him vow to uncover the secrets of his past and find out who he truly is.

"Hey Buddy, where have you been?" Mishell's voice echoed from the room, waking him up from the imagined world. He quickly wiped his eyes, reaching for the linen closet as he grabbed a plain white towel and wrapped himself.

Mishell narrowed his gaze, puzzled upon sighting Bello. "You look pale, dude. What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"Do I?" Bello replied in bewilderment. "I've really not eaten any good food today, but that doesn't mean my skin can be ripped off at once, right?"

Mishell smirked at Bello's question, peeking at him awkwardly. "The last time I checked, you were a smart guy. Did you give your brain to someone in school and return home empty today? 'Cause you need to go get it," Mishell uttered jovially.

Bello couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing the remark about giving his brain to a girl, as it reminded him of the silly smart girl who stalked him today in school.

"You are such a joker," Bello managed to reply, attempting to hide his feelings.

Bello felt like pouring everything out to Mishell as he is more understanding and friendly than Bola. Mishell had always treated Bello like a true brother. Without a doubt, Mishell, Bola, and Nathan never treated Bello like a stranger. The only time they tried to make him feel assumed is when they were having a fight. Aside from that, they treated him like a real family. However, Bello had never felt assumed because he would always consider they were only trying to get back at him whenever they called him an orphan. The only person that made him feel assumed was their mom, but Nathan let her go through divorce, and Bello began feeling even more comfortable and loved.

Here's the revised version with enhancements for coherence:

Bello hesitated, debating whether to confide in Mishell.

Mishell glanced at Bello reluctantly. "Why are you acting like someone they just brought from the village? I don't understand you this evening," he chuckled, failing to grasp Bello's emotions.

Bello scratched the back of his head. "By the way, why were you looking for me? Do you want to hang out?" he teased Mishell with an unusual smirk.

Mishell's voice took on a mix of seriousness and jest. "Take you out? Are you my girlfriend? I want you to come play video games with me in my room."

Bello stood still, placing his hand on his waist. "Are you saying you can't take me out?" he pointed his index finger at his chest, bragging, "Fine boy like me."

Mishell laughed mockingly. "Whoever told you that you're handsome lied to you. Cause me, myself, I beat you in cuteness hands down."

Bello interrupted, laughing, "I'm tall, you are short, my lips are pink, yours are dark. By the way, I don't know how many times you need me to remind you that I am not slim, I am muscular." He unwrapped, attempting to flaunt his physique.

"Please cover it, I don't need to see that," Mishell mocked.

Bello chased him out feeling defeated. "Hey dude, calm down, you can't send me out just like that, I'm your elder brother, isn't it?"

"Elder brother, kill you there," Bello playfully pushed Mishell out. "You are only older than me by one year, yet all the time you keep bragging about being my elder."

"But on a serious note, can you come and play PS5 games with me?" Mishell asked with a serious tone.

"I'll think about it," Bello replied, shutting the door as he headed to his wardrobe to get pajamas.

A sigh of relief washed over him as Mishell left, bringing a smile to his face after a long day of turmoil.

Bola was spotted in the hallway as soon as Bello left his room. He avoided her gaze, trying to escape the agony that weighed heavily on his heart.

"Good evening," he greeted her with a whisper.

Bola ignored him completely as she walked straight to her room and slammed the door.

Bello's thoughts returned to his troubles as he walked to Mishell's room. "Don't worry," he muttered silently. "I'm getting to the root of this. I promise you."