27

"Hello little step sister." Ivy's eyes widens at his words. He can't be really her stepbrother but she also can see resemblance between him and Seth, her stepfather.

"What the fuck do you want?" Alessio asks annoyed and angry.

"I just wanted to meet her. Chill." He gives her a lopsided smile that looks polite yet creepy at the same time.

"Ivy right?"

Ivy nods a little confused.

"I'm Jayden. Your one of stepbrother." He extends his hand forward. But Ivy makes no move to shake his hand.

For some reason, this guy doesn't fit right. There's something in his eyes that was scaring her.

"That's my twin, Hayden." He points at the second guy while shoving his hand back in his pocket. His brother's staring at them from their table.

"Hello."

She awkwardly smiles at him. But it drops at his next words as he waves at her.

"You are pretty ugly."

"You motherf----" A very angry Alessio and scowling Denver were about to stand up but Ivy grabs their hands while slowly shaking her head.

Jayden tsked with a shake of his hand.

"I apologize on behalf of Hayden. Being painfully blunt is in his personality trait."

Ivy just keep frowning.

Does he also mean that she is ugly?

These guys were weird.

"I think that's enough of introduction. Get out of our sight." Denver was the one to spit these words out.

"Of course and Ivy, I and my family are eagerly waiting for the day when you will live with us." With that he spins on his heels and walks towards his table.

Ivy keeps watching them curiously when he puts his legs on the table while typing something on his phone.

As the day ended, Ivy and her brothers were on their way back home. She meets her father, Valentino, Eliza and Micah in the living room.

Their conversation pauses as soon as Ivy steps into the room. She looks a little dazed when she sits beside Valentino.

"Did something happen?" Eliza was the first one to break the silence.

As Alessio told them everything, they all looked at Ivy who was fiddling with her fingers and staring at them.

"You are beautiful." Valentino side hugs her with a smile on his face.

"W-what?" Ivy looks up at his face confused.

"I said you are the most beautiful girl. You are a princess." Ivy couldn't help but blush at his words making others chuckle.

"Umm he called me ugly. That isn't really bothering me."

Yes, she was lying.

His blunt 'compliment' really bothered her a little but it was stupid. But atleast she feels much better now at Valentino's words.

"I am just feeling a little off. Hayden and Jayden are both weird." She shrugs a little.

"Their whole family is actually weird. They are bunch of psychos." Eliza stresses on his words. Ivy could understand that the situation with her stepbrothers was little messier.

Ivy isn't gonna lie that she is not scared. The thought of staying with her stepfamily who apparently ordered someone to stab her once was uncomfortable.

Her mother really made her life hell from since childhood.

Next week she would have to leave her father and brothers behind to live with her stepfamily as the month is coming to end.

And Ivy is not looking forward to it.

****************

Ivy jumps at the sound of bullet firing. Her hands that are trembling badly and holding the gun, decides to just release the weapon.

"Ivy! Go for it again!" Ivy whines when Micah commands her sternly.

"It's scary and why is it really necessary?" She groans, with a single tear of fear and frustration falling down her face.

"It is self defence, little one."

He hands the gun back in her shaky hands.

"Now concentrate and focus on your target. Pull the trigger and we are done. Your target skill is not bad but your body trembles badly when you pull the trigger and you miss the aim. Your body just need to get used to it."

Ivy tries hard to stop her body from jumping as she pulls the trigger again. Again, she failes when the bullet hit the wall nowhere to be close to the circle.

"I am sorry." She mumbles sadly.

Micah smiled.

"Cheer up little one. No one becomes perfect on first attempt. Keep practicing." He hugs her and fixes her arms position.

Surprisingly after few attempts, she got used to holding the foreign weapon. Her ears no longer rang and her body wasn't trembling.

"Very good." He pats her head.

"Can I go to my room now?"

"No!"

She looks behind to see Eliza standing there.

"We are not done yet."

Her eyes widens when he throws boxing gloves in her direction.

Oh dear god!

This wasn't going to end good.

*******************

"Ivy. Wake up." Ivy wakes up the next morning as Denver not-so-gently shakes her shoulders.

"What?" She mumbles groggily and turn on her stomach while shoving her face in the pillow.

"It's already 8 in the morning. You would be late for school." He tells her.

"But I don't wanna go." Her voice comes out muffled.

"Oh hell no. You are going, little miss." He pokes her neck. Whining quietly, she swats his finger away.

"Go bother someone else. Let me just sleep."

"You leave me no choice." Ivy squeals a little in surprise when suddenly he throws her over his shoulder.

He makes his way downstairs in the dining hall and drops her down on the chair not-so-gently.

"Good morning little angel." Alessio chuckles, placing his hand on her head when she dramatically drop her head on the table with a loud sigh.

"Morning." She whispers lowly.

"I am scared." She lifts her face up, announcing loudly to her family. Alessio and Micah gives her a sympathetic smile.

"Don't be. I have few people working there. They won't let any harm come to you." Lucifer reassures her.

"Just don't stress about anything. These three days will be gone with an blink." Valentino pats her shoulder with a gentle tap of his hand.

"I hope so." She mumbles back.

"Papa." She looks towards Lucifer with puppy eyes. Lucifer smiles faintly while furrowing his brows.

"Can I please skip school today? I want to spend time with you."

To her surprise, Lucifer nods his head in the next second, saying yes to her request.

"Yes... thank you." She grins widely while jumping up from her seat and rushing towards him to give him a hug.

Others just smiled and laughed but soon this smile was going to vanish from their faces.

*************

Ivy spend the entire day in the company of her brothers and father. As the clock hit six in the evening, silence falls over the whole Santiago family household.

Ivy has packed her clothes and other necessities for the three days and nights. She rolls her suitcase downstairs.

To her surprise, a scary looking man wearing a gray suit was waiting for her downstairs. He bows at her and grabs her bag without a word.

Ivy hugs her father and brothers one last time. They tell her the same thing that they were only one call away if something happens.

With a heavy heart, Ivy takes her leave and follow the man out.

Accompanying him there are 2 other tall, scary men wearing the same gray suits.

She wasn't the one to judge but they look like they just recently ran out from the prison.

He ushers her to sit in the limousine. Ivy plays with her fingers clearly uncomfortable in the presence of these strangers.

Few short minutes later, the car stopped and the door opens. She slide out and looks around. Her jaw hanging down a bit when she look up at the marvelous mansion in front of her.

It looked huge, extravagant like her family's mansion. She doesn't know why she was expecting some creepy apartment at the first place.

The man silently motions her to follow him. Ivy takes a heavy breathe in and prepare herself for whatever is going to come next.

With a loud beating heart, she steps through the front door. She is lead towards the living room.

"My my my." She looks up to see her mother descending the stairs. She looks no less than some queen. Ivy was staring at her with a slightly gaped mouth.

She felt uncomfortable in her jeans and top while in front of her mother. Was it really expectant?

Her mother's strong, superior presence made her feel strange.

"I feel proud that I was the one whom have given you birth." Ivy trembles slightly when Elena place her hands on her shoulders.

"Mistress. Where shall we keep her stuff?" That same man asks Elena. Elena looks at him with a perfect smile on her face.

"Burn it."

"W-what?"

Was her mother serious?

Elena raises her brow while looking down at Ivy's face.

"You don't need that stuff here." She tells her in a sharp tone.

Ivy flinches a little in fear.

"B-but mam I-I-" she cuts her off.

"Mom. Call me mom."

This woman.

Ivy frowns. She wasn't even letting her speak. These days are going to be so long as hell.

"Come. I'll show you your room." She grabs her hand.

Ivy feels embarassed. The woman's hand were too soft and gentle. The soft touch of hers was putting Ivy in shame for some reason.

She tugs her upstairs. On their way, she passes Hayden.

"Hello ugly." He fake smiles widely while greeting her.

Ivy just frowns glancing at his back.

Weirdo.

Lol. Elena is crazy! But this is just start of craziness. Did HAYDEN or JAYDEN made special place in your heart?😂

Get early access to the completed book on patreon. Link's in my profile🖤🤍❤️