Miray's POV

Darkness surrounds me. It's cold, endless, suffocating. I'm alone, completely alone, the weight of silence pressing in. And then, faintly, voices start to pierce the darkness, swirling around me-Arthur's voice, sharp and venomous: "They hate you, Miray. You're nothing but a mistake."

His words echo, multiplying in the darkness until Adrian's voice joins in, taunting, cruel: "You think you're worth their love? You're just baggage. They'll leave you like everyone else has."

I try to scream, to drown out their words, but the voices keep coming, louder and louder. I turn, trying to run, but shadows stretch out in front of me, holding me back. The darkness shifts, twisting around me, and I see them-my brothers, watching from a distance, their faces unreadable, fading away as I reach for them.

"Noooo" I scream, my voice breaking, but they just watch, fading further into the shadows.

And then, Arthur's voice comes again, low, venomous, taunting. "They're not your real family. You're a stain they'll never be able to erase."

The words claw into my heart, ripping me apart, and then, just as suddenly, a loud bang shatters the darkness-

---

I jerk awake, gasping for air, my heart racing so fast it feels like it might burst. The nightmare clings to me, vivid and raw, Arthur and Adrian's words still echoing in my mind, twisting through the silence of the room. I sit up, struggling to calm my breathing, but their voices still ring in my ears, sinking deeper, darker, like a poison I can't shake.

I reach out, my hands shaking as I grab the glass of water on my nightstand. The coolness grounds me a little, and I drink slowly, letting the water soothe the panic clawing at my throat. When I set the glass down, I glance toward the window, drawn by the faint light outside. I get up, crossing the room, and look out at the stars, bright and steady against the darkness.

The stars... Maxim and I used to watch them all the time, sneaking out onto the roof to count constellations. Back then, it felt like we could stay out there forever, wrapped in the warmth of the night, laughing as if nothing could ever touch us.

But now, all I can feel is Arthur's words, burrowing into the back of my mind: "They're not your family. They'll never love you if they know the truth."

I close my eyes, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill. My brothers have done so much for me, sacrificed so much... how can I keep this from them? No. I steady myself. They deserve to know, and I need to tell them. If they choose to walk away, I'll... I'll understand. But hiding this feels wrong, they don't deserve it.

I wipe away a stray tear and make my way to Elijah's room. My heart pounds as I raise my hand and knock, a soft, hesitant tap.

"Come in, Miray," his voice calls out, and I pause, surprised. I push open the door, finding Elijah looking up from his laptop, a small, tired smile on his face.

"You knew it was me?" I ask, the faintest hint of a smile breaking through.

He chuckles quietly. "Only you would knock that softly. The others would've been trying to bust down the door."

A small laugh escapes me, loosening the tightness in my chest. "I... I need to talk to you. But... not just you. Could you... call everyone? There's something I....think everyone should know."

His expression shifts, the humor fading as he nods, his face now focused and concerned. He reaches for his phone and quickly texts the others. Within minutes, footsteps echo down the hall, and soon, Ethan, Maxim, and Lorenzo step into the room, their faces filled with confusion and worry.

They settle around the room, exchanging glances, each one searching my face, sensing the weight of whatever I'm about to say. I feel my heart pound, my hands trembling as I sit down, wrapping my arms around myself, unsure if I can find the words.

Finally, I just close my eyes, feeling the fear clawing up my throat. "Arthur told me why he... why he hates me. Why he's always hated me."

The room falls silent, the weight of my words settling heavily in the air.

"Miray... what did he say?" Lorenzo's voice is soft, but there's an edge to it, a need to understand.

I swallow, looking down at my hands, my voice barely a whisper. "He hated me... because I'm not really his. Our mother... she..." My voice cracks, and I look down, the shame pressing on my chest like a weight I can barely carry. "She cheated on him. I'm not... I'm not really your sister. I'm just... a reminder of her betrayal."

There's a stunned silence. I dare a glance up, and their expressions are a mix of shock, disbelief, and pain. I can see the realization sinking in, and the shame coils in my chest, burning like acid.

Ethan stares, his mouth slightly open, struggling to process. "So... he's always hated you for something that had nothing to do with you?" He whispers, more to himself than to anyone else.

I nod, and my voice cracks. "I'm not... I'm not really your sister. And if... if that changes things, if you don't want me around anymore, I g-get it." My voice trails off, the fear of their rejection hitting me like a punch to the gut.

"Miray." Elijah's voice is firm, though I see his jaw clench as he takes a steadying breath, absorbing the weight of what I just told him. He steps forward, his eyes filled with something unbreakable. "Nothing about this changes who you are to us."

My lip trembles, the tears I've been holding back slipping free. Ethan reaches out, his hand on my shoulder, his eyes bright with emotion. "Miray, you're our sister. Arthur's hate is his poison, not yours. You've had nothing to do with any of that." His voice is filled with a quiet intensity, like he's daring anyone to challenge his words.

"But... I'm just a stain in your lives. " I say, the words barely escaping through the tears.

Maxim moves closer, his expression fierce. "No! Blood doesn't make you ours, Miray. We're family. That means something stronger than biology. You're a part of us."

Lorenzo pulls me into a hug, his arms warm and steady. "Arthur doesn't get to decide who you are to us. No one does." His voice is raw, and I feel his hand tremble slightly as he holds me, as if he's struggling to process but determined to be strong for me.

They all pull closer, each of them grounding me in their strength. My fear begins to crumble, replaced by a feeling of relief so overwhelming it almost hurts. "I was so scared," I whisper, my voice cracking. "I thought I'd lose you."

Elijah looks at me, his eyes fierce, filled with a protectiveness that makes my heart ache. "You'll never lose us, Miray. You're our sister, no matter what." He squeezes my hand, his touch solid and unbreakable.

                 
                        Ethan's Pov

As we sit there, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s words, a quiet settles, soft and understanding. Elijah breaks it, a gentle grin on his face. “How about we go grab some late-night ice cream? It’s been way too long since we just… hung out.”

For a moment, I see Miray hesitate, a shadow flickering in her eyes. But when Maxim nudges her shoulder with a teasing smirk, that shadow fades, replaced by a small, tentative smile.“Only thing is, you’re just gonna pick that mint chocolate stuff again. Tastes like straight-up toothpaste, you know?”

Miray’s cheeks flush a little as she laughs, and the sound, so warm and rare, makes my heart feel light. “It does not taste like toothpaste!” she protests, her voice playful.

“Yeah, yeah,” Maxim says, rolling his eyes with a grin. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.”

There’s something in her laugh that’s genuine, but as we all pile into the car, I can still see the heaviness lingering in her gaze. She glances out the window, and for a second, I wonder if she’s somewhere far away, weighed down by memories she hasn’t yet shaken off. But then she glances over, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror, and a tiny spark of warmth flickers across her face.

The drive is filled with laughter and little inside jokes, and the air feels lighter than it has in a long time. By the time we pull into the ice cream shop’s parking lot, I see Miray’s shoulders relax, the weight easing just a little, like she’s giving herself permission to be here with us.

Inside, the little bell above the door rings as we enter, and Miray grins when she spots the mint chocolate chip. Maxim groans, shaking his head. “You’re really sticking with the toothpaste, huh?”

She laughs, a sound that feels like it belongs here, even if it’s just a little quieter than before. “You’ll never understand good taste, Max,” she teases, her voice lighter than I’ve heard it in so long.

We grab our cones and step back outside, where the quiet street glows under the soft light of the streetlamps. Lorenzo stretches, looking around, then turns to us. “Hey, let’s not rush back. It’s a nice night—let’s just walk a bit.”

We all agree, and as we stroll down the quiet street, I catch Miray glancing at each of us, like she’s still taking in the reality of being here. Every now and then, she looks down, her smile dimming slightly, but then she catches my eye and softens, her lips curving up in that familiar way that’s both hesitant and sincere.

Maxim and Lorenzo start teasing her again about how her ice cream choices are “objectively terrible,” and Miray’s shaking her head, laughing despite herself, defending her beloved mint chocolate with that small, defiant spark that’s so purely her. Each time she smiles, I feel this quiet, swelling joy.

And as I watch her laugh, really laugh, I realize how long it’s been since I’ve seen her like this, free of the weight she’s been carrying. The darkness she’s carrying isn’t gone, but seeing her smile—so freely—feels like a glimmer of light after so much time spent in the shadows.

I stay close to her, just listening, content to watch her rediscover these small moments. We keep walking, the night stretching out around us, laughter filling the air, and I can’t stop this quiet smile that spreads across my face. Just knowing she’s here, laughing and safe, makes my chest feel warm in a way I can’t describe. I’m grateful for it—grateful for this simple, perfect moment.