The next morning, Nyra Ashen woke up to silence.
Not the peaceful kind—the hollow kind.
Her eyes opened slowly, staring blankly at the ceiling. No thoughts came at first. No emotions either. Just an emptiness so deep it felt heavier than pain itself. She lay completely still, as if even breathing required too much effort.
Then, like an unwanted storm, everything came rushing back.
The house. The endless chores. The sharp voices of her uncle Daniel, her aunt Sera, and her cousin Emma—always ordering, never asking. Always taking, never giving.
Her fingers curled slightly against the bedsheet.
How am I going to manage all of it today…?
Her mind drifted unwillingly to yesterday evening. To her sister. To the desperation in her voice.
She needed money.
Nyra swallowed hard, her chest tightening. That thought alone was enough to drag her out of bed. Slowly, she sat up, pushing past the heaviness inside her.
There was no time to feel.
There never was.
After finishing her morning routine, Nyra quietly made her way downstairs. The house was still, but not for long. It never stayed peaceful when they were around.
She moved mechanically through the kitchen—lighting the stove, preparing breakfast, setting the table. Her hands worked on habit while her mind stayed distant.
Once everything was ready, she took a deep breath.
“Breakfast is ready,” she called out softly.
Footsteps echoed soon after.
Uncle Daniel walked in first, adjusting his watch, followed by Sera, who looked at Nyra like she was something unpleasant, and Emma, scrolling lazily through her phone.
They sat down without a word of thanks.
Nyra stood quietly to the side.
Daniel took a bite, then suddenly glanced at her.
“Where were you last night?” he asked, his tone sharp.
Nyra hesitated. “I—”
“Oh, look at her acting all innocent,” Emma interrupted with a mocking laugh, not even looking up from her phone. “Like she doesn’t understand the question.”
Sera scoffed, crossing her arms. “Girls like her always have excuses ready. Out all night… who knows what she was doing.”
Nyra’s fingers tightened against her dress, but she stayed silent.
“I asked you something,” Daniel said, his voice colder now. “Or have you forgotten how to answer?”
“I went out for some work,” Nyra replied quietly.
Emma finally looked up, smirking. “Work? Really? Who would even hire you?”
Sera leaned forward slightly, her lips curling. “Exactly. With no skills, no education worth mentioning… the only ‘work’ she can get is something shameful.”
A soft laugh escaped Emma. “Maybe that’s how she plans to earn money now.”
Nyra felt something inside her crack—but she forced her expression to remain still.
Daniel slammed his spoon down lightly. “Listen carefully. You live in this house, you follow our rules. No disappearing at night like some—”
He paused, eyeing her with disdain.
“—like some disgrace.”
The word hit harder than anything else.
Nyra lowered her gaze. “Yes, uncle.”
“Pathetic,” Emma muttered under her breath.
“Clean up after we’re done,” Sera added casually, as if nothing had happened.
Nyra nodded silently.
And endured.
After finishing all the chores, Nyra went back to her room. She changed into simple clothes—something neat, something presentable.
If she was going to survive this… she needed a job.
No matter what.
The day passed in a blur of rejection.
Office after office.
Reception desks. Waiting areas. Cold stares.
“We’ll call you.”
“You don’t meet our requirements.”
“Sorry, no vacancies.”
Each word chipped away at her.
By evening, her legs ached, her throat was dry, and her hope… barely existed.
Nyra walked along the footpath, her steps slow, her mind lost somewhere far away.
What am I going to do…?
She didn’t even notice where she was going anymore.
Didn’t see the people around her.
Didn’t hear the noise of the city.
Until—
Thud.
She collided with someone.
A sharp gasp left her lips as she stumbled back.
At the same moment, a man’s annoyed voice cut through the air.
“Do you even—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
Coffee had spilled all over him.
And her.
The dark liquid soaked into his expensive shirt, dripping down, while stains spread across Nyra’s clothes.
The man held a phone in one hand, the now-empty coffee cup in the other. His jaw tightened as he looked down at the mess… then slowly at her.
Nyra froze.
For a second, the world seemed to stop.
And somehow—
She felt like this moment was about to change everything.
In ways she wasn’t ready for.
" TO BE CONTINUED "
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Author's note
This is Chapter 3 💔
How did you feel about Nyra in this chapter? What do you think about the way her uncle's family treats her… and that unexpected encounter at the end?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so don’t forget to drop a comment and tell me what you think .
Good bye dear readers...... let's meet in another chapter.....👋👋👋👋
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