“How is your work, daughter?” the father asked Sharon, Saya’s sister, who was sitting on the next side of the table facing Saya.

“Like always, Dad,” she replied with an uninterested voice. Picking food from the strict diet meal, which was specially prepared for her, Sharon scrolled the screen of the phone back and forth.

Sighing, Henry removed his eyes from his elder daughter and silently started to eat again. A silence spread across the dining hall as everyone focused on their plate.

Saya heavily felt awkwardness and estrangement. She couldn’t understand why she was always invisible to the people who were present there.

It was always like this.

Any single question, at least a concerning glance, wasn’t directed toward her. But today she had something to share. She needed her family there.

Clearing her throat a bit, she tried to grab the attention of the family members.

“Mm... Papa. My convocation is going to be held next Friday evening. You all are coming, Right?” She asked with hope. But there was no response from her father, other than a scoff left from her mother and a sardonic side smile of the sister.

“Papa...? Papa. you going to come.......” her pleading voice cut down in the middle by his father, as his hard eyes finally gave her more favor than his dinner plate.

A pair of cold blue-green eyes glared at her.

The same color as hers. But while her eyes were clear, like the purest water, his eyes were like frozen ice that hid many things in their depth.

“I have an important meeting, child!′ Take mother and sister with you,” he told with his usual cold baritone voice and Saya’s face grimaced with disappointment.

“But….” she tried to explain. Explain how important that day was to her. But one glare from her father was enough to make her silent.

“Don’t act like a little girl. Do you think your father will miss his meeting, which is worth millions, just for your stupid convocation? We all have tight schedules. Just try to understand that first!” her stepmother said with her serpent mouth.

“No use mom. How is she going to understand that much? All she knows is staring at space and doodling things. Just worthless shit.” Sharon’s sharp voice echoed like daggers, cutting Saya’s heart while leaving a stung feel.

“Aha... Right! Where is her dearest brother? Didn’t he going to come?” Her stepmother asked with a curious tone, and Sharon scoffed loudly.

“He is a busy man, mom. He doesn’t have time for those things.” Sharon spat with distaste, but it grabbed Saya’s attention. She was trying to contact her brother for months, to inform him about her convocation. But he was always busy. At least that was what his P. A always informed her whenever she called.

“Did you meet him recently?” Saya spilled the question roaming around in her mind.

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“Didn’t he even show up for you?” Sharon asked with disbelief, shaking her head a bit.

“Oh, that’s right! After all, why is he going to spend his precious time with you, when he can use it on many other things?” she smiled with venom and Saya looked down with pain.

So he was really avoiding her!

Why?

Just why is he doing this to her?

He was her only brother. The only person left for her in this world.

She knows well her father didn’t hold any single care about her.

Is her brother also the same as them?

Did he really despise her?

From her childhood, she had so many questions and so many insecurities. God knows how hard she tried to receive acknowledgment from her family. But all the things have gone in vain. They never wanted her. Whatever she does, she is just a burden to them. She was the black sheep in her family.

Looking away, she dried her eyes. She didn’t want to look weaker than she already was. Concentrating on her plate, she tried to swallow a bit of food, which felt like sand in her throat.

She was not allowed to stand up in the middle of the dinner, so she had to endure this torture a bit longer. The rest of the dinner continued silent. Saya did not dare to raise her voice, because she knew there was no use in trying to convince them. She somewhat predicted this much.

End of the torturous dinner, she left silently and entered her room.

Her safe haven.

The room that once belonged to her mother. From the first day she came here, this room was her only solace. This room held the comfort of her mother, whom she hadn’t even once seen in her lifetime. She rarely comes out of her room. She didn’t want to feel the estrangement that she was feeling from the first time she came here after her grandparents’ death.

Her granny and grandpas were the only people who showered her with her unconditional love. Actually, they were her mother and father. Thanks to them, she had a good childhood filled with beautiful memories. Otherwise, she could have turned out to be a typical Cinderella in the hands of her stepmother and half-sister.

However, after their demise, Saya had to come back to this mansion. From that point, she became an unpaid guest in this house. Her brother never came here, nor was her father concerned about her.

Putting her every thought aside, she took a deep breath. This was why she truly despised that so-called dinner. Each and every gathering ended like this, making her sulking for days. She can’t fathom did they doing this deliberately to hurt her or not. If they really disliked her, why the earth did they keep calling her to dinner gatherings?

But it’s not the important thing now. She has to contact her brother. On her special day, she needed him the most. She was determined to contact him in any way. Even if she needed to go to his office.

Taking her phone out, she dialed his number. After two rings, someone answered her call.

As usual, it was his P.A., Mrs. Taylor.

She was a middle-aged lady with much experience. Saya liked that woman because she was always kind to Saya.

“Miss Saya. How are you?” Mrs. Taylor, Aarav’s P.A., asked in her usual warm voice.

“I’m good, Mrs. Taylor. Can I speak to my brother?” Saya asked in a desperate voice. There was a bit of silence on the other side.

“Mrs. Tayler?”

“Oh yes, Ms. Saya. I’m listening. But Mr. Alexander is at an important meeting. Please tell me your message and I will inform him about it later,” Mrs. Tayler said in a bit hesitant voice.

“No. I want to talk to him directly. Why is he always so busy for me? I have something important to discuss with him. If he is too busy, I can come there.” Saya said nonstop with a bit of a frustrated voice. This continuous avoidance had to stop now.

“But Miss S.....”

“Please, Mrs. Tayler. I haven’t seen him for years now. Please inform him that I’m coming today. After all, isn’t today Sunday? What meeting is he having on a weekend?” she asked with a strict voice.

“Ahaa..... It is a sudden meeting about a crucial matter. But okay, I will inform him about this. He will contact you,” Mrs. Tayler said with a nervous voice and Saya didn’t go to argue more. She knows Mrs. Taylor was just an employee and Saya didn’t want to cause any trouble to that kind lady.

“Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Tayler,”

“You welcome, Ms. Saya,” she greeted back and Saya put her phone aside hoping to speak with her brother soon.

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