Her devotion? Unshakeable.

Even as a tiny tot, she played the caregiver, though the choice was snatched away. With an alcoholic father and a mother lost to drugs, she became their anchor.

But wait, it gets darker. In their chaotic world of screaming matches and shaky foundations, her parents somehow managed to welcome a second, third, and even a fourth child. How does that even happen?

Of course, they didn't lift a finger to help. Worse, they often hit them.

As the eldest, she carried an immense burden. Looking after her siblings was her daily life, without rest, day and night.

She was the surrogate mother from the age of four, a decade of crushing responsibilities. When she finally got a job, it was at her younger siblings' school that she sneaked away to.

Pitying looks followed her wherever she went. She was a ghost, skin stretched over fragile bones, almost translucent. Who could understand her sacrifice?

But she didn't give up, not with parents as irresponsible as hers.

They acted as if their children didn't exist, but she had already gotten used to it.

Speaking of her parents, the first shock came when her father was stabbed to death in a bar fight. At his funeral, none of the children cried, even though the youngest was barely five years old.

They stood tall, watching with an almost undisguised pride as the body of that man was buried in the ground.

Now sixteen, she thought her troubles would ease, but she was wrong—it only got worse.

She was first fired from her job after a child protection services raid because minors under eighteen weren't allowed to work. One event led to another, and bills piled up, with no way to pay them.

Her brothers were kicked out of school for lack of payment, and a year later, her mother died from an opioid overdose. Only the children remained.

Quickly, child protection services took over and scattered her family. She was old enough to live on her own and had to find work.

She was hired as a maid by a young eccentric who had made a fortune from his revolutionary gadgets, living only for money and drawn to the incredible energy he perceived in her. She herself was unaware of it, constantly refusing his requests for her to pursue studies.

A few years later, she received tragic news: her younger sister had been found dead, beaten, raped, and mutilated to death. She couldn't contain her grief and frustration, letting all the emotions she had buried since childhood explode.

Causing significant damage in the city, she narrowly escaped prison because her employer, the young man, vouched for her and decided to pay for the damages.

Then, fearing her uncontrollable energy, she asked her employer if he could do something about it.

He smiled and replied that he would protect her from herself, but only on the condition that she put her abilities to work for her country by joining the same organization as him, which she agreed to.

Years passed, and Melissa solidified her rank and position within the Sanctuary, eventually becoming one of its most prominent figures.

At the same time, she continued to cherish the life her employer, now a captain, had given her, looking after him as best as she could.

—————//————//————//—————

Nick stirred awake, his head pounding like a drum. The thought of getting out of bed felt like climbing Everest. He glanced at the clock—11:31. Time was slipping away.

"Good thing it's Saturday today," he said with a sigh. He settled back into his sheets when the door suddenly opened without warning.

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Although last night had put him on edge, he felt horribly weak, so he just glanced over his shoulder and saw his younger sister, looking glum, probably because of what had happened the previous night, he thought. She said sharply:

— Get up in there. Your friend's looking for you.

Not having any other friends, especially ones who could come over, he knew right away it was Dante. He buried his head back into the covers with a groan. Noticing the state of her brother, Scarlett asked:

— What should I tell him? That you're sick?

— No. Just tell him to come upstairs. I don't feel up to going down just yet, he replied, his voice muffled by the sheets.

— It's obvious, she said as she turned away, closing the door behind her.

A few moments later, the door opened again. What immediately struck Nick was the frantic and troubled look on his friend's face. He immediately regained his composure and, despite his fatigue, got up and sat on the edge of his bed.

Dante, on the other hand, pulled up a chair and sat across from him. Just as Nick was about to start with the usual pleasantries, Dante cut him off and began rambling incoherently, impossible to understand unless you spoke "Dante."

After nearly ten minutes of nonstop talking, Nick finally managed to get a word in.

— Morning to you too, dear friend, he said sarcastically.

His friend didn't respond to the remark and kept staring at him.

— So, if I understand correctly, you're really worried about what happened last night, is that right?

— Exactly, he replied quickly.

— And it's because you're afraid the defense forces will get involved?

— Yes.

— Because you want to get into the Sanctuary, and if you're caught, you'll lose your chance?

Nick continued with the same question-answer tone.

— Absolutely, he said shortly.

After a moment of thought, which seemed so long to Dante that he stood up and started pacing, Nick said:

— Calm down and sit down, would you? he said, making calming gestures with his hands.

— And how do you want me to calm down? I remind you, it's my whole life on the line here!!

He had raised his voice, which didn't sit well with Nick.

— And how could this impact your entry into the Sanctuary? he asked sharply, clearly disapproving.

— I... I don't know, Dante began, stammering. I could get arrested and...

— Get arrested? And may I ask why?

Dante looked at him, incredulous.

— But you know why. For what we did to those three guys last night.

— You mean when we defended ourselves? Nick asked, now back to his calm demeanor.

Dante seemed confused for a moment. Now understanding his friend's point of view, Nick settled back into his sheets and looked him straight in the eye, a glimmer of fatherly affection in his gaze.

— I think I get where you're coming from, he said. You're probably worried that, because we broke a few of their bones, we might get arrested for assault?

Dante's face lit up. Nick had finally understood what he meant. He responded immediately:

— Yes, exactly. And I can't take that risk…

Nick interrupted him once again, with a wave of his hand.

— I know, I know. You absolutely have to get into the Sanctuary, I get it. But let me reassure you, you won't get arrested, at least not for this.

Dante looked at him, confused.

— You see, the three guys who attacked us are, obviously, criminals, probably well-known to the defense forces. They wouldn't risk getting arrested just to take us down. And even if they did, it would be self-defense.

Dante's face regained some color. Immediately, Nick added:

— Of course, that doesn't rule out the possibility that they might want revenge, which I actually find quite plausible. We'll have to stay on guard from now on.

Dante thought for a moment, then, losing the frantic look he had when he entered, opened his mouth to say something, but immediately hesitated. Surprised by his gesture, Nick smiled faintly and added:

— Of course, no mention of this possibility to the girls. As likely as it might be, it's still just a possibility. No need to worry them with it.

Dante nodded slowly. He still had some reservations. Seeing the questioning look on his face, Nick hurried to reassure him:

— Don't worry too much about it. If you run into trouble, we can always call for backup.

He finished the sentence in a tone that he hoped sounded more upbeat than it actually was.

Despite his friend's reassurance, Dante still wasn't entirely comforted. He decided to remain silent and see how things unfolded. After a short silence, Dante spoke again:

— You know, I'm sorry about last night. I was angry, and I said things that...

— No, stop, Nick cut him off. You were right. There were obviously more important things to think about, like the state of my sister. Instead, I lost my cool. It won't happen again, I promise.

Having made an unspoken promise, Dante felt a weight lift off his shoulders. After that, Nick collapsed back into his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Dante slowly left the room and crossed paths with Scarlett, who was coming out of her room. Despite the shadows of last night clinging to her, she radiated beauty.

Her skin glowed, cheeks blushed like dawn, and her graceful figure danced effortlessly with her style.

Her face wore calmness, but fleeting memories tugged at her serenity. She flashed him a quick nod, then glided down the stairs to join her classmates, laughter echoing around her.

Dante stood rooted, watching her vanish into the depths below. How could he not? He was utterly smitten. It felt strange, like a twist of fate, falling for his best friend's little sister.

"Do you think Nick would be cool with me taking a shot at her?" he mused, heading for the door. At the bottom of the stairs, laughter bubbled up from the terrace. Apparently, Scarlett and her friends were having fun.

It was as if the dreadful night of the previous day had never existed. Lost in thought as he made his way toward the door, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with Mr. Steele Sr., Nick's grandfather.

What immediately stood out about him was his short stature and the messy gray hair on his head. He exuded a certain trustworthiness, and despite his age, you'd want to share all your secrets with him.

Mr. Steele looked at him for a moment, staring directly into his eyes, which, unlike the action, caused no discomfort. Dante returned the gaze, although he felt awkward after a while. When he finally looked away, Mr. Steele Sr. stepped aside to let him pass, slowly whispering:

"Take care of him."

Those words struck him so deeply that he turned around, stunned, while the elderly man, well over eighty, went back into his living room. For a moment, Dante was shocked by the phrase, but eventually, he left the house, more anxious than ever.

He had come to ease his worries, and instead, he left with more. He didn't bother to greet Grandma Steele, as he had already told her earlier that there was no need. He descended the front steps and made his way toward the massive gate of the large estate.

Nick's family was well-known across the continent. Having close ties with many powerful organizations, they were one of the most important and influential families on Terra.

They had greatly contributed to the social advancement of this small group of families, and today they were one of the main forces fighting against the "Rain," to which they were the principal contributors.

The whole country, and even the continent, recognized Nick's family's role and the help they provided, which didn't exactly thrill him.

With that thought, he gave a quick smile before leaving the property, relieved to have spoken with Nick and eased his worries.