CHAPTER 1 POLICE, S𝚊𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚊 V𝚒𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚜

My mother's voice sliced through my bedroom door, cold and unforgiving. "Sabrina, get up. Now." She's not really "Mom" to me anymore; I call her "the witch" in my head, which feels more fitting.

"I'm coming," I whispered, scrambling to pull on my worn-out flats. I stumbled down the stairs, yelping softly as I caught myself just in time, but my mother's glare followed every step. She turned back to Evan, her husband, and kissed his cheek with a syrupy smile that made me feel sick. I tried to avoid his gaze, but he caught me.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me, young lady?" he snapped, his voice low but sharp. I froze, head down, trying to disappear. "No-o, I—" My words died as his hand connected with my cheek, sending a hot, stinging ache through my face.

"Out," he ordered, swinging the door open. I hurried out, fingers brushing over the fresh sting, my mind already miles away. Crying wouldn't help—it never did.

When I got to school, I kept my head low, hoping to stay invisible. But it didn't take long for Eric and his friends to find me. "Look who's here," he sneered, shoving me into the wall. I mumbled, "Please, just-t go away," but he didn't hear me, or maybe he didn't care. A cold splash hit my face, milk drenching my clothes as they laughed and shouted, "Freak! Freak!" Their laughter echoed down the halls as I ran out, not bothering to look back.

By the time I got home, the milk had dried in sour patches on my shirt. "Mom? Evan?" I called out, half-expecting silence. And that's exactly what I got. Good. The house was empty, so I quickly slipped into the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water felt strange after weeks without, I winced when the hot water came in contact with my leg.

The quiet didn't last long. Hours later, a heavy knock sounded at the door, making my heart race. I tiptoed to the door and cracked it open, clutching a kitchen knife, though my hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold onto it. Relief washed over me when I saw two police officers standing there.

"Sabrina Smith?" the officer said, his voice gentle but firm. He noticed the knife and shook his head. "It's okay, you can put the knife away. You're safe." His smile scared me, I hadn't seen anyone show me a genuine smile in so long.

I stepped back, letting them in, the room feeling stifling as I watched them exchange glances. "We're here to inform you that your parents were in a car accident..." the officer said, his face sad. I blinked, struggling to process the words. "Oh," was all I managed, the word barely leaving my lips. He continued, "We'll need you to come with us. Can you pack a few things?" I nodded, hurrying up the stairs to gather what little I had, shoving it all into a bag without thinking too much.

"Ready, sweetheart?" the female officer asked when I came back, her voice gentle in a way I hadn't heard in a long time. I nodded again, letting them lead me to the car. I watched my house shrink from the window, a strange sense of freedom and fear twisting in my chest.

When we got to the station, they told me they'd be doing a DNA test to check for family members. I barely registered their words, my mind numb and drifting somewhere far away. After a long wait, they finally returned, saying they'd found someone—a brother. I felt like I was floating as they led me to the lobby to wait, my gaze unfocused, my body running on autopilot.

I tried slipping outside for a second, craving some fresh air, my plan was stopped when I bumped into a wall—or at least, it felt like it. I looked up, and the man staring back at me looked familiar, though I couldn't place why.

"Sabrina," he said, his voice low and steady, like he knew me. "I'm Luca... your brother." I just blinked, my mind spinning with the word *brother.* he softly guided me back inside, signing some paperwork with the officer before turning over to me.

"Come on," he said softly, gesturing to a car parked nearby. "We've got a long way to go."

I was too tired to protest as he opened the door for me. Inside, I sat quietly, watching the world pass by in a blur. Soon, we arrived at a private plane, and I froze at the bottom of the steps, hesitating.

"It's alright," Luca said, his voice calm, almost reassuring. I don't know why I did, but I followed him up, letting him help me with the seatbelt when I couldn't get it on myself. My head felt heavy, and I leaned back, eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion overtook me.

The last thing I saw was Luca's face, his expression softer than I expected. And for the first time in a long time, I drifted into sleep without feeling afraid.