02

CHAPTER 1

Aria's POV

I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, lost in my own thoughts.

How did my life change so much? Just a few years ago, I was this happy, carefree girl. Now, I'm nothing more than a broken doll—empty, with no feelings except one.

Numbness

I know you might be confused, so let me give you a brief introduction to who I am.

My name is Aria Elsher, and I'm twenty-four years old. I was born in New York City and lived with my parents until I turned seven. Back then, I had a happy life. But like all good things, that came to an end. My parents died in a tragic way—something I'd rather forget. Let's just say the memory is too painful to revisit.

Before I could even begin to grieve, I was whisked away to live with my uncle's family. That's where everything changed.

Since my parents' death, I lost myself completely. And under my uncle's care, I faced a new nightmare—one where abuse became my reality.

There's my uncle, Mr. Alder Elsher, the head of the household. He's the CEO of a multinational company, though it's barely making any profit. Then there's my aunt, Mrs. Samantha Elsher, who's too busy with her socialite life to care about anything or anyone. And lastly, my cousin, Aurora Elsher, whose only goal in life is to snag herself a rich, handsome husband.

Needless to say, living with them feels like living among monsters. They haunt my days, and when the night comes, they haunt my dreams.

Despite their cruelty, they know almost nothing about me. They think I work at some small IT firm, blissfully unaware of my real job. I'm a professional hacker working with the New York Cyber Crime Unit. I've been trained for the past 17 years, both in hacking and as a bodyguard. My work is secretive, and I like it that way. It's the only thing in my life that brings me any sense of purpose.

My uncle and aunt have always made it clear—I don't belong. They never invite me anywhere, and I'm not allowed to go out except for work. Whenever I come home late, I face the usual punishment. After twelve years of constant abuse, I've grown numb to it.

It's been seventeen years since I've felt any real emotion. That man took everything from me on that night, and I haven't been the same since.

"Wake up and make breakfast, you ungrateful brat!"

Ah, there it is—my aunt's loving wake-up call (note the sarcasm). With a deep sigh, I forced myself out of bed and prepared for another miserable day. As I descended the stairs, I saw her pacing angrily in the hallway. It was only a matter of time before her anger would turn into physical punishment. I could already anticipate the handprint that would soon be on my cheek.

"You finally woke up!" she snapped.

"Sorry, ma'am. I was getting ready," I replied, keeping my head down, my face as blank as ever.

"Wait till your uncle gets home. Then you'll learn your lesson."

I ignored her, as I always did, and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone. After everything was ready, I left the house without eating, as usual. I never ate their food. In fact, I never ate anyone's food. Sealed meals from convenience stores had become my routine for years—another habit born from my past.

After stopping for cup noodles, I made my way to the office. It was the only place I felt any semblance of peace. My work was the one thing that grounded me. As I entered, I was greeted by the one person I considered a friend—Elisha.

"Hey there, babe," she said, her voice lively as always. She worked on the same floor as me. Her skill was—within minutes, she could piece together the entire life story of anyone she met. It wasn't just a knack for observation; it was as if she could see the invisible threads that connected their choices, their secrets, and their past. To her, people weren't puzzles to solve—they were open books, waiting to be read.

 "Please tell me you ate something real this morning," she said, giving me a knowing look. "Not the same sealed junk again."

My blank stare was all the answer she needed.

"Never mind," she sighed. "Anyway, looks like we've got a new client. Everyone's under pressure because of him."

I nodded, not needing to say anything more. Elisha gave me a small smile, then waved me off.

I headed straight to my office, bracing myself for another long day of work. I didn't mind, though. It was better this way. Better than thinking about what waited for me at home.

Better than feeling.

let's see who is this new client...

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