Chapter 70: Chapter 70 - Annie's inner feelings
After a considerable wait, Annie and Ema were finally picked up by Prime. There were some bureaucratic procedures, as promised by the management, which made efforts to expedite the process. After a few weeks of waiting, Prime could finally take Annie and Ema to their new home.
As they got out of the taxi, the first thing Annie noticed was the huge apartment in front of her. Instead of being surprised by the wealth of the man who adopted her and her sister, Annie was surprised by the fact that someone living in such an apartment needed to take a taxi home.
"Let's go inside first and continue the conversation there" said Ryan, passing by Annie.
Though Annie wasn't sure what to expect yet, she felt that at least she could provide a better life for her sister than they had in the orphanage. It's not that Annie didn't like the place, but she wished her sister could experience what it was like to have a normal life with a conventional family, something that was taken from them too early.
So, without saying a word, Annie held her sister Ema's hand and started following Ryan. Ema looked around fascinated, increasing her excitement even more as they entered the building.
During this interval, Annie directed her attention to the girl who had been with Prime from the moment she saw him. No matter how she looked at it, they were clearly related, as they had practically identical features. If someone told Annie they were siblings, she would easily accept it.
The real reason Annie was focused on the girl was simply because she didn't know if she would get along with her. Annie didn't have many friends, and as she was always taking care of her sister, she never cared to make many. But this would be different now, as they would both live in the same place. Annie preferred to have a friendly relationship with the girl than not have one.
As they entered the elevator, Annie was surprised to see Prime pressing the button for the top floor of the building. She already expected him to be rich, but the fact that he had a penthouse at the top of the building made her curious about the true extent of his wealth. Observing the sophisticated surroundings, Annie had no doubt that the place was very expensive.
Despite the joy of seeing her younger sister having fun, Annie actually felt out of place. Her family was middle/lower class, and she never imagined she would one day step into a place like that, not even in her wildest dreams.
When they reached the top floor and faced a door with an electronic lock, Annie patiently waited for the door to open. However, the words of the girl beside her surprised her.
"Do you want to open it?" The girl's question caught Annie off guard, as she wasn't expecting that.
"Can I?" Annie asked, her voice clearly containing doubt.
"Of course, we'll be a family from now on. It would be a little weird for you two not to know the password to your own house" explained the girl with a welcoming smile.
Although the girl spoke as if it were completely obvious, Annie still couldn't hide her surprised expression. But what surprised her even more were the words "family" Just hearing that made her cold heart warm up a bit, but Annie quickly suppressed that feeling.
"Don't be greedy, Annie. You don't need anything like that anymore. As long as Ema can live well, I don't care about the rest" thought Annie, calming her emotions.
After calming down, Annie organized her thoughts and turned her gaze to the girl. Shortly after, Annie asked.
"If it's not a bother" Annie replied.
"It won't be, by the way, I don't think I've introduced myself yet. I'm Sara. I hope we can get along as a family from now on"
Again the same words. Annie felt uncomfortable, but at the same time happy to hear it. Even though she didn't expect much, Annie still thought she could be a little more greedy in her heart.
Following Sara's words, Annie entered the door code, causing it to open shortly after. As they entered, both Annie and Ema were surprised by how spacious the place was. Excitedly, Annie ran towards the glass window overlooking the outside and began to admire the skyline.
"Though I don't know what your accommodations were like at the orphanage, I intend to give each of you your own room. You can decorate and organize it however you like. Also, if you want to change the wall color, just let me know"
Upon hearing these words, the most excited one was Ema, who quickly ran towards Ryan. The smile on her face seemed to grow with each passing second.
"Am I going to have my own room?" asked the girl eagerly.
"At least you two, that's the idea, but if you want to stay in the same room, that's fine. It's up to you" Prime replied with a smirk.
As soon as she heard her "new dad's" words, Ema quickly turned to her sister with her pleading eyes. Her sister never denied a request when she had those eyes; Ema considered them her fail-safe weapon. Seeing her sister's look, as Ema expected, Annie sighed and nodded.
"Yes!" exclaimed Ema, excited.
After that, Prime decided to lead both girls to their rooms. The place was quite large, so, aside from Prime's office, his room, and Sara's room, there were still a total of six rooms available.
As soon as Prime showed Ema her room, she became extremely cheerful and happy. Although, from Prime's perspective, the room wasn't really as big as Ema made it seem, this probably was linked to children's heightened sense of space perception, making places seem closer than they actually were.
Leaving Ema in her room, Prime and Sara led Annie to hers, which was across from her sister's. Unlike Ema, Annie didn't show much reaction to the environment. Prime understood that Annie still didn't trust him, and he hoped that with time, things would change. After all, it was essential for them to build mutual trust as a family if they wanted to face possible new dangers in this world.
"Are you sure you want to give me this room? I wouldn't mind sleeping on the living room couch" Annie asked, turning her gaze to Prime.
"No problem, from now on, you're my daughter too. It would be weird to let you sleep on the couch. Well, don't think too much about it. You probably never had a place of your own. Why not relax a bit?"
Upon hearing Ryan's words, Annie was momentarily stunned. It was the first time someone had expressed such a sentiment to her. In her mind, which often got lost in uncertainties about the future, this declaration was a refreshing novelty. Never before had someone shown such a sincere desire to have her around.
(Can you leave us alone for a while, Sara?) Prime asked mentally, and Sara simply nodded.
As soon as Sara left, Prime directed his gaze to Annie. Slowly closing the door, he led her to the bed. They sat side by side, and then Prime began to speak.
"I don't know what kind of experiences you've had, but I imagine they were things no child should go through" Prime said, pausing to analyze Annie's face.
"But there's something I want to tell you now" Prime said. "The past is behind us, and things are going to be okay"
Annie, who had been confused until then, suddenly felt enveloped by these words. An inexplicable warmth began to spread in her chest, as if something inside her was awakening. Her gaze slowly moved towards Ryan, as if seeking to better understand what was happening.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you? But don't worry, you can rest assured now. I promise to take care of you and your sister" Ryan said gently.
As soon as Prime uttered these words, Annie felt a rush of emotions flood her chest. Her eyes blurred, and to her surprise, tears began to well up, one after another. It was a strange sensation for Annie, who had never shed a tear, not even in the toughest moments when she was on the streets with her sister.
Prime, noticing Annie's emotional state, enveloped her in a comforting hug. For Annie, that gesture was like being wrapped in a comforting blanket of warmth, something she had never experienced before. Silent tears escaped from her eyes, muffled by the cozy confines of the room.
In that moment, Annie experienced a sense of belonging, of human warmth, that filled the darkest corners of her soul, revealing what it truly meant to have a family.
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