Adira's POV
The days after that confrontation felt different. People still whispered when I walked into class, but this time, it wasn't just about being "Ashley's twin." Some of them smiled at me. Nodded. Like maybe I wasn't invisible anymore.
Ashley hated it. I could see it in the way her jaw tightened every time someone glanced my way. She doubled down on her theatrics louder, ruder, desperate to keep the spotlight. But for once, it didn't sting as much.
Because something new had found me.
It started when Tiana dragged me to an after-school fair. "Come on," she said, tugging my arm. "The business club is setting up a booth. You'll love it."
I tried to protest. Clubs weren't my thing. Blending in was my thing. But before I knew it, I was standing in front of a table stacked with flyers, posters, and mock presentations. A group of older students were pitching fake companies they had created as projects.
I lingered, listening.
One boy explained how he'd designed a shoe brand. Another showed off a model for a food delivery app. But it was the girl presenting a skincare line that caught me not because of the product, but because of the way she spoke. Confident. Strategic. Like she believed her idea could change the world.
Something stirred inside me. A memory of sitting at Dad's desk, pretending to be him. Of scribbling in a notebook ideas for "Adira's Empire." Of dreaming.
"You'd be good at this," Tiana whispered, nudging me.
I laughed nervously. "Me? No way."
"Yes way." She folded her arms. "You have the brains, Ad. And the fire. I saw it when you shut Ashley down. You just don't see it in yourself yet."
Her words haunted me all night.
The next day, when the sign-up sheet came around, my hand hovered. My heart pounded. Ashley was across the room, whispering to her new followers, completely uninterested.
For once, I didn't care what she thought.
I picked up the pen and wrote my name.
Adira Ademide Williams. Business Club.
That night in bed, I stared at the ceiling, my lips curving into the faintest smile.
Maybe England wasn't just punishment. Maybe it was the beginning of something new.