The snow fell in thick, swirling flakes, blanketing the opulent mansion in a pristine white layer. Inside, the atmosphere was anything but serene. A stark contrast existed between the beauty of the scene and the ugliness unfolding within. Ekaterina, a vision of ethereal grace in a wedding dress she'd painstakingly designed herself – a flowing masterpiece of ivory silk and delicate lace – stood before a massive antique mirror. Her long, raven hair cascaded down her back, a dark river against the pristine white of her gown. She was radiating an almost palpable excitement, anticipating the joy and celebration that should have accompanied her wedding day.
Turning from the mirror, her smile faltered. Standing before her were Taylor, her adoptive father, and her five brothers: Nicolas, Parker, Lucas, Zion, and Maxwell. A surge of warmth flooded her heart – these were the men she's had dedicated years to nurturing, guiding, and supporting. They were her family, her pride, her world.
But the warmth evaporated instantly as Nicolas raised his hand in a dismissive gesture. Simultaneously, hulking figures – guards she recognized but had never seen employed within the family home – surged forward and seized Ekaterina. The joyous anticipation twisted into a knot of icy dread in her stomach.
The next moment, a searing pain exploded across her face. She staggered back, disoriented and reeling from the unexpected brutality.
"What…what…?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief and a burgeoning fear.
"You ungrateful brat!" Taylor roared, his face contorted with a venomous rage she'd never witnessed before.
"Today your sister Jennifer is taking this wedding!"
"Dad! Stop this! Stop it!" Ekaterina shrieked, her voice cracking with desperation. She struggled against the guards' grip, but their hold was relentless. Her pleas were met with cold indifference. Then, a sharp, agonizing kick slammed into her stomach, stealing the air from her lungs and sending her sprawling to the floor.
"You are worthless," Nicolas sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. He grabbed Ekaterina roughly by the hair and forced open her mouth, shoving a handful of pills into it. She gagged and choked, desperately trying to spit them out, but he held her jaw firmly in place until she swallowed.
Jennifer, resplendent in a vibrant yellow dress that seemed to mock the purity of Ekaterina's white gown, glided forward with an unsettlingly serene smile.
"Sister, don't be angry," Jennifer cooed, her voice dripping with a saccharine sweetness that grated on Ekaterina's ears. She adopted a posture of exaggerated vulnerability, feigning tears and acting as if she were the victim of some unseen cruelty. "They're just… stressed about the wedding."
The sheer audacity of her performance ignited a fresh wave of fury within Ekaterina. She struggled to speak through the growing numbness spreading through her body from the pills.
"Why? You five brothers, Jennifer went to live with the Dixenia Family but I stayed! Nicolas you are now an AI and entertainment industry CEO – it was because of me!" Ekaterina gasped, clutching at her chest, trying to articulate the years of dedication and sacrifice she'd poured into their lives.
"It was because of me!"
Nicolas's face twisted into a mask of barely controlled rage.
"You! It was Jennifer who made it up! As for you?" He spat the word.
"You" with venomous disdain.
"You just greedy!" With a sudden, explosive movement, he swung a baseball bat, connecting with Ekaterina's back with a sickening crack. The force of the blow sent a searing pain radiating through her body, stealing her breath and blurring her vision.
She stumbled, fighting to stay upright, the pills churning in her stomach.
"Lucas," she whispered, her voice strained and weak.
"I want to know why… why the one who helped you raise to fame in the medical profession? Why?" She felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, the room tilting precariously.
Lucas sneered, his eyes devoid of any warmth or affection.
"Why? It was your fault!" Lucas spat, his voice laced with bitter resentment.
"Everyone always said my sister was stupid and not talented. If not for Jennifer trying her best, you're nothing – just trying to get connections by sleeping around." The accusation, a cruel and baseless fabrication, landed like another blow, twisting the knife already embedded deep within her heart.
Ekaterina's vision swam, but she forced herself to focus.
"Parker helped you become a famous actor, getting you on the top stage becoming both an actor and an all-time singer… why?" She directed the question at Parker, who leaned against a marble pillar, his expression a mixture of disdain and smug satisfaction.
Parker scoffed, pushing himself off the pillar and advancing towards her.
"Why? Jennifer it was because of you that talented composer didn't want me so you need to suffer if not for Jennifer hiring someone…" Parker trailed off, his hand shooting out to grasp Ekaterina's hair and yank her forward. He didn't finish the sentence, the implication hanging heavy in the air – a deliberate sabotage orchestrated by Jennifer to benefit herself. He then roughly twisted her arm, ignoring her pained gasp.
"Zion, you became a famous racer – I designed the best sports car for you," Ekaterina managed to choke out, desperately clinging to the thread of reason amidst the escalating chaos. She earned a sharp slap across her face for the effort.
"Still Jennifer credits yours – so disgusting," Zion retorted, his gaze cold and dismissive. He barely acknowledged her existence, treating her as an unwelcome intrusion on his hard-earned success.