The Heiress

***

I was born with a patch of hair as white as snow flurrying in the winter breeze.

~

My birth was long and difficult, plagued by distress that almost killed me.

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Mom sometimes jokes that the patch of white in my hair must’ve been a result of the trauma I endured and overcame as the strong babe I was.

~

I know that’s not the case.

~

I suffer from a condition known as Poliosis—the absence of melanin that robs the affected area of color.

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The condition is otherwise harmless, but neither of my parents nor my brother had been born with the same trait, so it always made me feel different.

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My parents would wage war to protect me and my brother; I loved them for it, but sometimes their overprotectiveness could get out of hand.

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I’ve never been allowed to create profiles across the various social media platforms.

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My phone can barely make a call, and any photos that may have slipped onto the internet were taken down as soon as my parents discovered them.

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I had practically no digital footprint.

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As a child, Mom used to tell me that I was a runaway princess from a corrupt kingdom far away. If I was to disobey their rules, the king’s guard would find me and take me away.

~

That story had once terrified me, but today, I suspected they just suffered from a mild form of tinfoil-hat syndrome.

~

However, the secret they carried turned out to be so much worse than something as trivial as a simple conspiracy theory, forcing me to choose between the love of my life and the man I was always destined to marry.

***

I must’ve been around nine the first time I asked if I could stay overnight at one of my friend’s. My parents had looked at me with horror drawn across their faces, as if I had asked for the most outrageous thing in the world.

They yelled at me for half an hour, although I never got a reason for the rejection and the attitude.

I was just told to be home at 7 p.m., and that I might as well stay home if these conditions weren’t committed to.

Once I was half an hour late, and they’d already been in the process of making calls to the police station to send a search party to look for me by the time I made it home.

I never broke that rule again.

By the time I was fifteen, I’d never been anywhere I didn’t need to be—never spent the night outside our house, never been to a party, and never left the town.

The routine had been like that all my life. Even now, as I’m about to turn eighteen, I have no real explanation as to why.

For almost eighteen years, I’ve been stuck inside my parents’ house, and I’ve finally had enough.

Our small town, Timberlane Creek, has been owned by the Timerlanes since it was founded centuries ago. However, about a month ago, the Reagan family suddenly announced their interest in many of the town’s properties, and once the fucking Reagan family offers a small fortune for an entire town, only fools refused them.

I didn’t know why the Reagan family had shown a sudden interest in our town. Perhaps they’d discovered traces of oil or diamonds. Frankly, I didn’t really care, as long as they didn’t ruin the beautiful town we had.

Last week, the Reagan family made a public announcement throughout the town, that they were throwing something similar to a housewarming party at their manor, inviting everyone above the age of sixteen. It had been the talk of the town ever since, and I wasn’t going to miss out on it this time.

Amber—my best friend—and I had spent half of our savings buying the most elegant dresses I’d ever seen with matching shoes and jewelry. I was ready to play high lady for the night, and I couldn’t think of a more exciting way to spend my eighteenth birthday.

Besides, Andreas would be there, too, dressed in his most luxurious tux.

My heart skipped just thinking of him.

We’d been a trio of friends since elementary school, but I’d always thought of him as more than just a friend. I just wasn’t sure if those feelings were reciprocated. However, maybe something would happen tonight. Amber was undoubtedly confident about helping it come to pass.

I was less confident, but a girl was allowed to dream. This night was going to be magical either way.

As I fantasized, I heard my phone buzz…

My heart wouldn’t stop pounding, and, for a moment, I thought it was gonna pound right out of my chest.

A new text message arrived.

~

A tinge of guilt stabbed my chest.

I wanted to go out tonight. I really did. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I hated lying to my parents about it. Besides, the thought of being caught chilled me to the bone.

If only… I shook the thought from my head. There was no way Mom would let me go. I had to sneak out. I couldn’t miss it.

My heart almost ripped out of my chest when someone knocked on my door. “C-come in,” I said and Mom entered.

“Finished with your homework already?” she asked.

“I saw my bed, and it looked more appealing than homework,” I admitted.

She laughed. “I know that feeling.”

“We thought you might want your present,” she said. I looked up.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t had the time to buy it, and your father isn’t done with his creation, so… we’ve decided that you get to choose your own present this year. Eighteen is a big milestone.”

My eyes lit up. “With limits,” she quickly added, and my shoulders dropped to underline my disappointment.

She laughed.

I had to think a little before I found my answer. “Okay,” I finally said. “I want to dye my hair.”

Mom looked at me as if I was out of my mind.

“Why? Your hair looks great, Sophia. It’s so special, just like you.”

“I don’t wanna be special. At least not like this. I want to look like everybody else at school…,” I mumbled.

She sighed. “All right, but nothing too crazy. Then you might as well keep your hair as it is,” she surrendered. I screamed and pulled her in for a hug.

“Nothing permanent at first,” she quickly added. “I don’t want you to regret your decision.”

“Fine.” I was okay with a compromise in the beginning.

“Meet me in the bathroom in one hour, and I’ll see what I can do,” she said and got up.

“I thought hair dying was done by a hairdresser?” I said.

“It usually is, but I dye my own hair too, so I think we’ll manage.” She laughed.

“Right, because you don’t want people to notice your gray hairs,” I teased.

“You’re not getting any younger yourself, little lady,” she shot back and laughed before she went down to make sure everything was ready for my hair dye.

I threw myself on my bed again. I couldn’t believe she’d actually allowed me to dye my hair. At least, now, I wouldn’t stand out so much.

Amber and Andreas would be so surprised tonight. So, I grabbed my phone and responded to Andreas’s text.

***

The hour passed, and my birthday present was ready. I ran downstairs and into the bathroom where Mom waited for me.

She was already standing with gloves, the bottle of hair dye in her hand, and a big smile on her face.

“Ready, birthday girl?” she asked.

I nodded and sat down.

As she finished with the final runs of dye, I could hear my heart pumping loudly. There was no way back now.

“There we go. Now, don’t remove that cap before the timer reaches zero. Then jump into the shower, but remember only to rinse. You can shower tonight, after the color has set.”

The wait was long. Too long. But the alarm finally went off, and I ripped off the cap before I let the water wash out the excess dye.

After I finished blow-drying my hair, it was time. This was what I wanted, right? A regular hair color.

Why was I this nervous?

I took a deep breath and turned around to look in the mirror. It may only be a small lock of hair, but it still made a big difference.

Mom had heard me turn off the hair dryer and came to join me.

“What do you think?” she asked.

I barely recognized myself. It was amazing to see how much a bit of hair could change someone’s appearance. “It’s a little weird, but not in a bad way,” I admitted. My eyes shone a bit more in contrast to the dark hair.

Not that it bothered me. I liked my eyes more than my hair. People liked them.

“Are you satisfied?” she asked.

“Yeah, I like it,” I answered. “I think it suits me.”

She chuckled and wrapped her arms around me. “I agree, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it before.”

I returned a smile, and she kissed my cheek.

“I’ll give you a little time alone with the mirror so that you can get used to your new look.”

She closed the door behind her, and there I was, standing alone with my new look.

I again felt a little bad about sneaking out tonight. I loved my mom, and I knew she only wanted to protect me.

I shook it off and ran downstairs and into the living room.

Dad sat in his favorite chair, reading a book. But before I could say anything, Mom broke the news. “How do you like her birthday present, James?”

He looked at me and smiled widely. “You look so much like your mother when she was young.”

“You flatter me, James.” I could hear her giggle from the kitchen. “Sophia is so much prettier.”

“Maybe,” Dad teased her and laughed. A washcloth flew across the room from the kitchen straight toward him. Their marriage never seemed to be boring.

“You look beautiful, Sophia,” he finally said.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Who is that?” I heard the voice of a little boy behind me. I turned around, and his eyes widened.

“Sophia?”

“Yup. How do you like it, Luca?” I asked and opened my arms for him. He was only ten. It was a significant age difference, but it hadn’t made me love him any less.

He ran into my arms and embraced the hug.

“It’s weird. You look like Mom.”

I laughed. “You really think so?”

“Cake is ready,” Mom shouted and entered the dining room with one of her famous cakes.

“Me first, me first!” Luca shouted and let go of me to run for the cake. I giggled and followed him.

After a luxurious dinner, I went upstairs to my room to make myself ready for tonight.

Before I went to bed, I texted Andreas and Amber that I had a surprise for them tonight.

I set the alarm on my phone and used one of my wireless earbuds.

I knew Mom could tell if I pretended to be asleep, so I had to take precautions.

I slept right away, not knowing that this night would change everything.

***

A few hours later, my alarm went off, and I had to rip the earbud out of my ear. The volume was maxed out, which I hadn’t noticed before I went to sleep.

I looked at my phone.

11 p.m.

I got up in a rush and dug out the sparkling, royal blue dress from the back of my closet.

It took a few minutes to zip the back with my stiff joints, but I managed and slipped a pair of jogging pants over it.

I grabbed my jewelry and from there, I waited.

My phone buzzed with a text from Amber.

Sparks skipped across my skin in anticipation as I readied myself to tackle the first obstacle of my plan: the house.

Fortunately, I’d spent years mapping every noisy floorboard and every creaking corner, so I snuck down the stairs and past my parents’ bedroom without making a sound.

Emerging out into the woods surrounding my house, I relished the chill of the night air, matched by a chill creeping up my spine.

My body pumped with adrenaline as I broke my parents’ rule for the first time.

I walked quickly down the tracks toward the meeting point, tiptoeing through the shadows.

“She’s here!” Amber’s cheerful voice made my heart leap with excitement. Her fiery curls bounced as she skipped toward me.

“You’re late. We have to hurry, or we’ll be far too late to call it fashionable.”

I chuckled as she dragged me closer to the rock formation, where we’d placed our bikes earlier today.

“Hey,” Andreas said, leaning against his obsidian scooter, almost merging with the shadows. My chest tingled seeing him in that handsome, slightly worn tux with his golden hair slicked back. His bright amber eyes twinkled in the dim lights.

I had convinced myself a long time ago that someone must have carefully selected them to match the color of his blond hair so perfectly.

“Hi,” I said, my cheeks burning.

“Hey.” Amber stabbed me between my ribs with her fingers. I crouched, hissing from the pain. “None of that right now. We’re late. Remember?”

“Well, shit, Amber,” I said, rubbing my bruised ribs. “You don’t have to be so mean about it.”

Andreas chuckled and turned on his scooter as Amber and I reached our bikes.

“By the way,” Amber said, gently brushing the lock of the chestnut hair that had fallen in front of my eyes. “Did you dye your hair?”

I smiled as Andreas stopped beside us, his eyes wide when he, too, noticed the missing glint of white. “I did,” I said, tucking the lock behind my ear.

“Mom finally let me dye it as a birthday present this year. I don’t mind my hair, but it can just draw so much attention sometimes. I thought it would be nice to blend with the crowd for once.”

They stared at me as if I’d grown a third arm. I laughed. “Don’t you like it?”

Andreas cleared his throat. “It… It looks good, I mean– Yeah. It looks good.”

Warmth spread across my cheeks again, coloring them pink. “Really?” I tried to say without sounding flustered.

Andreas looked away and nodded.

My heart fluttered, beating a little faster as a tingle of pleasant excitement danced along my skin. I was completely lost for words.

Amber jabbed her elbow into my ribs again, same place as before. I groaned and pushed her away.

“Really, Amber?”

That was going to leave a bruise.

“You look great. Now let’s go,” she said, ushering me onto the road.

I gritted my teeth, but ascended my bike without complaining. She was right.

We had to hurry if we didn’t want to arrive as the very last people.

So, we sprinted through the darkness and didn’t stop before we reached Timberlane—the Reagan manor.

The house towered behind the enormous gate, music pouring from the open windows with the stream of gentle lights.

We placed our bikes next to the one hundred other bikes by the foot of a hill.

Amber and I stripped out of our pants and shirts to expose our foot-length dresses before shoving the clothes into Amber’s bag.

“You look stunning,” Andreas said, catching his breath.

“I think he’s looking at you,” Amber whispered, nudging my shoulder with a playful grin.

My stomach fluttered as I shrugged her off, but I’d noticed how Andreas’ eyes had rested on my dress when he’d said those words.

It made me happy to hear she’d seen it, too.

“Are you ladies ready?” Andreas asked as the golden gates to the manor opened before us.

I nodded. This was my first party, and I was going to enjoy every second of it.

However, as I took my first step toward the pathway, my heel caught in a crack, and I tripped.

Fortunately, Andreas had the foresight of a psychic and caught me before I hit the road, saving me from the horror of ruining my new dress before we’d even stepped onto the property.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, still clinging to his arm.

“No worries. I know that you’re excited to visit the manor, but take your time and maybe watch the ground, too,” he chuckled.

I wanted to push him away for laughing at me, but my legs trembled so badly in these heels I doubted I could let go without falling. So, I clung to his arm until we’d entered the manor.

We arrived at the end of a long queue, likely leading to the ballroom, where the party was.

I sighed and let go of Andreas to lean against the wall instead. High heels had been a bad choice.

The queue moved slowly, and there were so many people pressing to get inside that I quickly lost sight of Amber and Andreas.

I sighed. I’d find them once I got there. It was no use trying to shout for them from here.

A few minutes and about ten feet later, I noticed one of the guests accidentally twist the handle of a door a little further ahead.

The queue moved and the door was left slightly ajar.

I pushed on until I got there and reached for the handle to close the door when I caught a small peek inside the room.

Paintings… So many paintings. Old and new alike, big and small.

I looked around to see if anyone was paying attention. I loved art more than anything in the entire world.

Paintings and colors, sculptures and carvings.

A single stroke of a pencil could stir the most intense sensations. This collection had to be something remarkable.

Quickly glancing around again, I slipped inside and closed the door behind me.

I marveled at the wonderland I found myself in. Paintings covered every inch of every wall from floor to ceiling.

I’d never seen a collection like it.

One painting quickly caught my attention and I inched closer, careful not to step too close and ruin it.

Contrasting colors clashed on the canvas.

The artist had used layered paint to forge the illusion of abstract figures—edged and soft—jumping from the frame as if to draw you inside its chaotic world.

“I see someone has gotten lost on her way to the party.”

I gasped and instinctively spun on my heel.

A man stepped out from the shadows, his back as straight as a wooden board and his chin slightly raised with a crooked smile.

Jet-black hair tickled his brow as he stepped closer, his piercing blue eyes staring directly at me.

I swallowed tensely, my hands already trembling.

Theodore Reagan.

~

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