Autumn'sPOV -
As soon as I opened the door, the scene before me made me freeze.
Mom, Dad, and a tall man in a black suit were sitting in the living room, waiting for me.
The moment my eyes landed on him, my face lit up.
"Brother!"
I rushed toward him without thinking and wrapped my arms around him tightly. He chuckled and hugged me back just as warmly.
"Hey, you didn't even tell me you were coming home," I complained. "It's been so long since we last saw each other."
"My baby sister," he laughed softly. "I wanted to surprise you. Why are you complaining so much, huh?"
"Ahem..."
Someone cleared their throat.
Mom.
She was sitting across from us, her expression unusually serious.
"I need to talk to you," she said firmly.
"Sit down."
The excitement on my face faded.
Something about her tone told me this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.
I let go of my brother and quietly took a seat opposite my parents while Austin sat beside me.
For a few moments, the room remained silent.
Then Mom finally spoke.
"So... your father and I had a serious discussion yesterday while you were away. I want you to listen carefully."
"I'm all ears."
" You are not going to back down from pursuing Designing are you . " She said firmly.
" Of course not and you can't force me to ,either "
Yes ! Yes ! We give her attitude .ATTITUDE!!!.
" Alright , I see . I have one condition for you . I you agree to it , you can go ahead and study designing " She stated.
" What Condition??"
" So your Condition is --*a long pause*--that you will not become a designer after you graduate and are done with your studies . " She said.
" What ?? What kind of nonsense is that . It's like you work hard to cook , the food is served and placed in front of you but you can't eat it . " I snapped.
Wow . She is really something . Is this her important talk .
" Well.... it's a win - win situation for both of us . You get to study design and we get to not have a designer daughter " She argued.
" What ??? I don't understand what your problem is . Why do you not want me to become a designer huh !! What's wrong with that . " I argued back .
" I don't want a designer daughter . If you can't fulfill this condition then sorry you can't get your way with this one , young lady " my mom said , her v oice low and firm.
" Mom , what are you saying . That's not - my brother started but was cut off by my dad.
" Honey ! That's enough. Let's not get this conversation heated . You know what happens right . " My dad said softly.
I looked at her . It seemed that she realized it too and didn't say anything.
" Oh look at that . You are stopping me from something you used to be . I mean you were a designer too weren't you . " I said , my voice cracking.
It seemed as if something shattered inside her. Her eyes were bloodshot and tears were welling in them . She looked at her hands which were clenched on her lap.
" - Also , If you don't want me you can choose to disown me . " I continued.
" AUTUMN !!!!" My brother snapped.
Tears started falling from my mother's eyes.
" AUTUMN !! GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM . NOWWWW." My dad shouted at me .
It was the first time my dad shouted at me. He was fuming with anger. He sat close to his wife and hugged her . My mom who was in my dad's embrace didn't say anything and continued crying.
It was the first time Dad had ever shouted at me. He was furious. He pulled Mom into his arms, and she buried her face in his chest, crying silently.
I stood up from the couch. My head spun instantly — too fast, too hard. I hadn't eaten since yesterday, and I'd barely drunk anything all day. My vision tunneled, the edges going dark, like someone was slowly closing shutters around my eyes.
A cold sweat broke out on my neck. My chest felt tight, my heartbeat suddenly loud in my ears. I tried to take a breath, but the air wouldn't come right.
I took a step toward my room, then another. The floor tilted under me. I reached for the wall, but my fingers couldn't grip. My legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor.
The last thing I saw was my brother's face rushing toward me before everything went black.
****
Austin's Pov( Autumn's Brother ) :
Autumn got up from her seat. She was walking fast, but I noticed it — she was swaying slightly, like she was fighting to stay upright. I knew that look. She hadn't eaten, hadn't drunk enough, and now this argument had pushed her body over the edge.
I followed her up the stairs. She turned once, took a few huge strides, then her knees buckled. I lunged forward and caught her just before she hit the floor.
Mom and Dad came running up, panting. Mom's eyes were still red, her face pale.
"I shouldn't have shouted at her. Whenever she's stressed like this and hasn't eaten or drunk enough, she faints. Alya, please bring her meds and a glass of water," Dad said, his voice tight as he called one of our house maids .
"It's my fault. I should've let her stay at her friend's house. I shouldn't have called her back," Mom whispered, tears slipping down again.
"It's alright, Mom, Dad. She has a lot of triggers, and it's going to happen. We can't avoid it. This would only stop if she agrees to face her trauma. That's the only real cure," I said, lifting her carefully and laying her on her bed.
Alya came in with water and the pills. She sat beside Autumn until she stirred slightly, then gently helped her take the medicine. Autumn's breathing evened out, and she slipped back into sleep.
I motioned for Alya to leave and asked my parents to rest. Then I sat beside her, holding her hand.
My eyes landed on her face. She looked so much like Dad, but her spirit was all Mom — stubborn, fierce, unbreakable. She's also, obviously, the second most good-looking in the family after me.
I squeezed her hand. I wanted to apologize for everything she's had to go through without doing anything wrong. For not being able to protect her from this pain, from Mom's past, from the weight of expectations.
Sometimes I feel so useless. I can run a company, make deals, handle crises — but I can't fix this. I can't erase her triggers or make Mom understand.
All I want is for her to be happy. To study design, to become the designer she's always dreamed of being. But because of old wounds and unspoken rules, she's going to have to fight for it.
She was such an innocent soul as a kid. My eyes landed on the portrait of us playing football, and then on the photo of her winning that design contest. Mom threw a fit that day too just because she wanted Autumn to stay away from designing but for all I care about , She had a natural talent just like Mom .
Whatever it takes me . I will help my sister do what she really wants to even if I have to go against our parents. I will make her dream come true . I will do everything for this little munchkin.
"She'll always be my precious baby sister," I whispered, a tear slipping down. "And no one, not even the past, will ever break that."
To be continued...