[EVE]
Days had passed since I found my family, and life had never been more . . . chaotic.
My mother, Helen, and my father, Dave, had sold everything they owned back in Germany and moved here to be with . Not that I minded—I was overjoyed to have them close.
After years of being alone, after struggling in silence, I finally had them by my side. But their arrival also brought challenges I hadn't anticipated.
Since they had just moved here, neither of them had jobs yet, which ant I was now responsible for all the household expenses of five. I didn't mind, really—I had more than enough money to support them—but still, it was a drastic change.
We sat at a breakfast buffet in the restaurant downstairs, plates filled with food. No one had wanted to cook for so many people, so I had simply brought them here to eat.
Dave took a bite of his eggs before glancing at . "Don't worry, Eve. I'll find a job soon, so I can help with the expenses."
I shook my head, offering him a reassuring smile. "Dad, it's fine. I have plenty of money—I can take care of everything."
Helen sighed, setting her fork down. "I'm so sorry, Eve. We sold everything just to be with you, but we didn't think about what cos after."
I chuckled lightly. "Mom, it's okay. Order whatever you want. A few bucks here and there won't make a difference to ."
"You don't have to do all of this." She hesitated before turning to my siblings. "And you two—Dutch, Haley—stop eating so much!"
"Mom! Eve said it's fine!" Dutch protested, his mouth still full. "I've never eaten anything this good before—this is amazing."
"Yeah, and it's a buffet, Mom. It's literally 'eat all you want,'" Haley added.
Helen gave a shy, apologetic look. "I'm sorry about their manners, Eve. We weren't exactly well off before, so we can be a little . . . rough around the edges."
I smiled at her. "No worries. I don't mind."
Haley's eyes lit up with excitent as she turned to . "Sis, since we're going to be living here, can we go shopping for supplies? I need a new outfit! This is New York—we have to look the part."
"Haley," Helen warned, but I cut in before she could scold her.
"It's fine," I assured her. Then I turned back to my sister. "Since you're transferring to my school, I know just what to get you. I'll free up my schedule today so we can go shopping."
"Really? Thanks!" Haley bead.
Dutch leaned over. "What about ?"
I laughed. "Of course, we're shopping for everyone. I'll take care of it."
Their cheers filled the restaurant, and a warmth spread through . This—this feeling of togetherness—was what I had been missing. For so long, it had just been , navigating life alone. Now, with my family here, Cole's absence didn't sting as much. The emptiness I had felt for years was slowly fading, replaced by sothing real, sothing tangible.
Haley nudged . "Sis, I need a new phone—the latest model, please."
Dutch rolled his eyes. "Shut up, your phone is still new." Then he turned to . "Lil' sis, I didn't bring enough clothes. Can we get so suits? I need sothing decent for job hunting."
Helen sighed, rubbing her temples. "You two, stop pestering your sister." She turned to apologetically. "Eve, just ignore them. How about this instead—buy so skincare? My skin isn't used to this weather. Look, it's dry and itchy already."
I chuckled. "Sure, Mom. I'll get you whatever you need."
Dave, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up. "Eve, how about I work for one of your companies? That way, I won't have to work under so random boss."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's a good idea, Dad. Though, you really don't have to."
"Nonsense." He shook his head firmly. "I'm the father of this family, and I'll contribute. I won't let my daughter carry all the burden alone."
I saw the determination in his eyes and knew there was no point in arguing. "Alright. If that's what you want."
Then I glanced at the rest of them. "And as for the rest of you, I'll get everything you need later."
Cheers erupted again, and I couldn't help but smile. Seeing them happy, seeing their excitent—it filled a void inside that I hadn't even realized was still there.
Dutch was older than , while Haley was the youngest, which technically made the middle child. But the way Dutch acted—childish, loud, completely unbothered—he didn't resemble the older brother I had imagined. Not that I minded.
For months, I had worked tirelessly, pushing myself beyond my limits just to build a life where I could be free. And now, finally, I had the thing I wanted most—a family. It wasn't perfect. It was ssy, unpredictable, and, at tis, overwhelming.
But it was mine. And for the first ti in a long while, I felt truly content.
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[EVE]
At first, having my family here felt like a dream. Every morning, I woke up to the warmth of voices filling my apartnt, the sll of freshly brewed coffee, and the comforting presence of people I had spent years searching for.
But dreams had a way of turning into sothing else—sothing far less ideal—when reality set in.
It had been a month, and I was beginning to notice things I had been too blinded by happiness to see before.
Dutch had promised to use the money I gave him for job hunting. He had even picked out expensive suits, claiming he needed to "look the part" for interviews. But job interviews never seed to happen.
Instead, he spent his ti picking up girls, flaunting his new wardrobe like a peacock, and going on lavish dates.
When I asked about his progress, he always had so excuse—he was waiting for the right opportunity, or networking with important people.
"Networking?" I had scoffed when I overheard him talking to one of his friends on the phone. "Is that what you call flirting now?"
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