Nightmare

The night was eerily silent, and the Reginald Mansion loomed like a ghostly shadow in Alexander's mind. His nightmare played out with vivid clarity as if it were a movie projected onto the walls of his subconscious.

His younger self stood at the edge of the dining room, his face twisted with disdain as he watched his stepsister. She was two years older than him, the illegitimate child of his father's affair with his mother's best friend. While she diligently helped the maid prepare dinner, Alexander's young heart seethed with anger and rejection.

He could never accept her as family. To him, she was a stain on the Reginald name, a reminder of betrayal and disgrace. His mother, on the other hand, had somehow found it in her heart to forgive. Her grace only fueled his frustration. With a huff, Alexander stormed out of the dining room, refusing to sit at the same table as her.