My strange new family

Dad, are angels real? The book you read says they are, but I've never seen one," young Anna asked her father, Mr. Williams.

"Yes, my dear, angels are real," Mr. Williams said, gently tucking Anna into bed. "But not all of them are good. There's an old legend about fallen angels—those who turned into demons after doing something terrible. But there are also angels who still watch over us, protecting and guiding us. Who knows? Maybe one day, you'll have a guardian angel of your own."

As Anna watched her father welcome Maria and her children into the house, memories of their happy moments together flooded her mind.

"Good evening, I'm Anna," she said, extending her hand toward Maria with a warm smile, eager to make a good first impression. However, as her hand remained in the air, Anna felt a strange chill—a cold aura that seemed to hang around Maria and her children. To her surprise, they didn't acknowledge her gesture. Without a glance or a word, they simply walked past her, as if she were invisible, their disregard cutting through her like the icy air that surrounded them. It left Anna standing there, feeling an unsettling mixture of confusion and discomfort.

At that moment, an uneasy feeling settled deep in Anna's chest. Something about Maria and her children felt off, as if their very presence disrupted the harmony of her home. A silent warning echoed in her mind—this wasn't right. But her father was blinded by love, utterly captivated by Maria, and nothing Anna said or did would change that.

Despite being in her mid-fifties, Maria possessed an almost unnatural beauty. Her features were sharp yet elegant, her skin flawless, and the way she carried herself was reminiscent of a runway model. There was something timeless about her, something that made Anna uneasy—like Maria wasn't just beautiful, but eerily perfect in a way that defied reason.

She walked up with her three saucy, spoiled-looking children, their expressions filled with entitlement as they clung to her. She had been Mr. Williams' nurse for the past month, tending to him with a care that seemed almost excessive. At first, it was simply a job—checking his vitals, administering his medication, ensuring he was comfortable—but somewhere along the way, Maria became indispensable.

Mr. Williams, once fiercely independent, suddenly couldn't do without her. He spoke of her with admiration, trusted her judgment over anyone else's, and relied on her presence to get through the day. What started as professional concern turned into deep affection, and before long, he surprised everyone by announcing their marriage.

Now, as Maria stood by his side with her children in tow, it was clear she had secured not just a husband but a new life. Whether love had truly blossomed or she had simply played her cards right, no one could say for sure—but she was Mrs. Williams now, and that was all that mattered.

Her children consisted of two boys and a girl, the youngest of whom was named Lucy. The eldest son appeared relatively normal—reserved, with a sharp gaze that suggested he had seen more than he let on. He carried himself with a quiet confidence, as if he had long accepted the changes in their lives.

The second son, however, was a stark contrast. His skin was pale and gaunt, his eyes sunken with dark circles beneath them, giving him a sickly, almost haunted appearance. His restless movements and the way he kept rubbing his arms made him look like a drug addict, though no one dared to say it aloud. His presence alone set people on edge, as if chaos followed him wherever he went.

Then there was Lucy, the last-born, a girl around Anna's age. She stood with an air of arrogance, her nose slightly upturned as if she believed herself above everyone else. Despite her youth, she carried an air of entitlement, her designer dress pristine, her shoes barely touching the dirt as if the ground itself was beneath her.

Maria had paraded them into Mr. Williams' life as if they belonged there all along, and now, whether Anna liked it or not, they were family.

"Mom, why didn't you answer her? She looked friendly," Lucy whispered, her wide eyes flickering with curiosity as she glanced back at Anna.

Maria's grip tightened around Lucy's wrist as she pulled her closer, lowering her voice to a sharp, warning whisper. "Never mistake her for a friend, much less a sister. She is your biggest competition and your greatest enemy. Do you understand?"

Lucy swallowed hard, nodding hesitantly. Maria released her hand but held her gaze with an intense stare, ensuring the message sank in. The coldness in her mother's eyes sent a chill down Lucy's spine. Whatever warmth she had thought existed between their new family was nothing more than an illusion.

The next day, Mr. Williams made an announcement that sent shockwaves through the company. He appointed Maria as the Vice President—a position Anna had worked tirelessly for and had been promised by her father. On top of that, he gave Maria's children roles in the company, as if they had any right to them.

Fury burned inside Anna as she stormed into her father's office, slamming both hands on his desk.

"Dad, are you serious? First, you brought them into our home without even telling me, and I accepted it. But now you're giving them part of the company that you, Mom and I worked so hard for—just like that?" Her voice shook with frustration. "What happened to earning what you deserve at the right time, like you always taught me? Do any of them even deserve the positions they were given? You—"

Before she could finish, her father cut her off.

"Shut up!" Mr. Williams thundered, his voice echoing through the room. "What gives you the right to speak to me that way? This is my company, and I will give positions to whoever I see fit. What is it to you if I choose to place my family where they belong?"

Anna took a step back, stunned. He had never spoken to her like this before—never raised his voice at her in such anger. For a moment, all she could do was stare at him, disbelief written all over her face. The father she had known, the man who had guided her and promised her a future,

was slipping away right before her eyes.