A tall, slender girl with skin like milk and dark brown eyes that held stories untold—Ayana had always stood out. Her presence was magnetic, her laughter addictive, her confidence unshakable. But behind that dazzling smile was a story that began in silence and loss. Ayana's father died when she was just a year and six months old. She didn't remember his voice or his face, only the echo of his absence.
Her mother had worn strength like armor, raising her children with fierce love. Her sister Eliana, once Ayana's constant shadow and best friend, slowly faded into introversion as she grew. But Ayana? She flourished. Loud, proud, and impossible to ignore.
In high school, she became the queen—not crowned, but recognized. Known for her beauty, boldness, and brilliant mind, Ayana walked the halls like they were built for her. She didn't seek trouble, but it seemed to find her often. Yet, she was always dependable. She'd fight for her family, especially for the father she never got to know.
Soft life was her dream—luxury, peace, ease. Pressure irritated her, and she resisted it like a fire resists drowning.
Her brother Aziel had a son, and Ayana adored him. "Auntie's first love," she called him. But then... life happened.