842 Days in the Asylum: My Family’s Gift Chapter 05
Lyra’s POV
“We’re here.” Matteo’s voice gently pulled me awake.
I must have fallen asleep during the drive, not that it had been a peaceful sleep. Like always, it had been another nightmare.
I was fifteen again, standing in front of my birthday cake. Mama had told me to wait for Papa to come home before blowing out the candles, but I had been too excited. I closed my eyes, made a wish, and whispered it with all my heart.
“I want Papa, Mama, and Brother to stay with me forever.”
As I looked at the familiar mansion outside the window, I almost laughed at the irony.
That wish had come true in the worst possible way.
I was back. Back in the house that had become my nightmare.
“Come on.” Matteo got out first, then walked around and opened my door.
He hesitated for a moment before extending a hand. “You’re still weak. Do you want me to carry you
inside?”
The question sounded polite. Considerate, even.
But I knew better. Matteo wasn’t worried about me. He was probably worried I might lose control again like I had in the car and at the hospital.
Ignoring his hand, I took a deep breath and climbed out on my own.
Every step toward the mansion felt like walking on broken glass.
“Stay calm, Lyra,” I told myself as I took another step forward. “Lily was inside. She was the only person who knew where your real family was. Once you got that address, you would leave this house, leave the
Kane, and never look back.”
When Matteo pushed open the front door, laughter immediately drifted from the living room.
“Papa, Mama, Mr. Vex agreed to invest another million into the casino!” Lily’s cheerful voice filled the house. “The money should arrive before Friday.”
“Well done!” Papa laughed proudly. “Well done!”
Mama joined in. “Such a business genius at your age.”
“Oh, I didn’t do that much.” Lily giggled.
As we stepped inside, I saw Lily curled against Mama’s side while Mama wrapped an affectionate arm
around her shoulders.
“You and Papa spoil me too much,” Lily said with a bright smile.
Papa looked at her with pure admiration.
“Nonsense. The casino is lucky to have you managing it.” His voice was filled with pride. “With your talent, the Kane will become bigger and stronger than ever.”
Such a picture-perfect family I used to dream about, a loving father, a doting mother and a beloved daughter.
Matteo’s voice broke the harmony. “Father. Mother. I brought Lyra back. Something happened on the
way, so we’re a little late.”
The warmth vanished from the room instantly.
Papa turned toward me. His jaw tightened the moment our eyes met.
Mama reacted first. She stood up and hurried toward me. For a brief second, I thought I saw tears
gathering in her eyes.
But then I wondered why she would cry. Wasn’t she the one who had spent years refusing to even look at
me after Lily came home?
Mama slowly lifted a hand toward my face, but stopped halfway. Her fingers hovered awkwardly in the
air before falling back to her side.
“Lyra…” Her voice trembled. “I’m so happy you’re finally home.”
I forced the corners of my lips upward. “Mm.”
Before Mama could say another word, Lily suddenly gasped. “What happened to you, Matteo?”
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
There was a bruise on Matteo’s cheek, scratches running along his jaw and neck. His shirt was wrinkled,
with a few buttons missing from where we’d struggled earlier.
“Did Lyra…” Lily looked toward me. She didn’t finish the sentence.
She didn’t need to. The implication was already there.
Did Lyra do this? Did Lyra hurt Matteo?
That had always been Lily’s favorite trick. She would stop halfway through a sentence and let everyone fill in the blanks themselves. Just like the champagne tower, the missing homework and all the rumors
at school.
Lily would simply mention my name, shed a few tears, and somehow I would become the villain of the
story.
Every. Single. Time.
And now she was doing it again. She couldn’t even wait for me to sit down before starting.
The funny thing was that this time, she was actually right. I had done it. I had slapped Matteo. I had thrown a vase at him.
And if pushed far enough, I wouldn’t mind doing the same to rest of the Kane as well.
I was done being that girl who stayed silent while everyone called her evil, who swallowed every accusation and every humiliation.
The change in Mama was immediate. The gentle expression disappeared as she rushed to Matteo’s side, shielding him instinctively. She stared at me as if I were some kind of monster. “How could you do this to
your own brother?”
The joy vanished from Mama’s face, replaced by the familiar look of judgment, disappointment, and
blame.
Lily gently wrapped an arm around Mama’s shoulders. “Lyra,” she said softly, “you’re making Mama sad.”
“Matteo personally went to bring you home,” Mama said, tears gathering in her eyes. “If you’re still angry, then take it out on me. Why would you hurt Matteo? He’s done nothing wrong.”
Lily wrapped an arm around Mama’s shoulders and comforted her.
I had been back for less than a minute. And somehow, I was already the villain again.
Did I want to hurt Matteo?
If he hadn’t dared me to prove myself… if he hadn’t pushed me to the edge… if he hadn’t tried to force me
into a hospital room filled with pills and memories…
Why would I have fought him?
But I was too tired to explain myself. So I stayed silent while Mama and Lily continued their accusations.
“Lyra, this is unacceptable.” Papa finally spoke, his face dark with anger.
“If you wanted to be locked up and get punished on your first day back, you could have simply said so. There was no need to attack your brother to get attention. I suppose you’ve forgotten the rules of this family after spending such a comfortable time in that asylum.”
“Comfortable?” A bitter laugh escaped me. “If you think it was so comfortable, why don’t you go live there yourself?”
“You-”
“How dare you speak to your father like that!”
“Everyone shut up!” Matteo’s voice cracked through the room like a whip.
The entire room fell silent.
He pulled away from Mama and faced everyone.
“I got into a fight,” he said flatly. “That’s where the bruises came from. Lyra didn’t touch me.”
Then he looked directly at Lily. For the first time, there was a warning in his eyes. “Lily, I appreciate your
concern. But don’t speak for me again. I can speak for myself.”
Lily’s eyes instantly reddened. “I was only worried about you…”
“Matteo!” Papa barked. “Is that any way to speak to your sister?”
“Father,” Matteo rubbed his forehead. “Lyra barely walked through the door before Lily started pointing
out my injuries. Do I look like someone who’d let a girl half my size beat me up?”
