Selena's eyelids fluttered open, and she was met with an unfamiliar ceiling. She sat up, rubbing her temples, trying to remember how she got there. Selena slowly sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was in a strange bedroom, with Eun Ho dozing off in a chair next to her.
The room was filled with tabloids and newspapers, and an IV line was attached to her hand.
She picked up a newspaper, and her eyes widened as she saw the date: January 8th, 2004. A panic raised in her.
Just then, Jonah walked in, a look of relief on his face. "You're awake," he said, ringing a bell to summon someone. It took me an hour to come back. It's been four days."
Selena tried to speak, but her mouth was dry, and her throat was sore. She wanted to ask what had happened, but all that came out was a faint croak.
Jonah quickly opened a bottle of water and handed it to her. "You screamed a lot, it must have been scary," he said, his eyes filled with concern. A lot. It must have been painful.
Selena took a sip of the water, feeling it soothe her parched throat. She looked at Jonah, trying to ask him what had happened, but her throat was sore and parched. "What do you mean, Jonah?"
"Hearing Dônn, when you get your gift, it hurts your head, and you see the gold," Jonah said, somewhat puzzled by her.
"That big, beautiful golden woven being of light showed me the future and talked my ears off. But it didn't hurt," Selena said. Jonah looked confused still, thankfully, mom woke up.
Eun Ho stretched, her eyes fixed on her daughter as she yawned. "Moon, you're awake," she said, using Selena's nickname. She smiled, relief washing over her face.
Jonah nodded, his eyes still fixed on his sister. "I called the butler; food and maids should be up soon," he said, his voice matter-of-fact.
As he looked at Selena, Jonah felt a sense of responsibility wash over him. He had been trained to protect his family, and now that Selena was awakening to her powers, he knew that his duty included keeping her safe. It hit him hard after the untangling ceremony, he remembered his grandmother explaining it was Dônn tying him to her destiny.
Jonah's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door, and he opened it to reveal Timothy MacPherson, the Kinsman Loyal Family butler. "Young Master, the nurse is here to check your sister," Timothy announced, his expression impeccably professional.
Jonah nodded, stepping aside to allow the nurse to enter. As he watched, he couldn't help but think about the vast differences between Selena and McKenna,
McKenna was an energy pit, with a grey mist around her. Selena's power was awe-inspiring, and Jonah's own foresight had sharpened in response. He felt a sense of pride and protectiveness towards his sister, knowing that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
The Kinsman Family's history. Their loyal servants were also from an old vassal family and included four families. These vassal families remained loyal as they benefited from the Kinsman. The last vassal family was purged from the family as using the sacred knowledge as their own for fame. The Mackenzie family had been outlasted ever since.
The Kinsman were advisors to the crown, they had a long and storied past. Until they outgrew royalty and serving them. Especially when they had abandoned the goddess. Their wealth and influence were matched only by their reputation for producing gifted individuals like Amelia, who could see into the future.
As a bloodline heir, Amelia was exceedingly wealthy, and she loved to indulge in the finer things in life. But Jonah knew that there was more to their family's wealth than just material possessions. Some secrets and responsibilities came with being a part of the Kinsman Family, and wealth helped solve problems and it also helped them cope with them.
Selena's eyes widened as she watched the parade of bags, boxes, and packages being brought into the room. It was clear that Amelia had gone on a shopping spree, and Selena was the lucky recipient of all these gifts.
As she sat up in bed, Selena's gaze fell upon a tabloid magazine that had been left on the bedside table. She picked it up, and her eyes scanned the cover. Her jaw dropped as she saw her face staring back at her.
She flipped through the pages, reading the article that accompanied the photo. It was a mix of truth and fiction, but Selena assumed that the inaccuracies were intentional, meant to protect Molly and her reputation.
Another magazine caught her eye, this one featuring a "get the look" spread with Selena as the inspiration. There was also a mini biography, which Selena scanned. Again, the information was somewhat correct, but Selena knew that it was all part of the carefully constructed narrative avoiding her past. Luckily, the family was private, explaining McKenna as away as a cousin was easy for Jonathan.
Selena couldn't help but smile as she gazed at the magazine spread. She had to admit that she looked stunning in that outfit. The photographer had captured her angles perfectly, and the styling was on point.
As she flipped through the pages, Selena's eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea she had become so famous. The articles, the photos, the speculation about her personal life... It was all so overwhelming.
Selena felt a little dizzy, trying to wrap her head around the sheer scale of her newfound fame. She had always known that her family was influential, but this was something entirely different. She was a celebrity now, and it was a strange and unsettling feeling.
Selena's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at the magazine spread, her mind flooded with memories of her past life. She had struggled with migraines and focal epilepsy, conditions that had gone non-diagnosed and misunderstood. She had thought she had ADHD and was just prone to headaches, but in reality, her brain had been battling a much more complex enemy.
School had been a nightmare, not just because of the bullying and fatphobia but also because of the constant, debilitating pain. Selena had felt like she was losing her mind, like she was trapped in a never-ending cycle of suffering.
But now, in this new life, Selena was famous, thin, and beautiful. She was the opposite of her former self, and it was almost too much to bear. The tears streamed down her face as she mourned the girl she used to be, the girl who had suffered in silence for so long. It felt nice to be loved.