Ami: "Oh no. But you know who was? You."
Ami runs down the stairs.
Ami: "Father?"
Ami: "I think we need to talk about Alia."
That gets his attention. Even the stepmother lowers her cup slightly.
Father: "What about her?"
Ami: "I saw her taking money from your drawer again."
(She glances meaningfully at the stepmother without breaking stride---I got you.)
Ami: "She didn't see me at first. But it looked serious. I think her... issue might be getting out of hand."
Father: "What issue?"
Ami (softly): "You know what I mean. The drug problem."
The room goes still.
Stepmother: "I... I suspected something too."
(She quickly sees the opportunity and jumps on it.Silently thanking Ami for saving her for now)
"She's been acting strange. Moody. Secretive. Always needing cash."
Alia (shouting from the stairs): "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
Everyone turns.
There she is----Alia, now storming into the room, face red with rage.
Alia: "Ami, you BITCH! You're the one sneaking around and suddenly I'm the thief?! You liar---!"
Father (voice booming): "ALIAAAAA!"
The sudden shout silences everything.
Father (sternly): "Enough is enough. You are grounded. No allowance for the next month."
Alia: "But Dad---"
Father: "Not another word!"
Alia's fists clench at her sides, knuckles white, but she knows better than to scream at him again. She turns to her mother, looking for help.
Stepmother: "Alia, go to your room before your father gets angrier."
The betrayal on Alia's face is almost comical. But Ami doesn't even blink.
Alia (gritting her teeth, muttering): "I'll make you pay for this."
She storms up the stairs.
Father (massaging his forehead): "God... these children. One drives me insane, the other drains my wallet."
Stepmother: "Ami, bring Aron some lime juice, will you?"
Ami: "He's home?"
Stepmother: "Yes, yes, just go."
Ami's POV:
"Aww. She wants me out of the room before I say anything more, huh? Cute."
She heads to the kitchen, prepares a glass of lime juice, and walks to Aron's room.
Knock knock.
Ami: "Brother, can I come in?"
Aron: "Come."
Aron is sitting at his desk, eyes fixed on his laptop screen. Medical journals and patient files are stacked in a pile beside him.
Ami: (steps in, smiling) "Here, have some lime juice .Good for your stress."
Aron: "Just put it on the table."
Ami: "You know what happened today? Alia stole cash again. Father grounded her."
That gets his attention. Aron finally turns toward her, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Aron: "Tch... I don't wanna talk about that right now."
Ami nods slowly, letting the silence sit for a second.
Ami: "Sure. Take some rest. Don't push yourself too hard."
She turns toward the door, casually walking out.
Aron (thinking):
"She was a dumb girl yesterday… and suddenly, she's starting to think more about this family? Bringing juice, chatting about Alia, trying to sound all concerned. Since when does Ami care about anything other than her sketchbooks and random nonsense?
Maybe she's finally learned to use her head. That dumb, naive version of her would've just cried in a corner.If she's going to be useful, then fine. I'll focus on Ami. Alia's always been messy, too impulsive. Ami... Ami can be groomed into something reliable."
A smirk forms on his lips.
"I'll make her one of my pawns. She just doesn't need to know it yet."
[Ami's POV – in her room]
Ami enters her room and closes the door gently behind her. Her smile disappears the moment she's alone.
"One step at a time. Every act of kindness... is a knife I'll twist later. I won't rush it.Slowly earning Aron's attention..Good.I'll be the 'better sibling' he can count on. Just like they all wanted me to be---until they betrayed me. Little by little, they'll trust me... lean on me.. I'll let them all believe that I'm the same old Ami---the harmless girl, the obedient daughter, the smiling little sister."
"And when they're convinced... I'll collect what I'm owed."
She sits at her desk .
She pulls her sketchbook again, flips past Dio's accidental thirst trap, and draws something new---
A snake wrapped around a blooming rose.
She titles the page: "Poison in Petals."