They wrapped my body up, zipped tight in a black bag, and shipped it back to the morgue like just another piece of evidence. No one knew who I was yet. Just another nameless girl left to rot in the city’s underbelly.

"It’s gonna take days to ID her," the forensic expert muttered, shaking his head as they loaded my body into the van. "The face is too damaged for a visual, and with no fingerprints, DNA is our only option."

Martinez would never know it was me. Not right away. And even if he did, I wonder if it would’ve mattered. After all, I was never his priority.

For as long as I can remember, Martinez always favored Leo—his adopted son, his enforcer, his right hand in the Mafia. Leo was everything I wasn’t. Loyal. Ruthless. Willing to do whatever it took to climb the ranks of my father’s criminal empire. Meanwhile, I was the daughter kept at arm’s length, shut out from the family business as if I didn’t belong.

Martinez was a king, and Leo was his chosen heir. Me? I was just an afterthought, something to be hidden away.

As I floated there, watching them transport my lifeless body, my mind wandered back to all the times I had tried to be seen by him, to matter. But it was never enough. Martinez never wanted me involved. He made that clear from day one.

Growing up in that house, it was easy to feel invisible. While Martinez and Leo sat at the table, discussing deals, territory, and power, I was always sent to my room. I wasn’t part of that world—wasn’t meant to be. Martinez would look at me with those cold eyes, always distant, like I was some fragile thing he didn’t know what to do with.

"Stay out of it, Selene," he’d say. "This isn’t your place."

But Leo? Leo was always welcome at his side. Martinez molded him, shaped him into the perfect soldier, while I watched from the sidelines, wondering why I wasn’t enough.

I guess part of me had always known the truth. Martinez wasn’t the kind of man who could love. Not really. He ruled with fear, with control, and there was no room for sentiment. Not for someone like me.

Even when I was a child, I remember how he looked at me—like I was a burden, a reminder of something he didn’t want to deal with. I was a girl in a man’s world, and that made me useless to him.

Leo, though, he thrived in that world. He was everything Martinez wanted in a son—strong, loyal, obedient. They were a team, a perfect match in their pursuit of power. And me? I was the girl locked out of their kingdom, left to wander the edges of their lives, unseen.

I used to wonder if things could’ve been different. If maybe, just once, Martinez could’ve looked at me and seen something more than just his daughter. But the truth is, I never had a chance. Not with Leo there. Leo was his favorite, the one who could do no wrong, and I was just... there.

In the end, I learned to keep my distance. It was easier that way. If Martinez didn’t want me, then I wouldn’t want him either. I built walls, put up defenses, and told myself I didn’t care. But it was a lie, wasn’t it? Deep down, I always wanted to matter to him. To be something more than just his forgotten child.

As the van carrying my body pulled away, my spirit lingered, watching the city streets pass by. I wondered if Leo even knew I was gone. Probably not. He had his own problems, his own battles to fight for Martinez’s empire. I was never part of his plans.

But there was something more to it. Something I never understood. Why did Martinez keep me at such a distance? Why did he never let me in, even when I wanted to prove myself?

Maybe it was because I wasn’t cut out for that life. Maybe he saw something in me that was too soft, too weak for the world he had built. Or maybe... maybe he just didn’t care. I’ll never know.

I thought back to the last time I saw him. It was months ago, at one of those endless family dinners where I sat in silence, picking at my food while Martinez and Leo talked business. As usual, I wasn’t part of the conversation. I never was.

"Leo’s making progress on the west side," Martinez had said, his tone full of pride. "We’ll own those streets by the end of the year."

Leo had nodded, a confident smile on his face. "I’ve got it under control."

And me? I sat there, invisible, wondering why I even bothered showing up. It wasn’t like they’d notice if I was gone.

Now I really was gone, and I doubted either of them would care. I wasn’t part of their world, not really. Just a shadow on the fringes of their empire, easily forgotten.

But as my body was wheeled into the morgue, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Martinez was about to learn something he couldn’t ignore. His precious empire was crumbling, and soon enough, he’d find out that I—his own daughter—was caught in the middle of it.

Not that it would change anything. Not for a man like him. I was never part of the plan, just collateral damage in a war I never wanted to be part of.

And now, I was nothing more than another body in the morgue.

It had been a week since I vanished, and life went on like nothing happened. I had hoped someone would notice my absence, but as I drifted through the familiar places I once called home, it felt like I had never existed at all.

The first sign of concern came from Leo. He had that uncanny ability to sense when something was off, especially when it involved family. Fiercely loyal to my father, Martinez, he was always the one who kept an eye on things. But even he seemed oblivious, too caught up in the chaos of the family business. It took my absence from an important business event for him to finally catch on.

The night of the gathering arrived, a lavish celebration meant to toast another successful deal with one of their allies. Laughter and the clinking of glasses echoed throughout the mansion, creating a stark contrast to my silence. I was gone, and no one cared enough to look for me.

“Where’s Selene?” Leo’s voice cut through the chatter as he approached my father, who was deep in conversation with a couple of associates. Leo’s brow was furrowed with concern. “She hasn’t shown up.”

Martinez glanced over, momentarily distracted from the business talk. “She probably got caught up in something,” he replied dismissively, waving a hand like my absence didn’t matter.

“Aren’t you worried? This isn’t like her,” Leo pressed, his voice low but insistent. I imagined him leaning in closer, trying to get my father to see sense. He could be intimidating when he wanted to be.

Martinez shrugged, his focus drifting back to the deals and numbers swirling around him. “There are more important things to worry about than her. We have a rival gang to crush, and I don’t have time to babysit.”

“She’s your daughter, Dad!” Leo shot back, a rare edge creeping into his tone. “You can’t just ignore her. What if something’s wrong?”

Martinez’s expression hardened, annoyance creeping into his features. “Selene is an adult. She can take care of herself. We have business to handle.”

Leo’s jaw clenched as he stepped back, frustration radiating from him. He was always the dutiful son, doing his best to keep Martinez happy, but my absence was starting to crack his facade. I felt the tension building, a reminder of how quickly loyalty could be tested.

As I floated nearby, watching the exchange, a pang of sadness hit me, mixed with betrayal. I wanted to scream, to let Leo know I was still here, that I hadn’t just vanished. But all I could do was watch him grapple with a father who would rather focus on his empire than acknowledge his own flesh and blood.

The evening rolled on, filled with laughter and celebrations while I lingered in the background, unseen and unheard. I floated through the room, watching as Martinez held court, charming his guests and basking in their adoration. I had always been a shadow in his light, and now I felt even more invisible.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the sound of music, the weight of my absence pressed heavily on my chest. I had wanted to be part of this world, to share in the laughter and success. But as the night wore on, I realized how futile that desire had been. Martinez had never wanted me here, and now I was just a ghost haunting the edges of their perfect lives.

As the evening began to wind down, I watched Leo mingle with the guests, putting on a brave face even as worry clouded his eyes. He was the one who truly cared, the one who noticed when something was off. I wanted to reach out, to let him know I was still here, still his sister, but the words wouldn’t come.

Hours passed, and as guests began to leave, their laughter fading into the night, Leo lingered for a moment longer. His expression was somber as he looked around, probably searching for a sign of me. I felt a flicker of hope that he might realize I was gone, that he might search for me, but that moment passed as quickly as it came.

Eventually, he walked away, leaving the mansion behind. I floated there, lost in my thoughts, feeling more alone than ever. Did he even realize how much I craved his support, his acknowledgment? I had spent years trying to find a way to be seen, to be accepted by this family, and now it felt like I was just a forgotten memory.

The night air was crisp as I drifted through the empty halls, each room a reminder of the life I once had. I remembered the birthdays and holidays spent in this house, trying to make my father proud, trying to fit into a mold that was never meant for me.

But no more. I was done chasing after their approval. I was tired of being the invisible daughter, the afterthought. At that moment, I made a silent promise to myself: I would find a way to be more than just a ghost haunting the edges of my father’s life. I would not let them forget me!