Unloved: A Sims Story by orenjiAi

I started a new playthrough based on otome games or Japanese dating simulators. In these kind of games, the end goal is to develop a relationship with any one or sometimes all of the “conquerable” romantic interests. Which honestly is not unlike the trashy romance dramas I put my sims through. Except of course that otome games are actually visual novels that follow a preset string of events instead of my sandbox playstyle. With multidimensional characters, personal development, and an actual story to boot... Anyway!


Unloved 1

It all started at the San Myshuno Children’s Home. This is Elia (blonde toddler out front).
https://i.imgur.com/Ek1nZW9.png
She doesn’t know how she ended up at the orphanage; all she knows is she’s been there longer than anyone else. Every time they have "guests", "mother" makes them line up, and a lucky kid gets "loved" into a family. But guests came after guests. A child gets loved after another. And yet Elia remains in the orphanage unloved.
https://i.imgur.com/mYEBXrN.gif
It's not that she was unlikeable. She was a sweet, kind girl. It's just her eyes—a vivid purple—throws off any potential parents or friends. It was piercing and humbling. Feelings everyone was uncomfortable with. Everyone except her "younger brother" Adriel.
https://i.imgur.com/tuO5yxM.png
Adriel is a fun-loving and sunny young boy. He doesn't shun Elia away and he's always ready to brighten up her mood when she's feeling unwell which had been an awful lot lately.

Not considering her eyes, Elia is almost of age now too. Not many are looking forward to rearing adolescents. Mother says teenagers who do not get adopted after 18 are kicked out of the system and into the streets. She can, of course, continue to live at the Children's Home but she has to work for it now. Not that she'd like it; according to the cook, the matron can be such a b*sh to other employees sometimes.

One day the Children's Home got an interesting call. The parent was looking to adopt a blonde teenage girl—one with violet/purple eyes.
https://i.imgur.com/yhKFzKk.png
Wanting to get rid of Elia soon (she too finds her eyes intimidating and she was losing money on raising her too), Mother ignored the oddly specific request and immediately made arrangements for a visit.
https://i.imgur.com/KL8wyoj.png
The mysterious guest came after sundown as heavy rain poured.
https://i.imgur.com/lta0vpG.png
Elia was helping Adriel clean up dinner when she was summoned. The cook happily announced, much to her surprise (and Adriel’s worry), that she might get adopted soon. In fact, the guest is requesting her presence in the drawing room right now!
https://i.imgur.com/fiJk2l5.png
Elia puts up a nervous smile as she enters the room, straightening her uniform, eager to impress her potential parent. She was expecting an elderly couple, or a middle-aged spinster who desperately wanted someone to dote on...
https://i.imgur.com/a3jO69W.png
Instead, to her surprise, it was a handsome, dapper, gentleman—perhaps only a few years older than herself. He bolted right up and charged at the sight of her. Elia didn’t have time to react as he reached out and slammed his left hand into the wall just above her ear. He lowered his face into Elia’s and looked her straight into her eyes.
https://i.imgur.com/QLCyI6s.png
Elia felt a fluttering sensation rising in her stomach. She wondered for a second what she was doing in the drawing room and why she was pinned against the wall. She found herself unable to breathe. She wasn’t even capable of thinking to push away the strange not-so-gentleman. She just leaned against the wall unblinkingly staring back into his eyes.

“Uncanny...” she heard him say under his breath breaking the awkward situation.

https://i.imgur.com/JGcA8bZ.png
Oddly, she caught herself standing upright. And him a few feet away. "Pardon my intrusion, my lady," the gentleman whispered to her with a wink. In a louder, more dignified voice, he addressed the other two women. "I am your humble servant, Robert Dubois, emissary to the Royal Thebes..."

Elia couldn't make out the rest of his speech. She was still thinking about what happened earlier. Her heart was racing but she didn't know why. Maybe she's not used to being looked at. After all, people always averted her gaze. And then here comes this guy; looking into her souls with his dreamy grey eyes for a solid minute or so.

"Y-you can't just take her!" a shrill voice cut through her thoughts.

It was Mother. She was still firmly seated in her chair but there was a hint of panic in her face. And her despair was evident in her voice. "W-what about...m-my investments, huh!? I spent a fortune keeping her safe! A-and there's also the...the legal process! You haven't even done the paperwork!"

"Ahh yes, compensation," Robert said calmly. "I believe this should be enough to reimburse your expenses."
https://i.imgur.com/lOYJPYK.png
He slammed two bags full of money onto the table. Mother was at a lost for words; so was Elia as she felt her jaw drop.

"As for paperwork, our lawyers will visit your office in the morning." he continued curtly, "They shall see to it that everything is legally taken care of. Now then."

He turned to Elia and asked her, more gently, if she needed assistance in packing her things.

Elia shook her head. She didn't have many stuff to pack in the first place. All she has is her uniforms and that one too-large "nice" dress that Mother only lets her wear when the media visits around Christmastime. In five minutes, a black car, the longest Elia has ever seen, rolled into the Children's Home's driveway. "This is all so surreal", she said to herself. So many were the thoughts going through her head that she didn't even know what she should be thinking! She was sure of one thing, though. She's no longer the unloved! In fact she's getting adopted tonight!

Mother and the cook saw her off—as they do with all the other beloved children for show—even though it was raining and late at night.
https://i.imgur.com/90pwOmy.png

As Elia took a step into the limousine, Robert offered her a posh coat and a fuzzy hat. ("You might get cold in here."). Elia looked back and saw confused kids' faces peering through the front doors of the orphanage. She had hoped to see Adriel to wave him goodbye but he was nowhere to be found.

Elia woke up to the sound of tapping on the limo's windows. She sat up and saw they had stopped. They were parked in front of what she thought looked like a museum. What an odd place to take a toilet break! The chauffer helped her off the car and up the steps of a large oaken double door.
https://i.imgur.com/Ec7rLCd.png

The front doors opened and she walked into a dimly lit chamber. It was early in the morning and rain was still pouring heavily outside. A single candle was the only source of light inside and it barely did enough. The doors closed behind her as soon as she walked in. She jumped when a voice said in the darkness,
https://i.imgur.com/xh8WihX.png

"Welcome home, my princess."

Omg kev i could never write something like that :open_mouth: Mine would sound more like a bad fanfiction or something! :joy: You have more talent than you give yourself credit for man! The pics are awesome too with the way you got the camera angles of your builds was like watching it as an actual tv show. Loved how daunting the Chateau entrance was too nice touch XD My fav part would be poor Elia and her fluttering heart in the scene with Robert though I think my heart would be beating for another reason if a stranger did that to me! :joy:

Excellent start my friend will look forward to your next installment :smiley:

Lol @Shaymantha yeah! I’d have personally straight-up clocked said stranger. But in the romance sims universe (this is quite literally a Sim game after all), these are cliche heart-throbbing events meant to develop your relationship with a character. You don’t see the choices coz I made them already and it’s in storytelling mode. Lol

Unloved 2


Elia twirled one more time in front of the mirror.
https://i.imgur.com/5Ld1lmP.png
Robert gave her brand new clothes to wear. It was a light cotton shirt dress which he paired with a woolen, powder blue, oversized knit jumper dress and grey ankle boots. She thought it looked very posh and its fabric felt amazing. She marveled at the well-dressed girl in the mirror; refusing to believe it was her reflection.

"Is it not to your liking? I am terribly sorry, my lady. This is the best I am capable. I am not up to date with how youth today are dressed. I shall ask for the governess tomorrow, she'll—" Robert apologized.

"Oh you don't have to! I like it very much! Honest!" Elia struck a pose. "See, looks good, right? uwu!"

Robert chuckled a little and it made Elia very self-conscious. She can feel the heat rising up to her cheeks as she realized how stupid she must seem right now. She was balancing on one foot with both her hands on her cheeks. And that noise she made! Ugh! She quickly turned away from Robert, scared that he might see her glowing red from embarrassment. She and Adriel used to act silly like that. Adriel's face was rather expressive and Elia had a very shallow sense of humor. It gave them something to keep their minds off the hard chores that the cook made them do or how jealous they were of the Beloved children. But Robert isn't Adriel. He was her adopter's representative. And although he smiled when he looked at her, she thinks he was rather frightening. So she thought it best to compose herself around him.

"I have a surprise for you." Robert said as she turned around to face him again.

https://i.imgur.com/TGIa3UM.png

Elia was ecstatic. Presents are something she's only ever seen on the limited time that Mother allowed them to watch TV. She found out normal people receive gifts on special occasions. But it wasn't her birthday. It was only July, too; far too early for Christmas. Yet she was already getting a present! Getting all giddy, she hastily ripped the wrapping paper and looked inside.

https://i.imgur.com/jXpgnkL.png

It was a smartphone.

"I already installed a ringer app on it." Robert explained, "Visible intercoms are not allowed by the Historic Commission in the chateau, but this should be sufficient. This would be our modern equivalent of a butler bell. Should you need anything, please use this to call for me and I shall attend to it."

Elia would've been overjoyed—all teenagers wanted a smartphone after all!—except she doesn't know how to use one.


* * *

After a hearty brunch, Elia asked Robert.
https://i.imgur.com/dHygqqa.png

"When do I get to meet my adoptive parents?"

https://i.imgur.com/IKrLdeI.png

"My lady, you are not adopted. This is your true family. You have been reunited."

https://i.imgur.com/CVPCtpB.png

"You are a Thebe. A descendant of the famed Princess Cordelia."




"You are Elia Thebe. The last of a great family. Royal blood flows in your veins, the color of your eyes tell so."


* * *

A storm was rolling in on the cove that evening. But the tempest outside pales to the unrest that Elia feels within her. Elia sobbed uncontrollably.
https://i.imgur.com/VCoRRkW.png
All her life she had dreamed of being adopted. Of finding a home that will love and care for her—as she would for them. But this afternoon's revelation just made it clear that she was still alone. Rather, she felt more alone than she ever was. Maybe the orphanage wasn't that bad as she thought it to be? Unlike in the orphanage, the chateau didn't have Mother and the cook to keep her busy from too much thinking. It didn't have Adriel to cheer her up when she was down. And the chateau didn't have the sounds of the city or children playing and fighting in the next room. Here was only silence.

Or so there was until her smartphone rang. It was Robert.
https://i.imgur.com/pXIxxN4.png

He called to check up on her; asking for things she might want before she turned in for tonight. ("Do you need some more blankets?" "Aren't you scared of the storm?" "Would you like something to snack on?"). It was so annoying it was comical.

"Alright. If there isn't anything my lady wants right now, I shall be taking my rest then," he said.

"Good night, Robert. I'll see you in the morning."

"Oh and my lady,"

"Yeah?"

"I will always be here for you."

Omg the feels! :bawling: That poor girl being all alone with the creep Rob! I feel so sorry for her and she not even real. :( Think you should change your rl career :joy: Fantastic 2nd chapter really setting the tone for the rest of your story good job my friend :smiley:

Thanks @Shaymantha! Also Rob is not a creep, he's just...not around others too much. I will expound on that in upcoming chapters :wink:

Ahh this is such a relaxing read! ? I'm glad you decided to pen your stories on the forums! Can't wait for the next part.

@Shaymantha you're not alone feeling that way. I thought Robert was intense at first too. But looks like he's simply socially awkward. I'm riding on too much good vibes and positivity from the story so Robert gets a pass. ?

Phew glad i wasn't the only one @mercuryfoam :joy: Guess i can let him off :smiley:

A guest! ? Thanks @mercuryfoam for reading my story! I’m really grateful! And I’m sorta glad that readers have this impression of Robert. Hehe

I’m lurking......so may no respond much, but am reading. ?

I like the image shots and your designing. Your house has that nice Victorian look to me.