Kelly’s POV
Phoebe walked towards us and sat on the single couch. Pierce and I are just watching her. She crossed her arms and legs before she smirked again and tilted her head.
Pierce sighed and shook his head. “Stop it, Phoebe. We’re not dating.”
Phoebe’s smile slowly faded. She fixed her eyes on me and when I nodded, disappointment crossed her eyes.
I sighed. I couldn’t believe her reaction. She looked so sad that I’m not dating her brother. She pressed her lips together and sat on the couch like a sulking child. I had no choice but to leave her at that and just continued eating.
Pierce and I couldn’t talk again. He didn’t open another conversation and I didn’t initiate either. After our dinner, he immediately cleaned up.
“I...should leave now.”
I nodded at him and smiled. “Thank you for the dinner.”
He gave me a smile too before he turned to Phoebe with a crumpled face. “Let’s go, brat.”
Phoebe shook her head. “I want to bond with Kelly.”
“She’s tired, Phoebe. She needs to rest.”
“But I want to be with her. I won’t take long.”
Pierce shook his head and sighed. “I’ll wait for you in the car.”
“Pierce!”
“She has a daughter who’s waiting for her at home, Phoebe. Be responsible.” ƒrēewebnovel.com
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Fine! Thirty minutes.”
“Fifteen.”
“What? That’s too short!”
“Ten?”
“Fifteen, then.”
I was just biting my lip while watching them. Pierce turned to me again and nodded. I nodded and smiled back before he left. When he’s gone, Phoebe looked at me and smiled.
“How are you, Kelly?”
I smiled at her. “You didn’t show up for almost a week.”
She frowned and sighed. “I was grounded.”
“Because...” I trailed off. I have a hunch that it’s because of what happened to her because of me.
“Because I lied to them and sneaked out to see Snow while you’re still at that island.”
I took a deep breath. Just as I expected.
“Don’t blame yourself, Kelly. It’s not your fault.”
I looked down and played with my fingers. “I don’t know, Phoebe.”
“He broke up with Lexi five years ago. That day...the villa was burned down to ashes.”
My lips parted in shock. The night I ran away from him. I knew it. I already saw that coming when he first looked at me while I’m carrying my baby—our baby. I saw the finality and determination in his eyes and I know that he’s planning to break up with Lexi. I knew him too well and I wasn’t wrong.
“I know the whole story, Kelly. I was young but not dumb. You saved my brother and took the fall. Even I can’t do that.”
I squeezed my eyes closed and slowly lifted my face to look at her. “I don’t wanna live in regret, Phoebe. That’s why I’m trying to fix my life and reconcile with your brother...even as friends.”
She nodded. “I understand. I’m not saying this to invalidate your feelings. I just really want to know if you already forgive my brother...and me for turning blind eye to all of these.”
“I can assure you that.”
She smiled and took something from her bag. She handed it to me which I gladly accepted. An invitation to her upcoming birthday party.
“I asked you those questions because I don’t wanna get hurt if I invited you and you refused to come. Please attend my birthday party, Kelly. You are like a real sister to me. A sister I never had.”
I caressed the card and smiled at her. “Expect me at your birthday party.”
“Thank you, Kelly.” She pulled herself up and hugged me.
I smiled again as I caressed her hair. The gentleness and warmth of her hug is flattering my heart. I know that I hurt her too when I divorced her brother and left. But I needed to do that to save myself from that deadly pain. I had to choose myself so I won’t burn to ashes.
She walked towards the door and I followed her. Before she left, she looked at me again and stared intently.
“One more thing...” She paused and took a deep breath. “If Lexi comes back...please don’t let her ruin your happiness again. Fight for what you have because you deserve it.”
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