Chapter 106: Big Mess.

Chapter 106: Big Mess.
The following morning, Shane entered the kitchen and was greeted by a beautiful sight that caught his breath — Denise was preparing breakfast. He leaned against the wall, watching her with admiration and love. The sunlight streaming through the window framed her perfectly, illuminating her features and casting a warm glow around her.
Soon, Denise noticed him watching and raised her head with a bright smile, “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” he replied, his voice laced with genuine affection. “You’re beautiful.” A blush crept across her cheeks at his words.
Shane strode over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his head in the nook of her neck and inhaling her sweet scent. It felt as if the world had melted away, leaving just the two of them in that perfect moment. 
“You know we shouldn’t be doing this here. What if someone sees us?” Denise expressed her concern, her voice laced with anxiety.
“Let them see. It’s bound to come out in the open someday,” he said playfully, planting a gentle kiss on her neck. 
Finally, she turned to face him, her expression a mixture of longing and caution. “Yeah, it is, but not today.” But before she could pull away, Shane captured her lips with his, engulfing her in an electrifying kiss that spoke volumes of their hidden passion.
“What is going on here?” Dua’s voice rang out, piercing through their intimate bubble. Denise jolted at the sound, pulling away sharply.
She slowly turned to face Dua, who stood at the entrance of the kitchen with Steven. The shock on her face was evident, and Shane took an instinctive step back, sensing the tension brewing.
“I can explain, Dua…” Shane began, but Dua cut him off.
“Come with me, Denise,” she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.
“Dua…” Shane pressed, frustration bubbling inside him, but Dua simply turned on her heels and left the kitchen, her movements brisk and purposeful.
Denise felt torn, knowing better than to follow her sister in a moment of such anger. “I suggest you wait behind,” she said softly to Shane, her voice tinged with sadness as she walked out.
“But…” he argued, desperation creeping into his tone.
“It’s for the best,” she insisted, leaving him with his emotions swirling.
Shane ran his hand through his hair in frustration, letting out a heavy sigh. 
"You’re in a big mess right now, bro," Steven chuckled, earning a sharp glare from Shane.
Steven chuckled again, and walked in taking a look at what Denise was doing before the disaster. 

The moment Denise entered Dua’s room, she was met with a shocking slap across her face. "How dare you?" Dua’s voice was a furious hiss, her eyes blazing with anger.
"I'm not going to apologize for falling in love, sis!" Denise shot back defiantly, only to receive another stinging slap.
"You’re having an affair with my husband’s elder brother?!" Dua screamed.
"What’s wrong with that?" Denise retorted, her voice steady despite the tension hanging in the air.
"Everything, Denise! Absolutely everything! Do you know how old he is?" Dua spat, her fury mounting.
"He’s only nine years older than me," Denise shrugged.
"Nine years older," Dua scoffed. "He’s...—" She paused, nearly revealing too much about Steven and Shane’s history before stopping herself. "Do you even know anything about him?" she demanded.
"And what do you know about him, sis?" Denise shot back, challenging Dua’s authority.
"Nothing," Dua admitted, her voice softer now. "But I do know that you’re not going to marry him," she declared, a sense of finality in her tone.
"Who the hell gave you the right to decide my life?!" Denise yelled, her emotions boiling over.
"God. God gave me that right by making me your elder sister and leaving me to take care of you after Mom and Dad were gone," Dua responded, her voice shaking slightly with the weight of responsibility. Denise scoffed.
"I hate you!" she screamed, storming out of Dua's room and nearly colliding with Shane in the hallway. She brushed past him without a word, slamming her bedroom door shut.
Shane turned back towards Dua, who was standing at the threshold of her room, conflict etched across her face. "Can we talk, Dua?" he asked tentatively.
"If it’s about you and Denise, my answer is no," Dua replied dismissively.
"Please, Dua, I love your sister a lot." His voice trembled as he pleaded.
"You're a good person, Shane, but..." Dua's expression softened, her heart heavy with the weight of her words. "I can't let you marry my sister."
"Why exactly? Is it because I’ve lived for a thousand years? Is it because of my history?" His voice rose, filled with frustration as he sought understanding, but Dua fell silent.
"Please, Dua..." He reached out, desperation evident in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Shane," she interrupted, her tone final as she turned away from him, feeling the turmoil within her.
"Dua..." His voice broke, and she paused, uncertainty stirring inside her. "I've never asked you for a favor before, but I’m asking now. Even if you don’t agree to our union, please don’t take it out on her. I caused everything. I lured her into this. I was the one who chased her..." His words choked off as his emotions overtook him, and Dua walked away, leaving him in a cloud of unresolved anguish.
As Dua made her exit, Desmond danced into the kitchen, whistling a cheerful tune that contrasted the tension that lingered in the house. "Where is everybody?" he asked, glancing around to find only Steven sitting at the table.
"They're all... busy," Steven replied.
"Busy?" Desmond raised an eyebrow, a grin playing on his lips. "Even my big sis, Dua?" He asked.
"Yeah," Steven said.
After a quiet breakfast with Steven, Desmond decided to check on Denise, knocking on her bedroom door. When she opened it, her smile seemed overly bright, almost manufactured.
"You didn’t come down for breakfast, why?" he asked, knowing something was amiss.
"I wasn’t hungry," Denise replied nonchalantly. "I had a midnight snack, so...” She chuckled, but it felt forced.
"So, what brings you here?" she asked.
"School. Aren't you going to school today?" he replied.
"Oh, right!" Denise exclaimed, skipping around the room as she frantically collected her things.
Desmond took a moment to observe her. To him, her smile seemed forced, a mask hinting at underlying stress. He couldn't help but wonder why Denise, Dua, and Shane had all mysteriously skipped breakfast. Steven’s earlier response about their whereabouts felt off, raising a red flag in Desmond's mind. Connecting the dots, he began cautiously, "So, Sis found out about your relationship with Shane."
Denise's bag slipped from her fingers, her shock evident as she processed Desmond's statement. She had never anticipated that he would piece it together so swiftly.
"No, she didn’t." Denise let out a nervous laugh as she retrieved her bag from the floor.
"Keep lying if you want, but I can see it," Desmond said, shaking his head knowingly.
"Okay, fine… you're right. She found out, and it was a disaster," she finally confessed, her voice shaking slightly.
"Don't worry, I’ll talk to her," Desmond reassured her, his tone firm yet comforting.
"I hope she listens to you," Denise sighed, a hint of desperation lacing her words.

Hours Later.

Dua walked back into the house from the garden, the morning's drama still swirling in her mind. As she entered, she found the house eerily quiet and realized she was home alone; everyone had gone about their separate agendas. "I wish I had classes today," she murmured to herself, feeling a sense of isolation settle in.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Steven. "Hi. Make sure you have breakfast if you haven't yet, and stop letting your mind run wild. We’ll talk later. Take care and keep an eye out for Diane."
A small chuckle escaped her lips as she read his message, a wave of gratitude washing over her for the understanding space he was giving her. "Okay, I should grab something to eat," she decided, making her way to the kitchen.
Upon entering, she was greeted by a beautifully arranged breakfast waiting on the table. But first, she decided to get a cold drink from the fridge.
Opening the fridge, she was greeted by an unexpected sight: a few cups of vibrant smoothies lined up neatly on the shelf. "I can't remember putting these here," she murmured, a curious smile spreading across her face, "but since they're here anyway..." Shrugging off the confusion, she grabbed a cup, its cool surface refreshing against her fingertips. Taking a sip, the flavors burst in her mouth—a perfect blend of all the ingredients. Savoring the delightful taste, she felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her before heading to the table for her breakfast.
As she enjoyed her meal, she couldn’t help but return to the fridge for another cup. Then another. By the time she finished her breakfast, she had consumed a staggering three cups of smoothie, feeling both energized and content. But just as she turned to leave the kitchen, a sharp, excruciating pain seized her abdomen, igniting an alarm within her. She paused, trying to dismiss the distress, but the pain intensified, a relentless wave that swept away her strength.
With her heart racing, she crumpled to the floor, beads of perspiration forming on her brow. Panic surged through her as she screamed, but the sound seemed to echo back at her in the stillness, swallowed by the empty space. The world around her blurred; the kitchen, once filled with warmth and color, faded into shadow. Within seconds, her vision blurred, and she slipped into unconsciousness, leaving behind the remnants of her vibrant breakfast and the mysterious smoothies that had brought her joy moments before.