Chapter 21 Oh, it was rhetorical?

Chapter 21 Oh, it was rhetorical?

I woke up the next morning already aware of what was going to happen. It’d happened in my past too and although a few events were inexplicably not following the timeline like dad’s death, for some reason I could tell that my luck had run out and this particular event would happen and I’d have to stomach it.

My bedroom just like every part of my new life felt like it belonged to another person. It was bare. The only furniture in the room was a couch, a poster bed and a flat screen television that had originally been in the room before I made it mine.

Scarlett had turned my original room upstairs to storage for her clothes. I’d woken up one day to a group of men knocking on my door. When I opened, they had all but shoved me aside.

They had thrown my things out and had installed a huge walk-in closet for her. Her logic when dad tried to intervene was that I was not utilizing the space and that she’d asked for my permission and I accepted.

I’d walked away without a fight assuring dad that she was right and I was happier with a smaller room.

I was just making an inventory of things I needed for my room when Scarlett knocked.

I arched my brow. That was new. She always just let herself in.

Then I remembered the date and it all made sense.

She took a seat on my poster bed, after I told her to come in. I watched her cautiously.

“I didn’t want to disturb you when you got back yesterday, you looked tired.” She started. “But we are overdue for a conversation. I’ve had a lot of time to think and I have come to the conclusion that I might not have been the best elder sister to you,” she lowered her eyes and I fought not to roll mine.

She and Collins will make the perfect couple, they were too theatrical.

“I was young and hence made a lot of mistakes but now I know better. Regardless of the past, we are still sisters. Astors and Astors stick together. With dad gone and this inheritance nonsense between us, I think it’s best that we band together as a family now more than ever. Collins already told me that you plan on handing the company over to him,” she grabbed my hands and I fought not to snatch it back. “I think that is the right call. Collins would do a better job than you and__”

“How?” I asked. For some reason, I couldn’t stomach her insinuation. “In what way is Collins better.”

Collins couldn’t do anything without me. I washed his clothes, I prepared his bath, made his food, prepared his project and even then he was still useless; a puppet CEO.

Knowing that and sitting back to hear her say  he would do a better job than me, a best graduating student from Harvard, the rightful owner of the property with the Aston’ last name felt like a slap.

They were the exact words she had said a month to my wedding with Collins. Words that had made me smile and thrown myself at her body beyond elated. Now, I’m still lost as to why for some reason I mistook such a condescending statement for an apology.

“I mean… he has a better…” she stammered. “Charisma. Yes! He has charisma.”

“If that’s all it took to run a company, Brad Pitt should be a contender, not Collins.” I said under my breath.

“Huh?” She asked, looking a bit lost. I knew that it never occurred to her that she’d be interrupted when she had rehearsed her little speech. I mean she was just going to smooth things with naive Iris, what could possibly go wrong?

“You can continue.” I said as I slowly removed my hands from hers with a smile as fake as hers.

She scowled but it was gone in seconds. The fact that she had to obey me for any reason must irk her and I leaned back on my pillow to watch her, masking my smug satisfaction.

“I mean…” she tried to recover her smile. “Regardless of all our fights and differences, we’d always be sisters and although it’d take a while for us to foster that bond, I’m willing to try, how about you?” I parted my lips but she didn’t let me get a word in before she continued.

Oh, it was rhetorical?

“Especially now you’d be relocating completely to New York, with your wedding plan and all. Collins told me the good news, he proposed and you said yes.”

Did he now?

All I could remember was him throwing a box at me and telling me to catch, but if he was using the word proposed and yes, it seems like we had differences on what a proposal and agreement looks like.

Was this enough grounds to break off a proposal, reason? irreconcilable differences.

I knew I was grasping at straws but I was a drowning man too. Drowning in bullshit.

Still lost in thought, I was startled when Scarlett gasped, grabbed my hand again, looking at the ring on my finger like it was the first time she was seeing it even though I’ve worn it long enough for it to leave indentation. “It’s so beautiful. What stone is that? It’s huge. I’m so excited, it seems like we have a wedding to plan. You don’t know how much I love weddings, cake shopping, dress shopping—”

This time, I couldn’t stop myself from snatching my hand back. I knew exactly how much she loved weddings because left with no choice after I’d isolated all my friends, I’d gone cake shopping and dress shopping alone in my past life after this same big speech.

“I’d think about it.” I told her.

“Think about what?” I could practically see the fumes leaving her ears. For someone who loves interrupting a lot, it was an unforgivable crime to her. Especially when I was the one doing the interrupting.

An illegitimate scum who she must expect to acquiesce to everything she had to say.

“You never gave me a chance to answer when you asked if I’d consider being your sister,” I said, with a frown. Especially when the last time I agreed, you killed me in cold blood so forgive me if I’m not exactly thrilled.

I paused, then forced the words out anyway. “But… I am willing to try. On one condition.”

I reached for her hands as I said it, aware that she needed the anchor.

She beamed. “Anything?”

“I want my room back.” I said then smiled. “I never got used to this room. Besides I want more space especially since I’d be staying in this mansion for a very long time. I’m breaking my engagement with Collins.”

Her mouth dropped open.

Like I said, very theatrical.