Chapitre 24: Redeeming myself

The next morning.

By the time Elvina woke up, Archer was nowhere in sight.

Gold was playing around in the house.

She walked downstairs and found the breakfast served on the dining table.

There was steam floating around the food and it meant that it was freshly cooked.

She did not see anyone else in the house. The chef must have left after setting the food on the dining table.

''Hmm... I wonder, did he see the flowers?" Elvina glanced in the direction of Archer's room.

Yesterday, when she saw the bouquets that were delivered to his place, she assumed that they were sent by some woman. Not to mention that beautiful handwriting and the note that said the person will see Archer soon.

But after the hotel suite scene, Elvina realized that the mysterious sender of those flowers had to be that man, Archer's ex-lover... He even stuck to his promise and saw Archer on the same day he sent that note and flowers.

How heart-touching!

Elvina wiped her nonexistent tears.

Seeing his dedication, she had sprinkled a little bit of their siren clan's special potion on the flowers which will keep them fresh for a long time before shifting them to Archer's room.

Of course, she could have kept them fresh forever but then Archer would start wondering if his lover was some mythical being so she played safe.

...

''What?" Claire stood up from the couch all at once after digesting Elvina's big revelation, ''What do you mean by that he's gay?"

''It is what it is,'' Elvina could not understand her sister's exaggerated reaction, ''Are you one of those orthodox people who...?"

''Of course not,'' Claire shook her head, cutting Elvina's words mid-sentence, ''I mean... It's normal. But the thing is...''

''What?"

''Sister, your marital life...''

Elvina clicked her throat. Her sister was surely in a melodramatic mood today, ''What marital life are you talking about?"

''You care for him, don't you? If not, why would you bother to sprinkle that potion on the flowers that his lover sent for him? You are usually so stingy that you don't even share your crystals with me,'' Claire eyed the woman doubtfully.

''On my wedding day, I went to our old place to get my 'poor girl' luggage. Aunt was not there but I met Nate,'' She watched as her sister's expressions subtly shifted when she mentioned the man's name, ''It turns out he was keeping an eye on us to keep us safe.''

''Why are you mentioning him out of nowhere?" Claire avoided her sister's gaze and picked up Gold from the coffee table, stroking him gently.

Elvina acted like she did not notice her subtle actions. "Nate said if our parents were alive, they would not have wanted us to take this path.''

''It's true,'' Claire mumbled, her shoulders slumping at the mention of their parents.

''But only if they were alive... things would never have progressed to this point, right?" Elvina glanced at her sister.

Claire sighed.

''Clairy, do you think they are disappointed in me?" Elvina asked after a moment of silence.

Claire's brows tugged together.

She placed Gold on the coffee table. The cat jumped off the table and licked his paws before running in the direction of the kitchen.

''Why would you think like that? Are you crazy?" Claire walked towards her sister before taking a seat beside her.

''I mean... I am everything they did not want their daughters to be. I am just hateful at times,'' Elvina lowered her head to look at her palms, ''And the worse thing is... I can't help it. I just...''

''Livy, stop being silly,'' Claire cupped her sister's face, ''Our parents loved us no matter what and you, my little one, are not hateful at all. You are the most adorable little sister that I had ever wished for.''

''Adorable?'' Elvina's lips twitched/

Claire teased, ''Of course, look at the way you treat Archer after knowing about his truth. My heart just melts~"

Elvina could see two hearts popping up in her sister's eyes.

''And also, you changed our plans at the last moment just because you did not want to destroy Emir's idea of love. You wanted him to get the woman he deserved.''

Elvina slumped back on the couch before letting out a sigh, ''Am I not doing this for our parents?"

''Huh?"

"Our parents were a firm believer of love,'' Elvina fiddled with the pearl bracelet in her hand, ''Even though we are not like them, I am trying my best to redeem myself in front of them... even if it's just a little bit. If they are watching me from where they are, I don't want them to be disappointed in me.''

''Silly,'' Claire hugged her sister to not let her see the tears in her eyes, ''They will never be disappointed in us. They knew how what they meant to us. Their absence does makes difference.... a lot of difference.''

She missed their parents.

Those happy times.

If only life had been a bit kinder to them, then they would not have walked down this path.