The Pinks Next Door

Chapter Twenty-Five

Irene

I have not done this for a while. You know, sitting down and talking. We have known each other our entire life, but along the way, we became strangers. I am not sure when it started, but I am sure sitting right across the table. She's still the same little sister I hugged tight every time thunder wakes her up.

She crossed her arms on her chest and cleared her throat, “So, what brings you to my restaurant?”

I raised my eyebrow and drank my iced tea before I met her eyes, “You sound like I can’t see my little sister. To check if she’s doing fine. Don’t you miss me?”

“No.” She said coldly, “If that’s what you want to hear, I have to go. I’m a busy person, unlike other people.”

Jennie was about to stand, but I immediately stopped her, “Why do you hate me? We used to be close. What changed?” I said. Jennie gazed at me and remained in her seat. There was a brief silence between us, but her eyes were still fixed on mine. She took a long sigh and lowered her eyes.

“I don’t hate you, Irene. How could I hate my only sister? You were there when our parents were not. You are more like my mother to me. It was us against the world.”

I nodded, “Then what changed?”

Jennie tilted her head and looked at me, “You became like our parents. You joined them into their world and left me. You left and hurt me, and you did the same thing with Lisa.”

Jennie’s words punched me in my gut. And before I could tell her my purpose for coming here, she beat me to it.

“And you are doing it again to her. Marrying Kevin? Seriously?!” She continued.

“How did you know?”

“Kevin called me. It was out of courtesy to get engaged to his ex-girlfriend's sister.”

I stared at the glass of iced tea, watching the condensed dripping. I wiped it before it reached the marble table.

To be engaged to Kevin was an endgame to me. The lawsuit I filed against Mr. Johnson’s son has backfired in our company. I knew canceling that deal with them means losing a lot of money for our company, but I was confident—no. I was too proud of myself that I could find another way. I almost did, but Johnson has made sure I couldn't.

As I expected, our parents were furious, especially our mother. She said she would take care of everything. I didn’t expect to push an arranged marriage to Kevin. Rage brought me here to Australia, and I decided to stay with Lisa. But I should have known better, I tried, but I am not as strong as Jennie. That’s a difference between us.

“I guess this is as far as I could go,” I said.

Jennie cussed under her breath, “After all these years, you’re still a coward.”

I glared at her, “It’s easy for you to say because you are not in my position.”

Jennie raised her eyebrow and scoffed, “You think I had it easy? I was at the edge of the cliff, Irene. I was at the lowest point of my life. If it wasn’t for..”

“—Lisa.” I finished. I grabbed my drink and took a huge gulp. The cold burned through my throat, my lips trembled. It only took a few seconds until my entire body shivers.

But it wasn’t because of the iced tea, but with the following few words, I will tell her. I looked at Jennie, keeping my focus while my sights started to blur.

“Lisa deserves better than this,” I said.

Jennie slammed the table and stood, “Then stop hurting her!”