She's not mine | 𝔍𝔢𝔫𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔞

Chapter 54

Lisa

I smile at Jennie's thirteen years old cousin as he tells me all about this supposedly brilliant idea he has for a TV show he thinks I should create. I don't have the heart to tell him that I neither write nor direct them. I'm merely the investor behind it all.

"And then the spaceship explodes," he says, mimicking the sounds loudly in the busy garden.

I nod, barely paying attention. "I think something like that already exists, joonie." Pretty sure what he's describing to me is the plot to Star Wars with some minor tweaks.

"Yeah, but this is better."

Irene walks over to me and rolls her eyes at him. "Stop harassing Lisa," she says as she holds up a beer for me.

The circles underneath her eyes make me wonder if she heard us last night. Somehow, I doubt she'd be smiling at me this way if she had, but then again, no one can put up an act like Irene does.

"Just giving Lisa oppa some good ideas. You'll thank me when Jennie Unnie and her become filthy rich."

Irene winces, and I take a swig of my beer. "Language buddy... My wife and I are already rich, bud. I'll take your ideas under consideration, though. Thank you."

He nods and walks off, no doubt in search of another victim to subject to his stories. "Don't mind him," Irene tells me, her arm brushing against mine.

I take a step away from her and nod, my eyes on Jennie. "It's truly over between us, isn't it?" she asks, following my gaze.

I nod. "It is."

She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "For so long, I was certain that you'd want to be with me in three years. I must've been insane to think you'd stay away from Jennie the entire time, that nothing would happen between you two. I trusted you both too much. I always knew she secretly had a thing for you, but you... I didn't think you'd ever reciprocate those feelings. I didn't think you'd ever see her as anything but my little sister."

I glance at her. "She's my wife," I remind her. "You act like she and I betrayed you when you're the one who walked away. You can't begrudge us our happiness when you're the one who pushed us together."

"You've always wanted her, haven't you?"

I look up at her in surprise. "What?"

She huffs and looks away. "Don't even bother denying it. Do you know how many times I heard you moan her name in your sleep? Did you really think I didn't realize you were dreaming about her?" She runs a hand through her hair. "If I'm truly honest, that's one of the reasons I couldn't go through with it. I always felt like I stole you from her, since she was always meant to be your fiancee. I can see it, you know? I can see why your grandmother picked her, and not me. The two of you have always had a bond that made me jealous. It still does."

Jennie's eyes meet mine from across the garden, but she looks away almost immediately.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out between us," I tell her. "But I'm not sorry for moving on and finding the happiness we never would've had together. I hope you find your own happiness too, Irene."

"I won't," she tells me. "No one can make me as happy as you do, Lisa. Despite everything that happened, despite the fact that you're married to my sister, I still want you."

I watch as Jennie walks into the house, her shoulders slumped. What's wrong? Why does she look so upset? Is it something I've done? Fuck. I shouldn't have spoken to Irene at all.

I put my beer down and move to follow her. "Excuse me," I tell Irene.

"Lisa!" she calls, surprised, but I ignore her. I need to get to my Cupcake and figure out what's wrong.