Cheri Pierce - a misunderstood young girl burdened by a difficult past. When her older half-sister, Olivia, faces a life-altering promotion in her career, she takes the opportunity to shed her responsibilities of Cheri.
In steps Drew, Olivia's old...
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The bar was dimly lit, and the hum of voices filled the air, punctuated by clinking glasses and laughter. Olivia Pierce sat at the corner of the bar, nursing her cocktail with her fingers tracing the rim of the glass. She took in the warm atmosphere, sighing. It had been a long day of negotiations and planning, and she needed a drink to take the edge off while she waited for her friend.
Soon, a deep familiar voice spoke up, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Olivia."
Olivia peered up and took in the sight of her friend. She stood tall and confident, however the deep set bags under her eyes and slightly disheveled hair gave away her fatigue. Olivia laughed and gestured to the seat next to her.
"Drew," she replied curtly, "looking tired as always." If this were any other day, Drew might have entertained her with a laugh or a smile, but she had just barely met the deadline for her manuscript and felt like she was on the verge of death.
Though, she was used to this, of course.
"So, what's up? Why did you want to see me tonight?" Drew inquired as she ungracefully threw her weight onto the stool. Though they were friends, it was quite rare for Olivia to want to meet up. The both of them hardly ever had the time for it, so she had a hunch that it wasn't for any small matter.
Olivia looked down at her glass again as Drew ordered a drink, thinking about how she was going to break the news, and how she was going to bring up the not-so-small favor she needed from Drew. Upon receiving her drink, Drew stayed quiet and examined Olivia, who was once again lost in thought. Olivia loosened her tie, something she insisted on wearing with her business suits, taking in a deep breath. "Drew", she said again, her tone taking on a more serious note, "I've got some big news to share. Do you remember the deal with Winston & Richfield I had told you about?"
Drew raised an eyebrow, curiosity beginning to replace her weariness. "That deal? That's been going on for how many years now?"
Olivia scoffed. "More like 8 months. Well, I finally closed it. Three days ago, to be exact. And I've been offered a promotion that could change everything for me. It's a major step up in my career, Drew." This was amazing news. Olivia had worked so hard on sealing this deal, there was no way she wouldn't have been promoted upon fruition of this project. This was clearly a time to celebrate, but Drew could not help but notice that her friend wasn't smiling.
"That's great Olivia, congratulations. You've worked hard, don't you feel excited?"
Olivia nodded, but her excitement was tempered by the weight of her responsibilities, and what she needed from Drew. "Thank you. But here's the catch. I'm being transferred, and it's not nearby. In fact, it's about 1,000 miles away from here. And... I won't be taking Cheri with me." Silence fell between the two, the ongoing chatter of the bar slowly filling in the empty space. Drew took in Olivia's words, her expression shifting to a more serious contemplation. Olivia moving was definitely a huge step, but it wasn't shocking news for Drew. She couldn't help but recall the name Cheri, though it had been years since she heard it. The few times Olivia said her name, it was never followed with good news.
"Ah.. I remember. Cheri, your little sister?" Olivia tensed at the question.
"Half-sister..." she muttered, none too happy either. "She's nineteen now and..." Olivia leaned in closer, her eyes pleading, "This situation...well, I have a solution. And I need your help."
𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒
Drew bid Olivia goodbye, watching her gracefully step into the driver's seat of her car before taking off. She knew she was good to drive, as neither of them were able to finish their first and only drink of the night. She made her way to her own car, silently thinking back on their long discussion, with her mind racing as she considered the magnitude of Olivia's request.
Drew Hanson was a serious workaholic. Anyone who knew her would be able to tell you that much. Being such a successful literary author at the young age of 27, she had a lot on her plate. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of a few things. For one, she ate like shit. She also slept like shit. She could barely keep her workspace or her lavish high-rise apartment tidy. To top it off, the times where she was intensely busy, such as when a deadline approached, she became a great contender for world's biggest asshole.
It was no wonder every assistant or help she hired ended up quitting within a few months, leaving her to fend for herself.
And of course, Olivia had no problem bringing up this problem of hers at the bar. According to her, Drew's problems were more of a priority compared to Olivia's, and that Olivia was definitely keeping her best interests in mind when she brought up a solution that could knock out two birds with one stone.
Drew rolled her eyes at the thought. She knew damn well that Olivia didn't give much of a shit about Drew's problems. It was only that she knew about them, and that she could use them to her advantage. Drew knew this much, but still, she could not call her out or even refuse. Why? Because she was extremely indebted to Olivia. After all, she would not have been able to get to where she was today if it wasn't for Olivia's connections. For someone as standoffish as Drew, networking had been a breeze in University only because of Olivia. It was Olivia who was able to recognize Drew's talent, and she had been the one to help land her with a renowned publishing company. As a result, Drew could not find it in her to fight Olivia on this solution. And Olivia knew this. Drew owed it to her.
Cheri. It was strange that Drew never met her so far. Not even once. It felt as if Olivia wanted to keep that part of her life hidden, and over the years Drew picked up on how tense the atmosphere would get at the mention of her name. From what Drew was told, Cheri was not someone you would want to be associated with.
"A complete and utter brat." That was how Olivia described her sister – or rather, half-sister – the last time she spoke of her. Which had to have been... how long ago? Drew couldn't remember. She gathered that she was somewhat of a delinquent type, immature and like a child. Her behavior was an obvious burden for her older sister, who never had anything good to say about her. But that was where Drew came in.
"You can be intimidating at times, Drew. And you're hardworking. You'll have no problem setting her straight. Please, you can do this for me, can't you?"
Thinking back on Olivia's words, Drew took in a deep breath before starting her car. She didn't look forward to this sudden change, but she already accepted it.
