Secrets
by;michimichiro
Chapter 15
I never expected a casual conversation with Margot to turn my world upside down. As I sat in my plush office chair, twirling a pen between my fingers, I watched her face transform. The usual warmth in her eyes vanished, replaced by a steely determination that made me sit up straighter.
"Sarah," Margot began, her voice uncharacteristically stern, "I don't like the way you treated your sister last time."
The pen slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the polished desk. Sister. The word still felt foreign and uncomfortable. Zia wasn't my sister, not really. She was an intruder, a reminder of a past I'd rather forget.
"Don't tell me you favour her more than me?" I shot back, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. Margot had always been on my side. What had changed?
Margot's expression softened slightly, but her resolve didn't waver. "I'm not in favour of anyone, Sarah. All I want is for you to give Zia a chance to be a part of your life."
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "How many times do I have to tell you she has no place in our family?" The words tasted sour on my tongue, but I forced them out anyway. It was easier to be angry than to admit the truth—that Zia's very existence made me question everything I thought I knew about my life.
Margot sighed, her shoulders slumping. For a moment, she looked tired and older than her years. "You're being selfish, Sarah. Do you know that if Zia's mother hadn't died, you wouldn't be the heiress to your company now?"
Her words hit me, knocking the air from my lungs. I'd always known, deep down, that my position as an heiress wasn't as secure as I pretended. But hearing it stated so bluntly made my stomach churn.
"Her mom died?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "How did you know?"
Margot turned away from me, walking towards the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the bustling city below. Her reflection in the glass looked painful and conflicted. "I did some digging," she admitted. "I spoke to Mr. Loire himself and asked him what I knew. And to my surprise, Mr. Loire is Zia's mother's twin brother, and her mother was your father's great love."
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. I gripped the arms of my chair, trying to steady myself. "What? Is what you're saying true, Margot?" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to remain calm.
Margot turned back to face me, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "Yes, Sarah. Miss Loire died because her heart stopped when Zia was born. Your father and Mr. Loire were both present at that time. When your father found out that Zia's mother hadn't survived, he couldn't accept Zia into his life. Mr. Loire decided to adopt Zia because Eli's mother was lonely, and during those times, my aunt kept Eli away from her mother."
The weight of her words crashed over me like a tidal wave. I'd always known there was more to the story of my father and Zia, but this... This was beyond anything I'd imagined. My mind raced, trying to piece together this new information with what I already knew.
Zia had lost her mother at birth. My father—our father—had rejected her out of grief. And now, years later, I was doing the same thing. I was perpetuating a cycle of pain and rejection that had begun before Zia had even taken her first breath.
"Sarah? Why are you so quiet? What's on your mind right now?" Margot's voice cut through my spiralling thoughts.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. "Nothing. I don't think about anything," I lied, my voice flat and emotionless. I couldn't bear to voice the turmoil inside me, the guilt that was slowly eating away at my carefully constructed defences.
Margot's gaze bore into me, seeing through my facade as easily as if it were made of glass. "You're lucky, Sarah," she said softly. "You're the heiress to your company, and you have a complete family. Unlike Zia, she's been through a lot in life, and now you've added to it."
Her words stung each other with a sharp rebuke that pierced my heart. I wanted to argue, to defend myself, but the fight had gone out of me. Instead, I listened as Margot continued.
"Kindness is free. Why do most people find it difficult to give that? I know you have a good heart. Sarah. I'm begging you, don't make yourself and Zia suffer anymore."
I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes and blinked them away furiously. I am Sarah Brielle. I didn't cry. I didn't show weakness. But Margot's words had struck a chord deep within me, one that resonated with a truth I'd been trying to ignore.
"Margot, what you want isn't that easy," I said, my voice rising in frustration. "Do you think I don't feel sorry for her? I do, but what about my feelings? Don't my feelings matter?"
Margot's expression softened. "I didn't say your feelings were invalid. What I mean is, don't add to Zia's suffering. We both have a half-sister. When Eli came into my life, I was very happy. I accepted her wholeheartedly because nothing would change if I didn't accept her. I'm just making myself suffer more."
I slumped in my chair, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I wish I was like you, Margot, but I'm not. I had a heavy heart for Zia back then; we both knew it," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Margot stepped closer, her eyes searching mine. "You're just jealous of her, Sarah. That's the truth."
Her words sparked a flare of indignation within me. "Jealous?" I scoffed. "I have nothing to be jealous of. I am Sarah Brielle, and I get everything I want."
A knowing smirk played at the corners of Margot's lips. "There's only one person you didn't get, Sarah, and that's Eli. That's why you're so mad at Zia now because Eli chose her over you."
The words hit me again, knocking the air from my lungs. I opened my mouth to argue, to deny it, but no sound came out. Because deep down, I knew Margot was right.
Eli. Just thinking of her name sent a pang through my chest. I'd tried so hard to push her from my mind and pretend that she meant nothing to me. But the truth was, I loved her. I had always loved her. And the thought of her choosing Zia over me was a wound that refused to heal.
"Sarah." Margot's voice was gentle now, filled with understanding. "I know you still love Eli, but no matter what you do, you can't match Zia. They have a connection that they can only see in each other. Try to look behind you, Sarah. I'm just here, waiting for you to open your heart to me again."
I looked up at Margot, really looking at her for the first time in what felt like years. I saw the love in her eyes and the support she'd always given me. And for the first time, I felt a glimmer of hope.
Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to let go of the bitterness and jealousy that had been poisoning my heart. Maybe I could open myself up to the possibility of healing, acceptance, and love.
I took a deep breath, ready to speak, to tell Margot everything I'd been holding back. But before I could utter a word, my office door burst open.
Mr. Loire stood in the doorway, his face ashen, his usually impeccable suit rumpled. "Sarah," he gasped, his voice trembling. "It's Zia. There's been an accident."
My heart stopped. The world seemed to freeze around me. In that moment, all the anger, all the jealousy, and all the petty grievances I'd been holding onto vanished. All I could think about was Zia, my sister, and the possibility that I might lose her before I ever truly had the chance to know her.
As I rushed to my feet, my mind racing with possibilities, I realised that the truth I'd been running from for so long had finally caught up with me. And now, faced with the potential loss of a sister I'd never allowed myself to love, I was left with one burning question:
Was it too late to make things right?
