Burning Ties

Chapter Fifteen

Iris POV

A few hours later, it's time for dinner and Leo and I make our way to the dining room. Yes, I walked because apparently I have to walk at some point - I think it's Leo's wag of saying he's weak - but I very grumpily walk behind Leo as he leads the way to the dining room.

This place is freaking huge, and I still have no idea how the hell I'm supposed to ever be able to find my way to any room in this house.

My heart aches just a little bit at the fact that neither of my parents bothered to even check on me, but it's fine, I have Leo.

"Ready, Iris?" Leandro asks at the doorway of the dining room, knowing that both our parents are going to be there.

"I don't think so, but I can't cower away... Especially if I'm living in this house, so unfortunately I think we have to go in." I grumble unhappily.

Leandro only laughs at my pain before entering, and I, very unhappily follow him although I do paste a fake smile on my face. I hate that I have to feel so nervous when I'm just going to be in front of my parents, why do they manage to make me feel so unloved?

"Hi, Mama, papa." I greet as Leo pulls out a seat for me before taking his own next to me.

"Iris? You're home?" Papa asks, looking a bit shocked.

"Um yeah? I got home earlier today." I answer, looking back at him in confusion. Did he not even care enough to find out when I'd be getting back home?

"Boys... Why did none of you tell me that your sister was home?" Papa questions, looking at my brothers with accusation.

"We told mama because you were in a meeting. And I didn't bother finding you after because you've already proved that you don't care." Andrei shrugs as the cooks come in with the food.

"Proved I didn't care? What the hell do you mean, Andrei?"

"Did you bother visiting her?" Luka asks, and I find myself fighting a smile. Call me a jerk, but I like knowing that my brothers are ready to fight their own father for me.

"Well, no, your mama wasn't feeling well." Papa defends, making Carmine roll his eyes and Rocco scoff.

"Yeah sure." Rocco says, before helping himself to the food.

Honestly, I think food is more important than this fight too, Rocco, but I wasn't about to voice my thoughts, especially not when papa looks so mad. Who knows what he'll do?

"Yes, papa? What is it that you want to say?" Leandro asks.

"You think it's okay to fight with me for not visiting Iris when your mama was sick? When did you boys bother to even come and check on your mama?"

Leandro scoffs before he too dishes out a plate of rissoto for himself before putting some on my plate. "Yes, because mama was just faking seeing as she only ever 'felt sick' when it came to you wanting to go see Iris. And would you look at that? She conveniently forgot to tell you that Iris was out of hospital too, didn't she? And we didn't bother because she didn't bother to even ask about how Iris had been doing when she quite literally could have died!"

"Don't question your mama!" Papa orders, his face going slightly red.

"We will, when she stops doing questionable things." Mikhail says. Oh, I kind of forgot he was here, I don't think I even spoke to him, but nevertheless, my heart warms at the fact that he's willing to defend me... Even if I did forget about him. I don't know why papa chooses that moment to stop defending his wife, or why mama didn't say a word the whole time, but I figure it's best if I keep quiet about it before it all changes.

With that, the rest of the dinner is spent in silence, except for when Luka whispers random things to me because 'it'll keep me entertained', whatever that means.

I mean, obviously I know what it means but it doesn't make sense. I don't know why he whispered it though, because I'm sure everyone heard him anyway sinfe he sucks at whispering.

We spend about half an hour at the table before I make Aleksander carry me to my room, claiming my stomach hurts because it's the first time I've eaten a homecooked meal in a while, and he's the only one who believed my lie.

Leandro trails behind us, giving me a pointed look when I talk to Alek the whole way to my room. It takes about five minutes to get there which, I think, proves how big this freaking house is.

Once we're in my room, Alek places me on my feet before turning to leave.

"Hey, Alek?"

"Yeah, Iris?"

"Wanna do one of these face masks Leo got me? He's joining us, obviously, since he got it, but you can join too. As long as you don't tell the others," I frown, "I don't have enough for them."

Alek laughs, "Of course I'll join you, butterfly."

"Dammit. You really had to say yes?" Leo groans like the grump he is before falling dramatically on my bed. What a weirdo, but then, Alek gapes at him in shock.

"Did you... Did you just do something stupid?" Alek asks, looking weirdly at Leandro. Am I missing something?

"Yeah... He does it all the time..." I answer.

Alek just blinks in confusion, and I shrug it off. I'm tired of trying to understand this family, I've just accepted that they're a bunch of weirdos and I'm very happy to be a part of them.

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GUYSSSSS I finished my examsssssss.
Think I failed math, and accounting...
But the rest is fineeee
So it's fine, at least everything else is okay 😭

You guys think I should get a new cover for this thing? Like a better one of smth? Cuz I designed this an hour before I decided to first publish it lmaooooo. I know it needs work, but I'm not a GD so I never bothered, I'll get one if y'all think I should tho.. And probably even if y'all think I shouldn't because I don't like this one very much....

Anywho, hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. It's a bit on the shorter side. And I bet the interactions between the mother, father and Iris isn't what you expected it to be, but trust me there's ✨ drama ✨

Just not yet because I like to be a bitch and keep you guys in suspense.

But anyway, be happy that I updated kinda fast, but it woulda been faster if I managed to freaking WRITE. TELL ME WHY I CAN'T WRITE.

I REWROTE IT THREE TIMES AND I'M STILL NOT HAPPY BUT I CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO CHANGE IT HDJFNSKFBDKND.

Anywho, byeeee