The Billionaire's Deal (BWWM)

17.

Song- IDFWU by Big Sean ft. E-40

Aaron.

Clara is gone, gone out of our lives without even informing us.

I guess I deserved that.

I sighed sadly.

I missed her. Every time we would fallout, but she's my sis. These things ain't rare.

I just hadn't expected her to say that. Those words, they fuckin stung.

You said some dumb things too bruh.

I should apologize to her. I mean she was right, I was being too damn overprotective. I know that she hates that.

But I'm looking out for her. I'm doing what Dad never did for her, for us.

When he decided to marry that witch, I decided to protect her. It wasn't easy, because that woman would always find some little excuse to try to raise her hands on Clara.

But she should at least put herself in my shoes. She got kidnapped by a man and forced to be engaged to him. I was just trying to protect her. What if it happened again?

What if that's why she didn't come back home?

I sighed and opened the door.

Mel was sprawled on the sofa changing the channels.

"No."

"No."

"Sports? Ugh!"

I chuckled. She would always change the channels until something caught her eye.

"Holy shit!"

I locked the door behind me and sat down.

"Hey babe whatcha wat-" I said, but stopped when I saw what she was looking at.

There Clara was on TV with some young white guy. He was holding her hand, having her sign on something.

I read the headlines: 'Martin heir introduces fiancée to media with company takeover"

She was smiling, she was happy.

And I was just feeling guilty.

Mel saw that look in my eyes and turned off the TV.

"Why'd ya turn it off? Turn it on!"

"Aaron..." she started.

"No! Turn it on! I want to see just how happy she is! I want you to see just how happy she is!" I yelled

Mel sighed, turning on the TV. Clara was giving some speech about love.

Had she lost it?

She was on TV talking about loving her kidnapper!

Then it clicked: Clara was a grown woman. She could make decisions on her own, no matter how stupid they were.

She didn't need her brother.

I walked away and went upstairs to our room.

********************

I sat on the bed scrolling through some of the pictures we had taken. There was one of us when we were little. Clara was lying down on the pile of leaves that I raked up and I was holding the rake with an impish look on my face. I smiled remembering that day.

I was 8. Every time I raked the leaves into a pile, Clara would run and jump around in the leaves. Mom saw us outside and took out her camera. I got fed up and raked it up one last time. She lay down on the leaves, smiling proudly and I was just looking at her, smiling.