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6
Despite her low opinion of the man, Ana found herself thinking of John Shelby.
She was irked by his arrogant confidence and the unspoken test that he had seemed to give her when in her own home. The way he smirked anytime he thought he had gained an upper hand bothered her to no end. But she still thought of him. She wondered why he had felt the need to visit her in person.
Anastasiya stood in the bottom of the hallway. She had used it so much as a basis of observation, that it had almost become more familiar than the room in which she slept. Even the garish emerald wallpaper had become more tolerable on her eyesight and the placement of ornate mirrors on each wall didn't seem to aggravate her as much as they did upon first arrival.
In fact, she almost liked it. It was exactly what she imagined when she thought of her mother.
Seeing Tatiana at the end of the hall, Ana disbanded her thoughts. Her feet were moving forward quickly before she had even contemplated what she would say, and she caught up to her with a hand outreached to her elbow. Her sister turned cautiously before she had even stepped close, gazing at her with narrowed eyes.
Ana smiled, pulling her pearls out and tilting her chin. Tatiana scoffed. The sight was too obviously sentimental and it was a smile of cloying sweetness, that made her stomach turn. Ana wanted something, and Tatiana had a feeling that this time, she would give it.
"Don't give me that look." She snapped, glaring daggers at the sickening grin on her sister's lips.
"I'm not giving you a look." Ana said, continuing to smile at her sister, toying with the fake innocence that laced her words and slipped against her tongue.
"You are. The one where you think you can pull something out of me." Tatiana insisted. "Stop."
"I know you think you can't trust me, but I am your sister." Ana assured, taking her elbow in her hand and guiding her to the library harshly.
Tatiana ripped her arm from Ana's grip, moving to glare at her once again. "You should have thought about that before your outburst."
"I apologise, but I felt invisible in the presence of my own family." Ana scoffed. "You being part of the reason."
Tatiana shook her head, dismissing her with ease. Ana pleaded, "Just let me in, Tatiana. You were always the one I could trust."
"Why do you want to know?"
Had it not have been a matter of gaining answers, Ana would have laughed. Tatiana had always been a one for pointless questions. Though, most of the time, it was for her own gain.
