Kyra’s POV
Phoebe walked toward us and settled on the single couch across from where Nathan and I sat. She crossed her arms and legs, flashing that knowing smirk and tilting her head, mischief dancing in her eyes.
Nathan sighed and shook his head. "Stop it, Phoebe. We’re not dating."
The smile slowly faded from Phoebe’s face. Her eyes fixed on , searching for confirmation. When I nodded in agreent with Nathan’s statent, disappointnt clouded her expression.
I couldn’t believe her reaction. She looked genuinely sad that I wasn’t dating her brother. She pressed her lips together and slumped on the couch like a sulking child. I had no choice but to leave her be and continue eating.
The comfortable conversation Nathan and I had been sharing evaporated. Neither of us initiated further discussion. After dinner, he began cleaning up the table imdiately.
"I... should leave now," he said, his voice soft.
I nodded and smiled. "Thank you for the dinner."
He returned my smile before turning to Phoebe with an exasperated expression. "Let’s go, brat."
"I want to bond with Kyra," Phoebe protested, shaking her head.
"She’s tired, Phoebe. She needs to rest."
"But I want to be with her. I won’t take long."
Nathan shook his head and sighed heavily. "I’ll wait for you in the car."
"Nathan!"
"She has a daughter who’s waiting for her at ho, Phoebe. Be responsible."
Phoebe rolled her eyes dramatically. "Fine! Thirty minutes."
"Fifteen."
"What? That’s too short!"
"Ten?"
"Fifteen, then."
I bit my lip, watching their familiar sibling banter. Nathan turned to one last ti and nodded before leaving. When the door closed behind him, Phoebe’s expression softened as she looked at .
"How are you, Kyra?"
I smiled at her. "You didn’t show up for almost a week."
She frowned and sighed. "I was grounded."
"Because..." I trailed off, already suspecting the reason involved .
"Because I lied to them and sneaked out to see Snow while you were still at that island."
I took a deep breath. Just as I suspected.
"Don’t bla yourself, Kyra. It’s not your fault," she said quickly.
"Thank you for taking care of her while I was away, Phoebe." I smiled genuinely, looking into her eyes.
She smiled back. "You know my dad is very mysterious, right? He’s cold and all those negative things, but I know deep inside he cares..."
I listened attentively as she opened up to , her words flowing freely as if she’d been waiting for this mont.
"...I feel like he knows sothing and he just chose to hide it from us."
"Why do you think so?" I asked.
She lifted her face and looked directly at . "Because I didn’t see shock in his eyes when I told them you were taken to an isolated island."
My lips parted in surprise. Could it be... he saw that day at the airport?
Phoebe chuckled humorlessly. "And you know what’s funny? Nathan can’t see that Dad cares for him so much... so much that I feel neglected."
"Phoebe..."
"I joined swimming... and I brought a dal ho... and yet I didn’t see him smiling at . My dad is very cold and... distant. I feel like I’m not his daughter..."
Sylvia whined inside , feeling the young girl’s pain.
"Phoebe, don’t say that. I know your dad, and I also know that he cares for you and your brother," I said softly.
She chuckled and shook her head. "I’m sorry. Why did I even bring this up to you? I ca here to check on you. To make sure that you’re okay and... happy."
I smiled at her. "I am happy, Phoebe."
She swallowed hard and stared into my eyes again. "Can’t you love my brother again?"
Her question shocked . A-again? Did she know I had loved him before?
"I know how you feel about him, Kyra. I saw it... in your eyes. I saw how you looked at him. I saw how deep your feelings were... Those are the sa emotions I could see in Dad’s eyes whenever he looks at Mom. Genuine... and pure."
I looked down and played with my fingers. "I don’t know, Phoebe."
"He broke up with Sophia five years ago. That day... the villa was burned down to ashes."
My lips parted in shock. The night I ran away from him. I knew it. I already saw that coming when he first looked at while I was carrying my baby. I saw the finality and determination in his eyes, and I knew he was planning to break up with Sophia. I knew him too well, and I wasn’t wrong.
"I know the whole story, Kyra. I was young but not dumb. You saved my brother and took the fall. Even I can’t do that."
I squeezed my eyes closed and slowly lifted my face to look at her. "I don’t wanna live in regret, Phoebe. That’s why I’m trying to fix my life and reconcile with your brother... even as friends."
She nodded. "I understand. I’m not saying this to invalidate your feelings. I just really want to know if you already forgive my brother... and for turning a blind eye to all of this."
"I can assure you that I do," I said softly.
She smiled and reached into her bag, pulling out an elegant card which she handed to . An invitation to her upcoming birthday party.
"I asked you those questions because I don’t wanna get hurt if I invited you and you refused to co. Please attend my birthday party, Kyra. You are like a real sister to . A sister I never had."
I caressed the card and smiled at her. "Expect at your birthday party."
"Thank you, Kyra." She rose from the couch and enveloped in a warm hug.
I smiled as I stroked her hair. The gentleness and warmth of her embrace touched my heart. I knew that I had hurt her too when I divorced her brother and left. But I needed to do that to save myself from that deadly pain. I had to choose myself so I wouldn’t burn to ashes.
She walked toward the door, and I followed her. Before leaving, she turned and looked at with an intensity that caught off guard.
"One more thing..." She paused and took a deep breath. "If Sophia cos back... please don’t let her ruin your happiness again. Fight for what you have because you deserve it."
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