There are situations in your life that just don't make sense. Situations that you can't explain, no matter how much you try to make sense out of the nonsense. I have many of those situations, and I have learned to live with it, but this. This I cannot accept.
Here I stand before my family, watching in disbelief as my younger sister, Julia, the biological daughter of the Lucian family, 5 feet 4, slim with skin as pale as the moon, her eyes the shade of gold just like her father's, with long wavy honey brown hair. She locks arms with my fiancé, Jonathan, 6 feet, dark hair and ocean blue eyes, and nobody sees anything wrong with it. Not my parents, not my brother and not even Jonathan himself.
"Winter, my dear, you should understand the situation at hand," my mother steps forward with a smile. Her brown hair is in a ponytail, her eyes a beautiful shade of blue. "She is your younger sister, you know how irresponsible she can be." She is your younger sister, those same words. I closed my eyes as they rang at the back of my head
"Irresponsible? That..is.. this is all you are going to say?" I stammered, my voice trembling as I blinked back tears, my eyes growing watery with unshed emotion, "You don't see anything wrong here?" I look away from my mother, around, hoping for backup. Someone, anyone, should stand up and say this is wrong. Huh'' I let out and bit my lower lip "When were you going to tell me?" My gaze fell on Jonathan, who stood proudly, too proud for someone who made such a mistake.
Speaking of pride, Jonathan is too proud to make such a mistake in the first place. a man with pride who desires power more than anything. he is too much in control to make a mistake like this. Unless it wasn't a mistake, Jonathan did it on purpose, and he had his reason.
"Sister, you should calm down, you are scaring me," Julia tightens her grip around Jonathan, her tone weak and gentle, scared. As always, she played the victim; I was the one hurting, but she always played the victim. always been that way since we were kids.
"We were going to tell you soon, we just didn't expect the pregnancy," Jonathan said.
"Huh?" I let out in disbelief, blinking back my tears. I can't cry, I can't be seen crying because of them. "Then when is soon? Taking one step forward, my jaw hardened'' Today? Tomorrow, on our wedding night!!" I lashed out '' fucking answer me!!.
"Don't you raise your voice in my house, young lady," my father fires back, standing up and shutting me up instantly. "This is not the time to be getting angry and pointing fingers." He takes a few steps towards me. His height overshadows me, his gaze dark and fierce, his jaw hard. Not a bit of pity in his eyes. I can't remember the last time he looked at me with a gentle gaze or even smiled at me. Probably when I was 9, I think.
"Darling, calm down," my mother says softly, her face shows rumours, but I could see the smile behind it, mocking "It is normal for her to get mad."
"She has no right to get mad in my house, not after all I have done for her... so what if her sister made a mistake. As the eldest, isn't it her job to forgive and try to figure out a way out of this situation?"
"Father is right," Macos, my elder brother, spoke after being silent all this while. He stands up, sliding his hands in his pockets. A photocopy of his father, height, eyes, hair, and attitude, all of it. One would mistake him for father in the dark. The second favourite in-house after Julia. Always on father's side. Sometimes I think he does it just to please him. "The family's image is at stake. If word gets out that Julia is pregnant with your fiancé, what do you think that will place us in? This is not the time to think about feelings."
"We should figure out what to do with the pregnancy," Mother said.
"What to do with the pregnancy?" Julia frowns. "I am in love with Jonathan, I want to marry him... both of us have already made the decision to get married."
"What?" My mouth almost fell wide open, I bit the inner part of my lips in pain as my breath grew heavy and I felt funny in my stomach, I think I am going to vomit. "You don't mean that," looking away from her to Jonathan. "Tell me it is a lie?" My voice came out weaker than planned
"I am sorry, Winter," His words and his actions contradict. he wasn't sorry, not one bit of guilt was seen in those eyes that I have fallen in love with " I love her. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't."
"Huh?" Looking away. Scratching my hair aggressively. Turn my back on them, my vision blurred. "Hh," I bit the edge of my lips hard, so hard that I tasted blood, but I was too distracted to feel any pain. What am I feeling right now? I can't explain. I just know it is killing me inside. I want to scream. It took me a few second,s and I took a deep breath and turned around to face this pathetic family.
"A mistake? Wow. I shouldn't be surprised, right?" I looked up to the man I call father, who now has an eyebrow raised. My gaze drifts from his to his wife, then Maco,s then Julia. Anyone who sees them outside would tell in an instant that they are related but me. I will forever remain Lucian's adopted daughter. I have worked hard, so hard just to be seen, just to be recognised. But I can never belong with them. "I want to ask a question. Why was I adopted?"
"What?" My father lets out in confusion.
"Why the fuck did you adopt me if you all knew I wouldn't accept me as your own!!!" I shouted, I needed to...
"Are you mad!!?'' he fired back
'' Yes I am mad, I have gone insane because of this fucked up family.... A mistake? Should I forgive? Huh'' throwing my hands in the air '' Tell me if it was I who made the same mistake with Julia's fiancé, would it be seen as a mistake? Would you tell Julia to forgive me?'' The room falls silent. The rage in my father's face is clear, but he had no words to defend himself '' I knew it. All my life, I worked hard just to be recognised. Just to prove myself worthy, I achieved so much on my own, but what do I get I return? this.. fuck you all!!''
Just like that, my father's palm landed on my face. throwing my face to the side. I heard Julia's gasp of shock. all fake. The slap was familiar, too familiar. In fact, I live my life expecting it.
'' Hhh'', a small sigh escaped my lips, and I stood straight again. Adjusting my hair, putting it back in place. ''Huh'' finally, I was thinking. Finally, I could see this clearly. Maybe the smile was just what I needed to send me back to factory reset mood. ''What am I even doing?'' I whispered to myself, then looked at my ring finger. Smiled before looking at Julia. I walk up to her, and on reaching her, Jonathan steps forward a little, with her behind him protectively. Strange, Jonathan has never held me like that in the 3 years of our relationship. ''What? think I am going to hit her''
''I know how you can be when you get mad''
''Oh,'' nodding in understanding. I smiled again, then pulled out the ring on my finger. I reached for the pocket of his blaze and slid the ring inside. His gaze drops to my fingers on his chest, with that I bust off the invisible dirt on his blazer . Then I took off the shoes I was wearing. a birthday gift from him last year and kicked it to the side. ''That is yours''
I turn around to face my father and his wife. walking to them. They watch me carefully. scared of how I would react. I took off the jacket I was wearing and dropped it on the floor in front of them. Their gaze dropped to it before looking at me again
"What are you doing'' Macos spoke, the confusion in his tone fills the air
'' Giving back what I can.. this was a gift from you, mother.. just so you know. I hate orange, it's a terrible colour for a dress'' I say to my so called mother who fowns at my action '' and also'' taking out the car key from my pocket and dropped it on the floor as well '' that was from you, Macos'' My gaze falls on him now, away from my parents '' to celebrate the opening of my studio and just so you know. BMW has never been my taste''
'' Why are you suddenly giving them back? The sound of Julia's voice made me want to turn around and starb her
'' From this day on. I do not recognise Lucian as my family''
'' You are disowning your own family'' Father spoke in confusion, almost smiling, like I was joking
'' Winter, dear, you should calm down '' Mother says pretending to want to calm me down
'' It never felt like family anyway, so why should I bother? an besides. You guys are better off without me. I am more like a prop in this family.
'' Big sis you shouldn't say things like that'' Julia spoke with that fucking innocent tone making me turn to face her '' You are going to upset father''
'' If you don't shut the fuck up i am going to do something you will never expect'' I let out my rage
'' Winter, watch your mouth'' Macos scolded'' You can't just threaten our little sister like that
'' She is not my sister anymore, remember?''
'' You can't be serious'' Macos shakes his head with a mocking smile. And I smiled brightly. They are forgetting something, and that is because of how hard I had to work with very little support from them. I am loaded, and every single penny is mine.
'' watch me''