Ella was alone with Cleopatra, and she noticed her sister’s demeanor had changed despite Cleopatra’s best attempts to hide it. She led her into a room that their parents had kept off-limits to them as kids. They weren’t allowed anywhere near it, so it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Ella had never been in it. This was because she left the house at an early age and had never been considered part of the family. Naturally, they allowed Cleopatra in once they deemed her old enough to handle herself in such a situation.
She was the heir to everything they had worked so hard in life for but it was a pity that they didn’t live long enough to see Cleopatra extend their bloodline with a husband and a child.
“Something is wrong,” Ella thought to herself as she noticed little jars scattered around the room with names attached. She could barely make out the names because the room was barely illuminated, but she noticed that the air in here was chilly. For an average citizen, this would run their bills through the roof, but not to Cleopatra. Money was the last thing on her mind because she had enough to last multiple lifetimes.
However, this was a room where her family line for centuries had been cremated and kept inside but Ella was oblivious to this fact.
“Here it is…” Cleopatra said. Ella could hear her voice crack slightly, but her older sister never once turned to look at her. Ella stepped forward and noticed her parents’ names on two separate jars. The anger she carried toward them melted at that very moment. She had thought they were buried, but it looked like they were cremated.
“They wanted you to come, but only of your own volition,” Cleopatra said, the crack in her voice becoming more prominent. Ella just stood there, paralyzed. Seeing a huge tombstone would have been better than this because it meant they were within arm’s reach.
“B-But you said…! YOU SAID-!” Ella nearly lost her temper, expecting Cleopatra to shoot her down with her usual condescending tone.
“I know what I said, but I had to do that to make sure you weren’t just coming because they had passed, but because you wanted to,” Cleopatra confessed, though this wasn’t an excuse for her selfish act.
“Here,” Cleopatra handed her an envelope, but Ella was trembling so hard that it was hard to grab it.
“You’re allowed to hate me in their stead, Ella,” Cleopatra said before placing the paper in her hand and taking a step back.
“You have no right… You have no fucking right to say that! It isn’t fair!” Ella barked, but Cleopatra didn’t react. She knew Ella had years of resentment that she needed to let out. Cleopatra gestured for her to open the letter in her hand, but Ella was hesitant because she didn’t know what awaited her.
Ella didn’t know this situation would affect her so deeply. She thought she was over it, but everything came rushing to the surface. She had been the black sheep for so long that she nearly lost herself in that image. If she didn’t have Jane, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she would have died long ago due to her addiction to drugs. This family ruined her. Whatever was in that letter was a little too late, but Ella couldn’t help herself; she had to see the last words her parents spoke to her. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
“No… Not now,” Ella said, lowering the envelope. She wasn’t ready and had no plans to rush a moment this important either.
“Very well then, you’re free to spend the night here,” Cleopatra welcomed her sister, but her cold voice had returned.
“I can?” Ella was surprised, but she wasn’t going to turn it down. She still secretly sought her older sister’s approval.
“Yes, along with your ‘friends,’ I will have the maids prepare Jane’s room,” Cleopatra said.
This took Ella a moment to process, but it hit her—she had to spend the night in the same room as Kyle. She didn’t know how Jane would take it, but this was taking things a step too far. She thought about coming clean or refusing her sister’s offer, but the words couldn’t leave her mouth.
“Or you can refuse?” Cleopatra suggested with a smirk, knowing there was no way her younger sister would pass up this opportunity. She knew that despite Ella’s rebellion, she sought a family that would love her unconditionally. Cleopatra began to understand that her parents’ ideals might be archaic, but it was part of the rules they had to follow. Even though Cleopatra was gradually breaking out of this cliché, Ella accepted her offer to spend the night.
She didn’t know if Cleopatra was manipulating her, but whatever was in the letter in her hand must have been important. The fact that it remained unopened by Cleopatra showed that her sister might have retained some level of respect. Or rather, it showed the respect she had for their parents.
Cleopatra dismissed Ella. “You know what? I think I might spend the night here with you all and get to know my little sister’s boyfriend,” she said, but sarcasm laced her voice.
Ella rolled her eyes before sticking the letter in her back pocket. “You haven’t changed. That is disappointing…” she mouthed off, but before she knew it, Cleopatra wrapped her hand around her neck and pushed her up against the wall.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Cleopatra barked at her sister. She was so strong despite her slender frame. Ella clawed at her sister, but it wasn’t enough to break free. Eventually, Cleopatra let go, and Ella dropped to her knees, gasping for the air her older sister had restricted.
She forgot for a brief moment that Cleopatra believed in physical force, and the fact that she had a black belt didn’t help either—it allowed her the power to exercise this belief.
“I will pardon you seeing as it is our first time meeting after so long, but don’t you ever forget your place. My dear Ella,” Cleopatra said before walking away.
Ella was left with eyes filled with tears. She forgot how abusive Cleopatra could be because she wasn’t a woman scared of using physical violence. This was a trait that Ella unknowingly inherited from her older sister. Cleopatra had shown the same willingness to hurt others growing up, even though she lacked the proper skills. Unlike her, Cleopatra was trained in hand-to-hand combat.
–
Kyle and Jane were outside, wondering why it was taking so long for Ella to come out, but they didn’t have to wait long because Cleopatra soon came out. It didn’t take even thirty seconds before Ella followed suit, and it was obvious to anyone with two eyes that Ella was out of it.
Cleopatra made sure not to leave any bruises on her younger sister, not because she was scared, but simply because she didn’t know anything about the man she had brought. If he was truly her boyfriend, this little test of hers would confirm that.
Cleopatra could tell with a single glance that Jane was interested in Kyle. She didn’t know if this was a love triangle, but she knew it was an opportunity to test just how strong their friendship was. There was no friendship stronger than human desire, and right now, she found a chance to take away the one thing that kept her sister sane.
Ella came out wearing a smile. Kyle and Jane knew not to ask what went on inside. Ella told them they would be spending the night but didn’t go into details of how the night would unfold. Jane already felt uneasy during that embrace, but it wasn’t because she didn’t trust them. No, it was because Kyle was filling roles in Ella’s life that had always been hers to fill for so long.
“Stay together in one room?” Jane asked, but Kyle could tell she was uncomfortable.
“That is ridiculous… What will this prove?” Kyle asked, but he could tell Ella had given this some thought already.
“W-We don’t have to do it,” Ella muttered, but this was the first divide in their relationship. There were so many ways this could go south, but Kyle trusted himself enough to know that nothing would happen. It was Ella, after all. He must not stick his cock into every woman he came across, and Ella was off-limits.
What bothered him was Cleopatra choosing to stay here. Kyle couldn’t help but wonder about her motives for offering such an invitation.
“It is fine. You can spend the night with Kyle,” Jane said, extending her trust to both of them. This wasn’t about her, after all, and they wouldn’t get this opportunity again to rub Cleopatra’s face in it.
“Thank you so much, Jane! I owe you both big time!” Ella said, but the tension had begun to build.