Chapter 192: To emotionally manipulate he
"You should get some rest," Amelie said gently, her voice laced with concern as she looked at her sister.
"I’m not tired," Flora murmured, clutching the edge of Amelie’s sleeve like a lifeline. Her voice trembled. "Please... I don’t want to be alone."
That single plea pulled Amelie back to a distant memory when they were children, no older than six or seven. Flora used to cling to her in the very same way, always seeking comfort and safety.
But as the years passed, so had the closeness between them, slowly replaced by silence, misunderstanding, and wounds neither of them had dared to address, until now.
"Stay with me, Amelie," Flora whispered, her tear-streaked face lifting slightly. "I understand now, what it must’ve felt like for you... to be mocked, bullied, ridiculed by everyone, including me. I was part of it. I never defended you. I stood there and said nothing when you needed someone the most." Her voice cracked, and a sob escaped her lips. "But today, I need you. I really do. I don’t want to die... but I know what I did to you can’t be undone, not while I’m still breathing."
Amelie curled her fingers tightly, trying to suppress the wave of emotion rising inside her. She didn’t want to feel pity. She didn’t want her heart to soften. But seeing Flora so broken, so painfully vulnerable, made it impossible not to feel something shift inside her.
"Alex never told me you were pregnant," Flora continued, voice shaking. "I found out later, and even then, I didn’t confront him. I should’ve. I should’ve defended you. But I was so consumed by envy and bitterness..."
"Let’s not talk about him," Amelie said, cutting her off with a soft but firm tone.
Flora nodded, her gaze dropping. "Okay. I’m sorry," she whispered.
"You should freshen up," Amelie suggested after a pause, her voice now softer. "Your face is a mess... especially your eyes. They’re completely swollen."
Flora sniffled and nodded again. "I’ll go... but please, don’t leave," she pleaded.