"Claire, I am warning you once again. I hope you can enjoy a good time with Leena in the city. Otherwise, be sure that I will send you back home. Besides, Leena's family is a lot more well-known than you think. She just doesn't want to be thought of as one of those rich girls from powerful families. She chose to keep a low profile and endure your insults again and again. I am supposed to respect her wishes and so I didn't intervene. But now that you have decided to stay here, you'll discover many more secrets about her. By then, I'm sure you'll regret everything you have done to Leena," Kevin said sternly.
Kevin had kept the knowledge of Leena's wealthy family from Claire since Leena wished to keep the secret to herself and he had to respect her wish. Rich as she was, Leena was also independent and open-minded, and she knew what was right for herself. So Kevin had decided not to make any decisions on her behalf.
"What secrets? Are you talking about me?" Leena asked loudly, suddenly arriving at the scene. She walked downstairs. She had heard part of Kevin's conversation with Claire, and couldn't help but be curious about what they were discussing.
"It's your guess," Kevin answered, smiling. He looked over Leena up and down. Apparently, his wife had finally decided to be herself again, instead of pretending to be someone else in front of his family. She must have been tired of being discreet and mature. Today, she looked like the lovely princess she actually was.
"What? Are you actually Leena? Or just some fucking imposter?" Claire shouted in disbelief. She was shocked to see Leena in the fashionable clothes. How could this woman, as beautiful as a supermodel, be the same girl she had come to know in Capital City, whom Claire considered to be ordinary, old-fashioned, and even ugly?
"What are you talking about? Did I miss something? Kevin, is there something wrong with me?" Leena asked, ill at ease. She was wearing a pair of most fashionable dark blue pencil pants, and a low-cut lacy shirt covered by an expensive fur coat. The outfit made her look cute and alluring at the same time.
"No, you're all right. Claire's just being silly. Ha!" Kevin burst into laughter. He couldn't blame Claire for sounding so shocked and rude when she saw Leena come down the stairs. This was Leena's true side. She had behaved differently in a thousand ways at Capital City. Leena chose to hide her charm and beauty to please Kevin's parents, pretending to be old-fashioned and mature instead. Kevin had persuaded her to be herself, regardless of his parents' likes and dislikes. But Leena had her own way in the end, claiming that she couldn't be her childish self in front of her husband's family.
"Oh! I see." Leena winked at Claire mischievously. She realized the reason for the shocked expression on Claire's face. She must be upset by the enormous differences between the old and new Leena.
"Fuck off. Don't be so arrogant. You are only wearing different clothes, which doesn't change anything about you," Claire said reluctantly, her awkwardness obvious. Her mouth curled. Obviously, Leena was much better than her when it came to fashion. What was worse was that Leena's snow-white skin scored her many points. Claire was incomparable.
"Let's hit the road. And stay away from Claire. She has a big mouth. Don't quarrel with her, otherwise you'll only frustrate yourself," Kevin said. He knew only something drastic could change Claire's biased opinions about Leena. Her relationship with Leena could not transform overnight. On the other hand, it was fortunate that Leena usually turned a deaf ear to Claire's criticism and taunts. It would be awful if they got into a quarrel one day.
"Okay. I see." Leena deliberately played the mature woman and agreed with what Kevin said. She wanted nothing but to see Claire getting pissed off, stomping her foot and shouting at her. Back in Capital City, Claire was always making trouble for Leena and attempting to pick a fight with her. For the sake of Kevin's parents, Leena had to swallow her anger and behave herself. But now since they were in S City, Leena found it necessary to teach Claire a lesson and clue her in some ground rules. Claire should know better than to think that Leena was a weak woman whom she could provoke easily.
"Quit being naughty!" Kevin said. He shrugged, already knowing what Leena planned to do next. He decided to step aside and become an observer. In his opinion, she was a smart and thoughtful girl who knew what she was doing.
"Stop running away! And don't you look down on me," Claire yelled, trying to catch up with them as they left the house. Noticing that her existence was being ignored while Leena and Kevin flirted with each other right in front of her, Claire couldn't refrain herself any longer and grew angry. She knew she was the subject of their conversation.
"Why should we care about your feelings? You're too old to be looked after by others. You're a grown-up, you should learn how to do things on your own," Leena said. She was highly amused at the expression on Claire's face. She finally had the opportunity to get her revenge and reprimand Claire. Claire had been so arrogant in Capital City. Leena had to swallow her anger and do what she was ordered. It was different now. This was her city and Leena would be the one giving Claire orders. Nobody dared to use Leena as a punching bag. Not her parents, not her brothers. However, Claire had an exaggerated opinion of her abilities and had forced her to kneel and surrender. It was time to strike back.
Kevin, why are you standing there and doing nothing? Didn't you hear what she just said to me?" Claire yelled hysterically. She finally caught up to them as they reached the elevator. Claire didn't want to be left behind or be considered a pathetic clown. As Kevin's only sister, she had the natural right to be loved and looked after by her brother, didn't she?