''You don't have to worry about me. I just hope by the time I return, my sister in law here would have decided what exactly she wanted to do with her life. She can't be freeloading like before. She needs to work to earn her own keep.''
''She is your elder sister, young man!''
''I will never accept her, mother!''
''I will get a job soon. I've sent out application letters. I will be attending interviews soon.'' Natalie interrupted the banter between the mother and son pair.
''You can't work with your condition, Natalie? What if you get a relapse?" Mrs. Sun said worriedly.
''I'd be fine, aunt. As Mr. Sun said, I need to earn my own keep.''
''Is there some special reason why you can't work?'' Mikael asked, looking at her.
''No, I'm fine to work.''
....
Hello! Parking lot.
Mrs. Regina said to Natalie as they walked to the car, ''let's go together, Mikael will send you home.''
''No, is okay. I will get a taxi. You must be tired from all the walking that we did. Go home and rest. I will call you tomorrow morning.''
''Get in. I will send you back after I take mom home.'' Mikael said to her.
''No need to make the extra trip for me. I will get a taxi from here.''
''Don't make me repeat myself, sister in law. You either get in or I carry you into the car, your choice.'' Natalie opened the backseat and hurriedly got inside making the mother and son chuckle.
Mrs. Regina got down from the car once they reached the Sun family house. She looked at the Mikael and Natalie.
''Mikael, send Natalie back safely.''
''Go in and rest, mother.''
''Aunt, see you tomorrow.'' Natalie smiled and waved at the elderly woman.
''What are you doing at the back? Do I look like your driver?'' Mikael looked at Natalie and she got down from the back and went to the front seat with him. Her face turned red and she lowered her gaze and asked. ''Why are you looking at me like that?''
'Why is your face red?'' He asked, still looking at her.
''Nothing, I will give you the address.''
''I know there!'' He said, cutting her short before driving out of the house.
An hour later, Mikael pulled over in front of the villa. He turned to look at Natalie undoing her seatbelt.
''Thank you!'' Natalie said and got out of the car.
''Wait!'' Mikael got down with her and asked her, ''Alice Jun. What is your relationship with her? Is she perhaps your sister?''
''Ye… yes, please don't harm her in any way.'' Alice was Natalie's Achilles heel. She was very protective of her.
''That will depend on your performance.''
''What do you mean?''
''You have so many layers to you, Natalie Jun. so many such that I wonder which layer is actually you. I intend to strip every one of those layers out and leave you bare and naked. I don't believe you are as good as everyone says you are.'' Mikael said with a cold expression.
''I will take my leave now!''
''My assistant will move some of my things into the villa by next week.''
''What?'' Natalie's face changed.
''My mom said I should live with you for some time and make my decision about you afterwards. She says I have a major prejudice against you and wants me to get to know you more. Even I am curious to know just how amazing you really are. I will move in after shooting the drama.''
''I can just leave if that is what you want? I already told you I don't need the money Thomas left me and that drama contract.'' Natalie dreaded the idea of living under the same roof with Mikael.
''Is too late to back out, Natalie. Also, I discovered something else. My brother has been shielding your little sister, he bought the rights to the drama just because he wanted to make you the owner of the drama, he did it partly because he wanted your sister to star in it.''
''Why are you telling me all this?''
''Because I want you to know you have a lot to lose by messing with me. Your sister's career is also in my hands, so, you had better behave.''
''I have nothing to hide, you can go ahead and investigate me.''
''I look forward to living with you sister in law, ah, right, big sister.'' He said sarcastically.
''Good night, Mr. Sun!''
Natalie went to the hall and sat down on the sofa feeling tired. She closed her eyes and murmured to herself.
''I need to get a job before he moves in. If only a job would fall down from heaven like manner.''
.....
Sun Family Mansion.
Mikael arrived and went straight to his mother's quarters with the adoption papers. When he arrived, she was seated on the small table in her room sipping her tea. It looked as if she was waiting for him to come to her.
''Mother!'' Mikael walked into the room.
''You are here? Did you send your sister back safely?''
''She is not my sister. Cancel the adoption. Mother, this doesn't make sense at all.''
''As long as it makes sense to me, it is alright. You will come to terms with it soon.''
''No, I will not. She is not my sister; I will never acknowledge her as such.''
''Well, if you hate the fact that she is your sister that much, why don't you find a man for her? Natalie is just 25 years, she is young and very attractive. Since you don't want her as a sister and hate the fact that she is your sister in law, then why don't you look for a capable man to marry her?''
''So that she can take whatever my brother left for her and enjoy with that man? it will never happen.''
''Then, there is another way out for you. You are 23 years, most of your colleagues are already married with kids. Why don't you marry Natalie?''
''Mother, this is ridiculous. How can you tell me to marry my brother's widow?''
''They were only married for a few weeks and haven't even received their marriage certificate yet. Technically, she isn't married to your brother. You can marry her to keep the wealth in the family.''
''Mother!!'' Mikael yelled in disbelief.
''I will give you up until the time you finish your drama shoot. You pick one of the three, accept Natalie as your sister, find her a capable man or you take responsibility for her yourself. The ball is in your court now, son.'' Mrs. Regina stood up and went to her bed. She laid on it and covered herself with quilt adding. ''Make sure you close the door behind you, son and think carefully before picking one of the choices that you have. Good night.''
Mikael cussed and left the room. He went to the trash can and tore the papers into pieces, ''I will never accept her as my sister. She is not my sister.''
…..
It has been almost half a year months now since the incident and Natalie was finally picking herself up again. She didn't know whether it was her luck or Mikael was intentionally ignoring her but she hadn't seen nor heard from him in the last few months.
Kim Xia had kept her promise of getting a transfer so at the moment Natalie was at the airport waiting to receive her best friend.
She looked at the exit excitedly. Her smile broadened the moment she saw her best friend exiting towards her.
''Nat!'' Kim Xia rushed towards Natalie with her luggage bag.
''Kim Xia, I missed you so much!'' Natalie embraced her friendly tightly as she swung her around.
''Nat, I'm deadbeat, if you don't let me down right now, I might die on you.'' Kim Xia said and Natalie let her down and laughed.
''You've lost so much weight.''
''Do you think it was easy getting a transfer from that spoilt brat?''
''Let's go, I already got the housekeeper to clean your apartment.''
''Oh, my Nat is the best. I love you.'' Kim Xia pouted her lips and attempted to kiss Natalie and she pushed her away.
''My husband might be dead but I am so straight. Let's go!'' Natalie took the bag from Xia and they held hands walking out of the airport.
.....
Kim's apartment.
Xia slumped into her couch and stretched her legs, trying to relax.
Natalie went to the fridge and brought Xia a glass of water. ''Drink some water.''
''Did you restock my fridge?'' Xia asked as she drunk the water.
''I needed to prepare for your return least you say I am good for nothing as a friend.'' Natalie sat down and placed Xia's legs on her laps and started massaging them.
''Oh, that feels so good.'' Xia moaned.
''Disgusting!''
''I'm hungry!''
''We should eat first. You must be hungry.''
''Did you order takeaway!'' Xia looked at the door that had been rang.
''Yes, but they couldn't have gotten here so quick?'' Natalie answered and they looked at each other and exclaimed together.