~Aubree~

“What are you doing up this early, Aubree?”

She flicked on the lights.

“I thought there was a raccoon in here.”

“Nothing illegal, don't worry, Mom” I answered.

“You're raiding my fridge at six thirty in the morning.”

“And you raided my parent's fridge at two in the morning, Becca” my dad chimed in. “Morning sweetheart” he kissed my cheek.

“Morning, Dad.”

“Because I was pregnant... with twins” Mom defended. “You try being pregnant with twins.”

Dad held his hands up in surrender.

“Honey, why are you awake this early?”

I sighed and closed the fridge.

“I couldn't get much sleep last night either.”

“The baby's keeping you awake?”

Probably not being able to see my little Oliver again is haunting me.

I shrugged.

“More or less.”

“It'll be over soon, sweetheart” Dad smiled comfortingly and rubbed my back.

“You say it like when the baby comes out that's it” I chuckled.

“Well if it makes you feel any better, you can put me on diaper duty for the first few months.”

“I'll hold you to that, Dad” I smiled.

“Where's Leslie?” mom asked.

“Still asleep” I answered, picking my bag.

“Where are you going?”

“Out for a walk.”

“With your purse?” dad frowned. “You ladies do that now?” he looked at my mom.

“No. Where are you going, Aubree? You better not—”

“No promises” I sang out.

“Isadora?”

I groaned a little.

“Okay fine” I sighed, looking over to her with a reassuring smile.

My mom folded her arms and I grinned.

“I'll keep it to a minimum.”

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

~Brie~

I checked my phone again. He still hadn't called back or even left one text.

God.

I was about to call and leave another voicemail when Megan caught my eye.

“Meg!”

She paused and met me halfway.

“Hey Brie,” she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

“Are you feeling okay, Megan? You seem a bit... off.”

She nodded.

“Don't worry, Brie. Megan Skye is perfectly fine.”

She was not fine. Megan rarely used her middle name.

“Meg, are you sure?”

She nodded, a wider smile on her face.

“Yeah. I just got a little on my mind.”

I crossed my arms.

“Does it have anything to do with your...” I raise my brows and cock my head to the side a little, hoping she'd catch on to what I was referring to.

But Megan just stares at me with a confused look on her face.

“With my what?”

“Your date with Paul” I chuckled.

She scoffed and shook her head.

“Oh, that.”

That?

“It was horrible. Don't get your hopes up for me.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. Nothing to write home about.”

I frowned a little.

“But hey that was days ago. I'm over it.”

I nodded.

“Okay. If you say—”

The unmistakable signature scent of her neroli perfume invades the air before I see her waddling in.

Oh, dear Lord!

“What have I done to deserve this?” I sighed desperately.

Megan gives me a quick comforting smile and then whispers, “Be strong” before walking away.

I exhaled and pursed my lips as Aubree approached me.

“I stopped by your house earlier... there was no one at home” she said. “So I figured you'd already left for work.”

“And you couldn't leave it there, Aubree?” I asked in a low yet angry tone. “You couldn't let it go and go home?”

“I had to see you, Breanna” she sighed. “Please—”

“I'm not cleaning up after the mess you made, Aubree.”

“Please Breanna, I'm begging you. My son—”

“Didn't deserved better” I cut her off. “Oliver's just four. He didn't deserve to have his home torn apart. Riccardo...” I swallowed a lump in my throat, “Riccardo is a good man. He didn't deserve his marriage wrecked either.”

“You didn't deserve to have your home wrecked too, Brie” she whispered.

“I know” I cleared my throat. “But it happened and I've accepted that. And you need to accept that and take responsibility for your actions.”

“Breanna—”

“I'm not going to clean up what you've broken, Aubree. You did this. And so it's on you to fix it.”

“But I've tried, Breanna” she sobbed. “The calls don't even go through anymore and... and...” she let out a louder sob, “... Breanna, I can't sleep.”

She stepped closer to me and I stepped back and held out my hands to stop her.

“I'm sorry you can't sleep Aubree, believe me—”

“Then help me, Brie pickle. Please—”

“Aubree,” I say firmly. “I can't do anything to help you, okay?”

“Breanna I'm begging you—”

“Stop it” I frown deeply at her. “You got yourself into this. Now in that sane way, get yourself out. And this is going to be the last time you show up at my house, or my place of work, and put up this show, do you hear me?”

“Breanna” she whispered.

“I'm serious, Aubree” I crossed my arms. “Now please leave before—”

“Ms. Nolan I need you to—”

Shit!

I turned, trying to shield my sister from him. He glanced behind me and then met my eyes.

“Is everything alright?”

I nodded.

“Yes. Everything is perfectly—”

“Fine” Aubree cut me off with a loud sniff before stepping out from behind me.

Great!

Aiden's brows creased as a frown set in.

“Aubree, are you okay?”

“She's fine” I answered for her. “And is on her way out.”

Aiden's eyes were still on her.

“Are you crying?”

“No. Just allergies” I chuckled. “That is why she's on her way home to rest” I gave her a pointed look.

“I think she can answer for herself, Ms. Nolan,” Aiden said.

My eyes snapped onto his face.

What?

“Are you okay Miss?” he ignored me, put the file he was holding on Cynthia's desk which I now occupied, and moved closer to her.

I shot Aubree a deadly look over Aiden's shoulder and she nodded.

“Yes, yes...” she sniffed, “Hormones.”

“That's why she's on her way home right now.”

Aiden glanced at me and turned his attention back to my sister.

“Why don't you take a seat and I'll have someone bring you some water.”

No.

“I don't think that's necessary—”

“I insist,” Aiden said firmly, cutting me off.

Aubree looked at me.

“That's kind of you, Mr. Corleone. But I was just on my way out like my sister—”

Her eyes shut for a second and her knees wobbled underneath her. But before she fell back any further, Aiden was holding her steady.

“Hey, hey, easy now.”

I frowned.

Oh no you're not, you little piece of–

“Breanna, get her some water.”

I'll poison the water.

“Breanna, did you hear me?” Aiden asked. “Get her some water.”

My frown deepened.

“She's fine,” I say. “Walk it off, Aubree. There's nothing wrong with—”

“Breanna,” he said firmly and I unhappily dragged myself to get the water.

Megan and Avery hurried in at the sound of the chaos. It didn't take long for Mr. Martin to walk in too.

“What's all the noise— oh” he paused at the sight of my sister.

“Aubree, I'm going to get you into a chair okay?” Aiden said.

The way she nodded weakly yet clutched onto Aiden like he held her life made me sick to the stomach.

That bitch!

She just didn't know when to stop huh?

“Where's the water?” Aiden asked as he set her down on the leather couch nearby.

I angrily shoved the paper cup into Avery's chest... the liquid slouching a little. Aubree took a sip and rolled her head back.

“Are you okay?” Aiden asked her.

“Yes, I... I just felt a little lightheaded... that's all” she whispered. “Thank you for catching me, Mr. Corleone.”

“Please, call me Aiden, Aubree.”

This has got to be a bad, bad, dream.

“Should we take her to the hospital?” Mr. Martin asked.

“Yes, that would be—”

“No no” Aubree stopped Aiden. “No hospitals.”

Because you're obviously faking it to get attention.

“Are you sure?” Aiden asked.

Aubree nodded.

“Yeah. I'll just go home and try to sleep it off. I'll be good as new” She tried to laugh but winced and put a hand on her huge bump.

“Is the baby okay?” Aiden asked.

A little nasty scoff left my lips before I could stop myself and Megan looked over at me.

“Yes... and quite the kicker” She smiled fondly at her bump as she caressed it.

Aiden's features shifted softly. She was unknowingly appealing to his vulnerable side.

“Let me take you home.”

And the next second, you're on top of her.

“No, no. I brought my car. I can drive myself home just fine.”

Oh, how noble.

“It would go against everything I stand for and believe in to let a helpless pregnant woman drive herself home in such a condition,” Aiden said softly.

Helpless?

A louder nasty scoff left my lips and I turned my head away from them. Megan looked at me again and stepped forward.

“Mr. Corleone, I have her parents on speed dial,” she said. “I could call them and have them come pick her up... maybe take her for a checkup?”

Aubree shook her head.

“No hospitals, Megan, please” she sighed.

“But your family needs to know, don't you think?” Mr. Martin asked.

“My sister knows” Aubree smiled coyly.

Yeah, knows you're a liar.

“And I really don't wanna bother my parents.”

“She's right” I finally spoke up.

I felt I'd burst if I didn't.

“She can get home on her own. No need to call my parents and make a fuss because she's perfectly fine.”

Aiden shook his head.

“I still think you should call her parents Megan,” he said.

A groan left my lips.

“She's fine. Why are you all making a fuss—”

“Ms. Nolan, my office, now” Aiden cut me off with a tone I never thought I'd hear again.

I looked at him.

“Why? Because I'm the only one here who can see through her little act?” I scoffed. “Please. There's nothing wrong with—”

“I said now.”

Aiden took the lead and I frowned deeply at my sister.

“I'm going to get in trouble for your stupidity. Happy?”

“Breanna—”

“If I hear my name out of your mouth again, I swear to God, Aubree, that I'm going to—”

“Breanna!”

I jumped at Aiden's tone as my eyes widened. The whole place was quiet and I slowly nodded and turned to my sister again.

“Congratulations, Aubree Isadora Nolan... wait, is it Lewis now? Or Nolan-Lewis? Lewis-Nolan? Or did he agree to take your last name?” I scoffed nastily.

She brought her other hand to her bump and pressed her back firmly into the couch. I glared at her.

“You're going to be sorry you—”

But before I complete my threat, I'm yanked by the elbow and dragged into Aiden's office.

“Ow!” I pouted when he let go of me roughly as he angrily slammed the door. “What was that for?”

“What was that for?!” he scolded.

I frowned.

“I'm sorry, why am I getting yelled at?” I asked. “She's the one who should be called out for her shit!”

“She's your sister and she's pregnant, don't you know that?!”

“Oh, I know!” I scoffed angrily. “She slept with my husband, ruined both our homes, got herself knocked up by that same man I used to love, and then married him. So I know plenty, Aiden.”

His anger deflated.

“And she's my twin sister so I know when she's putting on a show and that...” I pointed out the door, “... that right there is Aubree making Shakespeare very proud.”

Aiden ran a hand across his face and sighed deeply.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that.”

But you did, I replied mentally in the best British accent my inner voice could cook up.

I shrugged.

“Oh it's fine” I tried to laugh it off but it only came out cold. “She unknowingly appealed to a sensitive part of your life and so I wouldn't expect you to react any less.”

His face fell and I felt a ting in my chest. He opened his mouth to talk but I cut him off with a sharp shake of my head.

“Leave it,” I said. “If that's all there is, I'd like to go back to work now, please.”

Aiden shut his mouth and opened it again. But I didn't wait for him to say whatever he wanted to before walking out of his office. The moment I turned to go to my desk, I spotted Aubree pacing up and down with Mr. Martin and Avery trying to get her to calm down.

Unbelievable.

Megan returned a few seconds after and told her something. As she nodded to Megan, she caught my eye and she quickly moved to me.

“Did he fire you?” she asked in a tone that sounded genuine.

But the Aubree I knew now wasn't genuine.

“Breanna? Did he fire you?” she repeated.

I blinked and frowned.

“Stay away from me, Aubree. I mean it.”

“But—”

“I will file a restraining order against you if you show up at my house or anywhere near me. You really don't want to push me, Aubree.”

She cradled her bump.

“Stay. away. from me.”

“You're not the sister I grew up with” she whispered.

I let out a short disgusted laugh.

“Congratulations, Aubree. You've finally figured it out.”

“So you're not going to help me see my son?” she asked, her voice cracking.

“Fix your shit and leave me out of it.”

“You have a son too, Breanna. How would you feel if Beck came to take him away from you and refused to let you see him—”

“Because you messed up big time dammit!” I exclaimed. “You think this is some piece of cake? Huh? Do you have any idea what my son and I had to go through because of the two of you?”

She sobbed.

“I'm sorry. I'm not proud of my actions, I swear.”

“Tell that to someone who's going to believe you, Aubree” I shook my head. “Because me, I was done with you a long time ago.”

“Breanna, please. He'll listen to you. Just please... for Olly.”

“Your son deserved better and you failed him” I slowly shook my head.

Her shoulders slumped.

“Fix your shit.”

I sidestepped her, grabbed the file Aiden left on my desk, and made a beeline towards the elevator, completely tuning her out as she cried out after me.

Thank you so much for reading! ✨