? Chapter Twenty-Five [ 25 ] ?
? Ethan ?
” Let me go attend that lazy woman before dinner starts .” I gave Isabella a tight hug ” I love you ” I whispered in her ear .
” I love you more ” she kissed my cheek . Am I lucky or what ? . ” Go on now , I don’t want her to yell over her lungs for you ” she smacked my butt and I just laughed it off as I climbed stairs .
Amber is nothing to me except some bride my parents chose for me . She is way uglier and older than i thought . Trust me , I don’t go for looks in a woman but Amber is the worst . I even hate her attitude towards me especially everyone around the house . I thought she was gonna be this innocent little girl with little to say but hey. She is the opposite of that .
When I got upstairs I found her wearing some blue jeans with a blue tank top . Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she looked rather older than younger .
” How old are you again ?” I asked curiously as I sat on the bed watching her do her makeup facing the mirror .
” Ooh…Ethan…what does my age got to do with everything . I’m like 18 years old , I’m just a little taller than you , that’s all ” she shrugged while she applied red lipsticks .
” I was just curious because you look a little older than i thought . ” I said easily and Amber shot me a look before she went back to working on her face .” I’m not being offensive though .”
” Its fine Ethan . I get that a lot because I’m tall . I can’t just change my height for you or anyone . I’m the way I am . ” She posed on the mirror ” Let me go cook something for everyone in the house . ”
” Really ? You just threw on your best clothes then you are going to cook ?” I breathed out while I stared at her long red nails ” You should give it a rest for the night . Isabella is going to cook .”
” Well , she can’t cook better than me and beside you are saying that because you like her ” she stood up quickly ” This is my best clothes . I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs . ” She winked at me .
” Sure , why not ? Go ahead . Im going to take a shower . ” I said then she just nodded as she walked out of the room .
I have kept my fingers crossed that she doesn’t burn my whole house down. Girls like Amber need maids to do almost all the chores in the house . How can she cook with long nails like that ? Thank God Isabella’s nails are short and neat . I don’t have to worry about anything else except my Isabella and yeah. I admit , Isabella cooks the best meals in the house. I wonder how Hayden will take all of this. He likes Isabella’s cooking more than anything in the house .
” Hey Ethan . Can I talk to you for a minute ?” A familiar voice brought me back to reality. ” Can I come in ?” Annalisa asked as she stood at the doorway.
” Sure ” I replied while I patted the spot beside me “Come sit here and tell me all about it. ” She gave me a small smile as she sat beside me.
” Well , I did my own digging and I found out that Isabella is actually my biological sister . If you don’t believe me then it’s fine . ” She whispered as she stared ahead . .
” I do believe you Annalisa. Doctor Stanley emailed me the results . ” I patted her knee ” What’s bothering you now because you don’t seem like your happy self . ”
” First of all , don’t tell Isabella about this because if she finds out , she might attract a lot of attention to Amber . ” She continued ” Amber is working with your mother by the way .”
” I’m not surprised . That stepmom of mine only cares about money than anything in the world. ” I shrugged ” I’m not even planning on marrying Amber anyway .”
” I’m glad that you have puked all the medicine your mother fed you . Now it’s time to act but not too quick .” She stared at me ” I may not be around when you get married to Isabella . ”
” What do you mean ? ” I frowned ” Don’t tell me you are going to leave Isabella for your family .”
” No , it’s not because of that and I have already told my mother about Isabella .” She slowly grabbed my hand ” My mom was so happy to hear that Isabella is alive and well . ”
” I’m glad and what about your father ? Does he know anything about Isabella ?” I shot back quickly Hoping to hear some good news.
” No , only my mom knows . We can’t risk telling my father everything . God knows what he would do to Isabella . That man hated Isabella from the day my mother announced that she was pregnant with her ” She pulled my hand to her stomach ” I don’t want my little baby to be thrown away too .”
” You are here and I’m here Annalisa . Your baby will be well taken care of . You will make a great mom ” I smiled but Annalisa didn’t glance over me .
” I want you and Isabella to keep it . I don’t think I will be able to take care of it . ” Her voice cracked a little ” I’m dying ” she choked out and I quickly pulled my hand to my lap
in shock . .
” What do you mean you are dying ? Annalisa what’s wrong ?” I uttered impatiently worried that Annalisa might be in trouble or something .
” I have been dying to tell you especially Isabella that I’m diagnosed with cancer . ” She stared at me with tears in her eyes ” I just found out days ago Ethan ”
” What ? No !” I sobbed out silently ” That’s impossible , they made a mistake Annalisa . It can’t be !” I grabbed her hands ” I’m going to call one of my best trusted doctor right now ”
” Ethan please understand this . It’s the truth and No one can’t change that even your best doctor. ” She said” I don’t want you to tell Isabella just yet . I still got the whole year to live ”
” But why should we keep such a big secret from Isabella ? She is very worried about you . ” I pointed out .
” I will tell her when I’m ready . I told you because I trust you enough . This secret have been eating me inside .”
” Annalisa , I suggest that you take some treatment for this thing . I believe we can beat this ” I pointed out ” Maybe take chemotherapy treatment or radiotherapy . I can pay for all your medical treatments ” I suggested hoping that it’s not too late.
” It has already reached my brain Ethan . The cancer is all over my body. The doctors can’t do anything anymore . It’s already too late ” she took both of my hands and placed them on her stomach . ” Promise me that if my baby survives this , you will take good care of it. ”
I hesitated a little ” Yes , I promise Annalisa ” and I meant it . She gave me a genuine smile before she stood up .
I just stared at her cute face wondering why a beautiful soul like her got to die like this . It’s heart breaking because Isabella doesn’t even know anything about this .
” Thank you Ethan ” she whispered softly and walked out of the room .
I tried holding my composure , trying my best not to break down . Annalisa has been keeping this kind of a secret from us. I wish I could have been there when she needed me the most . I bet the day she found out that she has cancer was the worst day . Here I am , too focused on my own problems while Annalisa is suffering . I’m such the worst person in the world .
I quickly took a long hot shower shedding some tears about what Annalisa told me. She is so beautiful and young , she doesn’t deserve to die this way . Life can be so unfair sometimes . I literally punched the bathroom mirror in frustration asking God why can’t he help Annalisa . Maybe I could use a miracle , she is pregnant for God’s sake .
” Ethan ….Ethannn..” a familiar voice called out as she knocked softly on my bathroom door .
” I’m almost done . Give me a second . ” I murmured loudly enough for her to hear me . I washed my right bl©©dy knuckles and banged it .
I quickly threw on my sweatpants without a shirt. I opened the door slowly to find Isabella sitting on the bed altogether with Hayden .
” What took you so long man ? We have been waiting you in like forever ” Hayden whined the Minute he layed eyes on me ” You look like sht …are you alright ?”
” Hayden please go easy on my man ” Isabella playfully elbowed Hayden ” Are you alright ethan and why are you hiding your right hand behind your back ?” Isabella looked at me suspiciously .
” Nothing…” I choked out but my voice betrayed me with a crack ” It’s nothing really . I accidentally Punched the mirror in the bathroom. ”
” Oh my g©sh…!” Isabella covered her mouth with her hand ” Are you okay ?” She stood up quickly .
” I’m fine . Just don’t come near me. ” I held up my hand ” Isabella can you please excuse us ?” I shot Hayden a look so he can help me out .
” Yah Isabella . Give me and Ethan a minute ” he stood up and pulled Isabella’s hand ” Go do something , maybe take a shower because you smell so bad .”
Isabella didn’t take her eyes off me as she walked out of the room . I breathed out in relief the minute Hayden closed the door .
” You better start talking man . ” He said while he stood at the door .
” It’s Annalisa man . I trust you and you are the only one I could think of telling beside Isabella . ” I threw myself on the sofa next to the window . ” Can I trust you with this secret ?”
I shot him a look and he nodded . He sat on the bed staring at me . ” You can trust me with anything Ethan . ”
I breathed in and out slowly because talking about everything Annalisa told me tears my heart apart . ” Annalisa is diagnosed with cancer man ” I whispered trying my best not to cry .
Hayden just looked at me in shock . He looked rather lost in his own thoughts as he processed everything . I’m just not feeling good tonight . After what Annalisa told me . I feel like sht . Annalisa may not be my top favourite people in the world but she is still my friend from childhood . We are close in a brother and sister way so the thought of her Dying breaks my heart .
” Like she is going to die ? ” Hayden questioned and I just nodded ” Annalisa ?” He choked out with a pained expression .
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