The Kiss that Sparked it All

Victoria lingered hesitantly outside the emergency room where her father was being treated. Her heart was heavy with uncertainty, hot knowing whether she deserved to stand vigil by her dad’s side.

When she spotted Mara, seated on a chair by the door like a sentinel, a wave of intimidation washed over her, causing her to freeze in her tracks.

Balfour frowned upon seeing Victoria’s tentative steps. It was her father inside, after all. There was no reason for her hesitation. With a firm grip, he escorted her to the threshold of the emergency room.

To Mara, however, their close proximity was nothing but a glaring display of affection. She was convinced that Victoria, with her cunning ways, was seizing even this grave moment to flaunt her relationship.

Mara’s eyes blazed with fury as she watched their hands entwined. She fire, so intense was her desire to tear Victoria apart could almost spit

“Mara, I… I want to wait for dad with you,” Victoria stammered, her confidence crumbling in the presence of her domineering younger sister. She even attempted a feeble smile, a pitiful gesture to appease Mara, who sat aloof and unapproachable.

Mara spared her no more than a fleeting glance, her voice dripping with disdain. “Of course, you can wait. Who am I to say no? Feel free to join, but could you, perhaps, maintain a shred of dignity? Stop clinging to some boy. Have you forgotten what dad always told us?”

Like a deer caught in headlights, Victoria swiftly retracted her hand, only to flash Balfour an apologetic smile after catching his puzzled look.

“I know! I haven’t dated during the semester. I’m well aware of my priorities right now protested, as if taking an oath before her sister.

Balfour could sense her distress and chose not to pursue the matter. Instead, his gaze turned to Mara, the instigator of this tension. She seemed vaguely familiar, but he coul place where he might have seen her before.

After a moment, he spoke coolly, “Your father is ill, and you sisters ought to support each other. Why provoke her like this?”

At Balfour’s words, Victoria clutched his hand with a pleading look, silently begging him to drop the subject.

“How am I provoking her?” Mara’s disbelief was palpable as she turned to face the man she had long pined for, who now seemed to be accusing her on Victoria’s behalf.

“Did I say something wrong? It’s all because of her! My dad’s in there because of her, and I haven’t even started to settle the score with her. And you dare to blame me!”

Balfour bowed his head sincerely and said, “I understand that this situation arose because of me. You can blame me, but you shouldn’t take all your anger out on your sister. She’s innocent.”

“Innocent? Is my dad not innocent? Whose fault is it that he’s in this state?” Mara’s voice rose to a near roar, her anger echoing through the corridor.

Victoria looked up, heartbroken by her sister’s wrath.

Had Mara grown to despise her this much?

But the more pitiable Victoria appeared, the more Mara’s resentment boiled over. She was sick of how Victoria’s looks always garnered sympathy and forgiveness. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Mara, on the other hand, felt invisible. Even now, as she faced the possibility of losing her father, her anger towards her sister seemed like petulance in Balfour’s eyes.

Their altercation had disturbed the hospital’s peace, and it wasn’t long before a nurse arrived, urging them to keep their voices down for the sake of the other patients.