They Chose My Sister as the Bride

I called the family property office and told them I was moving out of the apartment.

"Are you sure?" the person on the phone asked. "You have lived there for over four years."

Four years. When I first got together with Henry, he wanted me to move into the Moretti estate. But Nina said it was not proper for a Bellandi woman to live with a man before marriage. I thought she had a point. I wanted my own space. So I rented this place, close to Moretti territory. Henry could come by whenever he wanted. He did, sometimes. He would stay the night. This apartment held proof that we had loved each other. It also held too many memories of him picking up a phone call and leaving in a hurry.

The person sighed and told me to leave the keys in the mailbox.

Not long after I hung up, the door opened. Henry and Nina walked in together.

Nina said with a smile, "Henry said you were packing here, so we came to check on you. Oh, and your room at the estate is ready. The one facing south with the terrace. The view is lovely."

She turned to Henry, as if confirming something. "We agreed that the suite with the biggest walk-in closet is mine. I get to choose the furniture myself."

I stood in the middle of the living room, wondering if I had heard wrong. She said it so naturally, as if moving into the Moretti estate was the most obvious thing in the world. Henry did not argue. He just smiled. "Your sister has no objections."

"My sister loves me. She would never object."

I stood there and felt something loosen in my throat.

"What if I said I do object?"

The room went quiet for two seconds. Nina froze. It was probably the first time I had ever refused her. Before she could speak, her eyes were already red.

Henry's voice dropped. "What is wrong with you? You let her have everything. Now you are arguing over a room?"

"I am not arguing," I said.

"Then what are you doing?" He frowned. "Nina moving in is not a big deal. She is your sister. She is not a stranger. The estate is huge. There are plenty of empty rooms."

"It is our house," I said. "Is she the Donna?"

Nina's voice was small, her eyes still red. "I just wanted to be close to you. If you do not want me there, I will not move in."

Henry looked at her, then at me. "Look what you did. She is fragile. She only wants to be near you. Can you not think of her for once?"

"Then who thinks of me?" I looked up. "You gave her the easiest position in the family. She has nothing to worry about. And me?"

"That is enough." Henry's face changed. He stepped forward. "She is your sister. I am only good to her because of you. Do you have to be so petty?"

Petty. I smiled and said nothing.

Nina tugged his sleeve. "Henry, stop. My sister might be upset."

He patted her hand and softened his voice. "This is settled. Nina moving in is a good thing. You two will not have to be apart."

I nodded. Fine. It was the family estate. It was your home. I would not be living there anyway.

Henry relaxed. Nina wiped her eyes and smiled at him. I turned and went back to packing.

From behind me, Nina's voice came again. "I really can choose the furniture myself?"

Henry laughed. "Of course."