Elvin POV
"Elvin."
She shouted again.
Not that she had done something unforgivable to me, but she abandoned me when I needed her the most. My biological sister. Someone I once protected. Someone whose life I saved when her husband almost killed her. Yet our father forced her to endure everything in the name of business partnership.
Eudora.
When I needed her the most, she refused to help me.
I turned away from her and walked off. I did not want anything to do with her. Luckily there was a private elevator which only I had access to.
When I got to my room my butler began attending to my wounds.
The doorbell rang.
We ignored it since we were not expecting anyone.
The doorbell rang again.
And again.
And again.
"Go check who is at the door," I told my butler.
He returned shortly.
"Miss Eudora is at the door. Should I let her in?"
I remained silent for a moment before answering.
"Let her in."
I wanted to hear her side of the story. Why she refused to help me.
"Elvin," she called softly.
Without emotion I replied, "The staff who allowed you to come here has already lost their job. Someone has sacrificed their position just so you could speak with me. So go straight to the point."
Her voice trembled.
"Did you truly believe I had money that day?"
She paused as if gathering courage.
"The day I divorced that beast of a husband, our father froze my accounts. The very day you called me for help I was in the hospital about to give birth. I had nothing. I had to borrow money from a friend just to survive."
She lowered her head.
"I only returned to the state recently so I could get Ava, my daughter treated."
Her voice cracked.
"I came here to say I am sorry for not being there when you needed me the most. And I also want you to take care of Ava."
I frowned.
"You are the only person I can entrust my child to."
"Why should I believe you?" I asked coldly. "And why should I take care of your child? She has nothing to do with me."
I pointed toward the door.
"If all you came to say is sorry, then I have heard it. Leave my room."
She stepped closer and touched my hand.
"Then I will leave your room and your life," she said quietly. "Unless you forgive me."
For a moment I hesitated.
She was still my sister. I did not know everything she had gone through. Truthfully I had forgiven her a long time ago. My heart simply refused to let go of the pain.
"I said leave," I repeated.
"Fine," she whispered.
Before leaving she placed a file on the table beside us.
"You can read it when I am gone."
After she left I stared at the door for a long time.
Finally I picked up the file.
When I opened it my breath stopped.
Eudora was dying.
The documents revealed everything. She had been donating parts of her body to save her daughter Ava. She had already donated one kidney before.
Now she was preparing to donate the last one.
The papers also contained legal documents assigning me as Ava's guardian.
Only my signature was needed.
I immediately called my assistant.
"Investigate everything that happened to my sister while she was away. I want every detail."
Then I called my hacker.
"Find out which hospital she is in."
When I arrived at the hospital I asked about Eudora and her daughter. The nurse gave me the ward number.
When I reached the room the door was slightly open.
A small voice spoke from inside.
"Mommy you promised you would stay with me if I got better. Why are you sending me to Uncle Elvin now? I just want to stay with you."
My chest tightened.
"Do not worry Ava," Eudora said gently. "Uncle Elvin will take care of you better than I ever could. He will make sure you never miss me."
"But mommy," the child continued innocently, "why do you cry whenever you look at Uncle Elvin's picture? If he is good why do you always cry?"
Eudora laughed softly, though her voice carried sadness.
"Those tears are tears of guilt. Tears because I miss my little brother. Tears because I will not be able to stay with him forever. And tears because I could not keep my promise to always protect him."
She paused before continuing.
"So you must be good to him, Ava. If you are good to him then you will be helping mommy fulfill the promise she could not keep."
The little girl's voice became worried.
"Mommy why are you talking like someone who is about to die?"
Eudora laughed again, trying to lighten the moment.
"No. I promise I will always be with you. I just want to find the best place for you to live so you will never suffer."
I stepped away from the door.
I could not listen any longer.
All these years I resented my sister.
Yet she had been dying and I never knew.
There was only one thing I could do now.
Take care of her daughter.
And I would raise Ava just as I would raise my own child.
But for now I could not face Eudora.
Not yet.