I reach out and squeeze Kia’s shoulder. “No matter what’s going on, we’ll figure it out together, okay?”
Her chin barely dips.
But it’s enough.
For now.
As I stand here, watching my little sister fight to hold herself together, one thought hits hard, refusing to let go. This isn’t just about Rina anymore. I don’t get to screw around or half-ass my way through life. Not when the people I love are counting on me.
Maybe for the first time, I finally understand what showing up really means.
Not for the cameras.
Or the headlines.
But for the people I care about.
33
Rina
Oliver is up and out the door before I’m awake the next morning. After only a few nights in his bed, it’s unsettling how much I miss his warmth beside me. The sheets still hold his scent. It’s a woodsy spice mixed with something darker that clings to the cotton.
It’s ridiculously comforting.
Even now, feeling relatively at peace, my mind refuses to stop spinning. There are too many what-ifs pressing in from every angle.
What if this blows up in my face like every other relationship has?
What if there are whispers at work?
Or worse, what if the picture from yesterday surfaces?
If that photo gets out, it won’t just be whispers. There will be full-fledged questions about ethics, favoritism, and why the PR department can’t manage its own scandal.
What if Hugh or Evelyn start questioning my judgment?
And the thought that scares me most—what if the stress I’m carrying affects the baby?
What if I’m already failing as a mom before they’re even here?
The weight of it all presses down on me until my chest tightens.
After a few restless minutes of tossing and turning, I throw off the covers and pad down the hall. The penthouse is quiet. The only sound is the creak of the floor beneath my bare feet. I stop when I find Kia’s door cracked open.
Her duffel sits on the floor, half-unpacked, clothes spilling out in a way that screams temporary stay rather than a permanent living situation.
For a few moments, I hover, unsure if I should bother her, before lifting my knuckles to the doorframe and giving a light tap.
What struck me last night while watching the siblings together was the genuine connection they have. Oliver has this larger-than-life reputation—Big O, the Railers’ hotshot wing who soaks up attention without even trying.
But with Kia, there was none of that.
With her, he isn’t the guy splashed across gossip sites or swooned over by Railers fans. He’s just Ollie. The protective older brother who would burn the world down if it meant keeping his little sister safe.
Watching them interact stirred something in me I wasn’t prepared for.
An ache I couldn’t name.
