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“Son!”

Sean was standing behind the window. His gaze was empty and confused at the same time. The blue sky and the rising sun were poking at him secretly. With the voice behind him, he turned back. Dad was there next to him.

“Did you sleep well?” Dad asked calmly.

“Ah! Yes!” his answers were very short.

“Where is Riana?”

“She must be cleaning her room” Sean replied.

“She’s always a good cleaner and cook. When she was with me, she cared for me so well. She’s such a nice girl” Sean remained in silence without commenting.

“What about you?”

“Huh!” He felt nervous about that question.

“I mean how do you see her now? Back then you were so rude to her. You hate her so much”

“We were so young back then” It was his answer.

“So, you are not hating her anymore?”

“There is no reason for me to hate her”

“But you hate me because I was planning married to her mom” Sean looked at his dad this time. He didn’t like this conversation anymore.

“What are you trying to say?” he asked

“Do you still hate me for that?” The eyes of the father and son met at that point.

“I don’t know”

“Son! I know you hate me not just because I was planning marrying her mom. You hate me because you didn’t want Riana as your sibling”

Shockingly Sean stared at him. His eyes popped out with the surprise.

“What?”

“Am I correct?”

“What are you talking?”

“You know what I am talking now” Dad replied back.

“Everything was in the past. It was years and years ago. What is the point of talking about those things now?”

“If you say so, can I ask something from you?”

“What is it?” Sean looked at him curiously.

“Who is she to you now?”

“What?”

“You never treated her as your sister back then. Now, is she a sister to you?” Sean’s nervous and excited eyes tend towards him. He never expected that kind of a question. He stunned on the spot.

“What do you want me to say?” he said shockingly looking at Dad.

“You are living here with her. It’s a shock to me. You care for her. It amazes me a lot. The son who I knew hates her so much for being a sibling. But the son who I see now is totally the opposite. Do you really care for her and treat her as a sibling?”

What should he say now? The truth or a lie? Sean felt speechless in front of him. He was aware that he has stuck in between relationships. Dad was waiting for his answer. His matured old eyes were penetrating his facial expressions.

“Dad!!!”

Riana’s voice came to the scene suddenly transferring their attention to her. With a skirt and a blouse and a high ponytail, she was walking to them. She’s is his wife. She is his woman. She is the one he wants. His heart ached. Painfully he remained while staring at her.

“Did you have the breakfast?” she asked while stopping at them.

“Yes, your cooking skills are improving,” Dad said with a smile. Riana stared at Sean. She noticed his painful eyes without a delay. Something must have happened here.

“Riana! I am going to the restaurant. David can’t handle everything alone anymore.” Sean said making her surprise.

“Ahh!! Okay….” She murmured. While passing a quick gaze at dad, Sean left home in the next minute. He was waiting to see her before dad come for the chat. Yesterday night, he couldn’t spend the time with her. But unfairly things have been turned out like that. Riana remained nervously while staring at the way he was leaving. She felt something was wrong.

“Riana!” With the dad’s voice, she fell down to the real world.

“Yes, Dad!”

“I have something to ask from you”

“What is it, please go ahead”

“Does he treat you well?”

“Huh!!”

“If you remember, he was not good at you back then. He was very rude and stubborn. What about now?” he asked the same question from her.

“He’s a good person. His personality is very strong. He’s not the same rude and stubborn jerk anymore” she replied with a smile.

“And may I ask why is that?” she stared at him curiously.

“What do you mean by Dad?”

“People don’t change easily. But if someone changes, then there must be a specific reason. That’s what I am asking”

“I don’t understand what you are asking, Dad” she murmured.

“Does he treat you as a sibling? His caring, his attention and his personality changes, do all of them come to you as a sibling?”

“What are you trying to say, dad?” She was able to understand perfectly what he’s asking. And that’s the most scared question at the moment.

“You are living here with him. I don’t want to have any complications between you two. You are grown up now. Though you two are not blood-related siblings, you are step-siblings. Do you understand what I am talking?” Riana shockingly listened to him. She was speechless.

“Whatever it’s our relationship won’t change,” she said calmly.

“It’s going to change” he replied.

She suddenly remembered Sean’s words last night. He must have foreseen future outcomes. Her heart ached. Maybe dad must have talked to him the same, maybe that’s why he left home to the restaurant. She sighed.

“There's nothing to worry, Dad...” she replied very shortly finally.

“Okay, then that’s better”

Dad slowly left towards the main door while she was just standing on the spot.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The time was passing very slowly. For the last three days, Sean didn’t come home. He rarely phoned her or texted her. Riana treated Dad at her very best. She bought his luggage from Mari’s house. Though she wanted to ask, she couldn’t ask from him a date when he intends to leave. She cooked for him at her best ability and cleaned his clothes, shoes and even his room daily with much of enthusiasm.

Excusing that he’s busy with pending work at the restaurant, Sean didn’t come home. He has taught even David to say such if Riana asks. He stayed at the restaurant even at night. He slept on the couch which was in his office room. Luckily his extra clothes which he has stored in his cabin helped him to stay clean.

Sean knew that he was running away from the issue. The last conversation he had with Dad made him clearly understood that he’s completely wrong. The decisions which he has taken on behalf of both of them have been proven wrong from a single conversation with Dad. Whatever his heart says, whatever he feels for her, now he knows that he will never be able to win.

Though he worked hard in day times, when everyone leaves the office and when the night was approaching, his heart ached at its best. He missed her so much. Every night he finished a bottle of alcohol when he couldn’t bear his emotions. The reality which Dad has shown him was hurting him so much.

Riana was convinced by David that Sean was alright. But when days were passing one by one, she was nervous a lot. She wanted to check on him and she wanted to see him so badly. She missed him so much in the entire day but she couldn’t show that to Dad. She spent her time with Dad and for his needs in day time making her busy. But, when she went to bed when it’s getting darker, her heart yearns for him. Though he replied to her texts in day times, his phone was switched off at nights.

When it’s the end of the week, Riana was impatient totally. She couldn’t resist anymore with his absence. And there is no sign of Dad’s leaving as well.

She had a quick bath and dressed hurriedly. She thought about a perfect excuse.

“Dad!” She walked to the living room where Dad was watching the television.

“Hmmm!!”

“Oppa called me” she started a lie.

“Is he coming home today?”

“No, today is the end of the week no, he’s busy with all accounting work,” she said.

“I see” Dad replied shortly.

“He wants a few documen