Opened Eyes

Chapter Four

Daphne's POV

“Were you guys talking about me?” She asks innocently as she leans into my husband’s touch.

Typical. Chloe always assumes that the world revolves around her no doubt because she has been coddled by everyone all her life. Myself included.

She turns away from my husband and pouts at me, she is the very picture of innocence with her pale blond hair in pigtails and her clothes resembling that of a schoolgirl although I notice that her skirt is scandalously short, barely covering her butt.

She looks at me with round baby blue eyes that say she couldn’t hurt a fly. Eyes that before now, would have made me cave in and given her everything she ever wanted even at my own detriment.

“Sis, why aren’t you talking. Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me. But I apologized. I said I was sorry.” She whines.

When she sees I don’t say anything, a look of confusion crosses her face and she turns to the one person that she knows will never give her an unexpected response.

“Greggie, why is Daphne still mad at me? I apologized like a good girl didn’t I?” Greg never disappoints.

“Of course you are Princess. You’re my good little girl.” He says gently, placing his palm on the curve of her cheek.

He turns to me and glares, daring me to disagree. “Your sister is just being mean and immature is all.” He coos, gathering her in his arms and kissing the top of her head.

This is ridiculous, almost laughable. One would think that they were a married couple. I roll my eyes inwardly at their antics.

How could I not have seen this? The signs were always there, out in the open for everyone to see. I just always chalked their closeness to Greg’s protective instincts coming out because she was so ‘weak’ and the fact that his love for her was a result of his love for me.

Or so I told myself because I knew deep down that this was not the case. But that was the only way to explain their constant blatant disrespect for me and my marriage.

For instance, right now, they were embracing each other in my own bedroom. This was like a joke, like a scene in a ridiculous soap opera.

“Well then, I forgive you for being mean. I am a good girl after all.” She disentangles herself from my husband and looks at me.

“Aren’t I, Greggie?” She looks up at him with wide eyes and he responds with worship in his voice. This is starting to sicken me.

“Of course you are Princess, you’ll always be my good little Princess. Look how nice you are, forgiving your sister even after all she has done to you.” He praises her, placing her head on his chest once again. He presses his lips against her cheek affectionately.

He looks at me and speaks shortly, annoyance betraying his tone.

“Couldn’t you be a little more considerate of your sister huh? She came all this way to have dinner with you even after the way you treated her this afternoon and she even apologized. Can’t you just let it go? It’s not like we did anything wrong.” He snaps.

Wow, just when I thought they couldn’t be more despicable, they go and surprise me again. Fine, I’ll play their little games a little while longer. It wouldn’t be good to show my cards just yet anyways. I get up from my seat and hug her while looking at Greg in front of me.

“You’re right honey, I was over reacting.” I release her from the hug and hold her hands in mine.

“I’m sorry Chloe, I didn’t mean to yell at you earlier today. I trust you guys the most in the world and I know you’ll never do anything to hurt me.” My statement causes what looks like guilt to cross Greg’s features but I most be mistaken. Chloe grips my hands tight and hugs me.

“I forgive you Sis, I know you didn’t mean it cause you love me right?” Oh my God, how could I have been to blind to the person my sister was.

“Of course I do. I love you the most, well I love Greg more but you’re a close second.” I smile widely at her, my voice sickeningly sweet.

A look of annoyance to cross her face for a split second but I noticed before she covered it up with that innocent look of hers.

“Well, now that we’ve sorted that out, I’m hungry and I’m craving roast chicken. You’ll make that for me right? You know it’s my favorite but if you can’t, tell me I don’t want to trouble you. After all, I came all this way to apologize.”

I scoff inwardly. ‘All this way’ meaning the house next door. Greg bought her the house next to ours so that she could be ‘closer to me’. I wonder how I didn’t see that for the manipulative move it was and she knows how long it would take for me to make a meal like that but just tries to guilt me into accepting.

“If course she can Princess, are you sure you don’t want dessert with that?” Chloe pretends to think and claps her hands excitedly.

“Well in that case, I’ll have chocolate lava cake.”

“Why don’t you have an ice cream to go with that?” I think to myself.