Abandoned by All I Took It All Back novel Chapter 79

Natalie stood about three paces from Janina and didn't come any closer.

She gave this sister, who bore a slight resemblance to her, a brief, detached glance before heading to the kitchen to wash her hands.

Her former sister, Brooke, had bullied her since they were children. Whenever they were assigned chores together, Brooke would push her own work onto Natalie. At first, Natalie resisted, but that only earned her punches and kicks. When she told her brothers and parents, they would scold Brooke. But when they weren't home, Brooke would retaliate in private.

Brooke stopped hitting her because bruises would show. Instead, she chose silent, cruel forms of revenge. She cut up Natalie's favorite dress with scissors. She drowned the kitten Natalie had raised for three years in the river. She would even sneak over while Natalie was asleep and pinch her nose shut…

There were too many instances to count. When their parents and brothers found out, they would punish Brooke, but it was useless. Brooke would only become more vicious, not less. She was a brilliant actress, always crying a river of tears and promising it would never happen again. But the abuse continued, relentlessly.

So, deep down, Natalie was terrified of her sister. She wondered if this new sister would be just like Brooke.

Janina sensed Natalie's attitude but didn't think much of it. She didn't realize that in that short time, her younger sister had already equated her with Brooke. It was their first meeting, after all; a little distance and hesitation were normal.

Ethan was helped to the table by his eldest son. Tonight, he would eat with everyone; usually, his meals were brought to his room.

Besides the food, there were also some drinks on the table—a luxury reserved for holidays. But today, to welcome Janina home, they had pulled out all the stops.

"Nina, have a chicken leg. It tastes just as good as the ones they sell outside."

"Nina, try the beef stew I made. Let me know what you think!"

"Nina, freshly caught fish, no bones. Have a taste."

Her eldest and second brothers were thirty and still unmarried. Weren't her parents worried? Then again, worrying wouldn't help. What girl would want to marry into a family like this?

Janina savored this rare feeling of kinship.

After dinner, the family gathered around the round table in the living room, chatting until ten o'clock before reluctantly dispersing. With so many people, rooms were limited; no one had their own space. Her parents slept in the storage room on the ground floor. The rest slept upstairs. Easton and Sutton shared a room. West and Nolan shared another. As a girl, Natalie had her own room. But tonight, with Janina back, Natalie would have to share with her.

Natalie was quiet, her expression cool and distant toward Janina. Once the door was closed, Janina got into bed. The two sisters were in the same room, but neither spoke. The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

The lights went out, but neither of them was asleep.