When my sister-in-law first married into the family, she couldn't get pregnant. The neighbors talked. I was the one who paid for the traditional medicine treatments that finally helped her conceive Leo.
We didn't talk all that often, but every time I sent gifts home, I always included something for her.
I'd thought we were on decent terms.
I didn't expect what came next. The moment she heard my answer, her expression soured completely.
"Lola, it's not that you're unwelcome, but this house is only so big. There aren't enough rooms as it is, and Leo's about to start elementary school—he needs a quiet space to study..."
"Besides, you're an unmarried woman living long-term in your brother and sister-in-law's home. Doesn't that strike you as... a little inappropriate?"
I froze. The warmth at the table evaporated in an instant.
I forced the corners of my mouth upward. "Vivian, we're family. What's there to be awkward about?"
But inside, I couldn't help thinking—this villa was what my mother left me.
After Dad remarried, I'd always treated this place as my home. I had no idea what Vivian thought she needed to draw boundaries over.
She laughed as if I'd told a joke.