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We both have to giggle when we’re interrupted by an annoyed meow from Pi, who is getting squished between us.
„Let’s bring her inside,” I say. „Before she runs away again.”
Claire smiles at me and nods. I put my arm around her shoulder, hoping to God that Pi doesn’t wiggle out of her arm when we’re out on the street. She appears to be calm right now, but you never know with cats.
We walk through the archway back onto the driveway of my neighbor's property, and as soon as we step out on the street, we’re greeted with a shrill voice.
„Thereyou are!”
My heart almost stops, when I stare at my impertinent sister, who is standing on my doorstep with her arms crossed in front of her chest.
„And who is that?” she says, raising an eyebrow at Claire.
And just like that, all the joy of locating and saving Pi is gone, and I’m faced with a new problem.
Chapter 39
Claire
I stare at the woman with striking blond locks who is standing on top of the stairs in front of Aston’s townhouse. She is a vision of wealth and excess, wearing an upscale trench coat and something that looks like a classic Burberry scarf. Her fingers are adorned with multiple glittering rings, and her ears carry the weight of chandelier earrings that catch the light with every movement. Her face is a canvas for bold and dramatic looks, with perfectly contoured cheekbones, vibrant eyeshadow, and red lips that demand attention.
„What the hell are you doing here?” Aston barks at her, and I notice how his arm slides down from my shoulder.
„Well, you didn’t really leave me a choice now, did you?” she retorts, crossing her arms in front of her chest. „You’ve been ignoring my calls and emails for weeks now. Is that really how one should treat their sister?”
„Sister?” I ask, but Aston just sighs.
„Let’s get inside,” he says to me, and a moment later I can feel his hand on my back, urging me to come with him when he gets underway.
„Is that your girlfriend?” his sister asks, barely looking at me, while he unlocks the door and we all go inside.
Pi is starting to squirm in my arms, but I don’t let her down until the door is firmly closed behind us. She bounces across the marble tiles and runs off into the living room as soon as her paws meet the floor.
„Isn’t she a little young for you?” I hear the screechy voice of Aston’s sister behind my back.
„That’s none of your business,” he snaps at her.
I turn around and am met with her incredulous look, before she scans me from head to toe, and then shakes her head.
„She looks young enough to be one of your students,” she assesses in a flippant voice, before her eyes widen and she adds, „Oh my God, sheisone of your students, right? That’s why you’ve been so hard to reach lately! You got yourself a little toy—”
„I’m not a toy!” I protest.
Her hands fly up to her neck and she looks at me as if I was a nasty cockroach when I come stomping in her direction, but Aston stops me by placing his hand on my shoulder.
„Leave her out of this, and tell me why you’re here,” he says, fixating his sister with a stern look.
She scoffs. „You know why I’m here. I’ve told you what I want, and you have been acting like a stubborn little toddler about it.”
„You are trying to blackmail me,” he says. „And in the dumbest way possible. Do you really think you can get what you want by threatening me like this?”
„Oh, but darling brother, I’m not threatening you,” she says, pursing her lips as she shakes her head. „I’m just honest about the consequences of your stubbornness. Do you really want your students to suffer because you are so keen to stick to your silly ideals?”
„It’s not silly,” I interject. „Foundational research is very—”
„Yes, yes, all very important and interesting, and yadda, yadda, yadda,” she cuts me off, while rolling her eyes. „I’ve heard the speech before, little girl.”
„Don’t call her that,” Aston weighs in. „And leave us the hell alone. I told you, I’m not doing this, Mariah, and I’m sticking to it. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
