Not your fault

Jace rushed in thirty minutes later panting he rush frantically up the stairs praying desperately nothing had gone wrong.

Randy ran up along with him and they both made their way to Jaennie room.

Jeannie was seated at the corner of her room her head resting at the side board of her bed. Her eyes were close and she opened them slightly to see Jace crouch beside her on the floor.

"Hey are you okay, does it hurts anywhere?" Jace asked looking her over.

"I think am lost" she said to him, Jace scowl deepen and he stared worriedly at her.

"Lost?" He asked confused he turn to look at Randy for answers but the young lad shrug his shoulder.

"My life has been all a lie I don't understand anything at all" Jaennie said grasping onto Jace hand which was caressing her face. She look up at him and tears well up pooling her sight, her image became blurry it drop sliding down her delicate skin.

"Jaennie you ain't lost tell me what wrong, you are getting Randy worried" Jace told her.

She shook her head and look over at Randy who seem to understand her gesture. He walk out shutting the door behind him.

She wipe her face with the back of her palm and sniff in she sat up and pick up the picture she found in her mother diary and showed it to Jace.

Jace look down at her outstretched hand collected the picture his eyes peer into the picture and noticed a familiar face and stare at it confused.

"Is this__" Jace was saying and Jaennie nodded her head.

"Ivanie father with my mom" Jaennie told him. Jace still didn't understand he turn the picture over not seeing the point she was pointing at.

"Were they friends?" Jace asked which made Jaennie shook her head.

"Lover, and ....and__" it dawn on Jace what she was getting at, his eyes widen as he stare at the picture his face morph into confusion again.

"Wait how's that even possible I mean anything is possible. Let me get the straight you and Ivanie are related?" He asked astonished by the discovery.

Such coincidence but things weren't looking good, if they were both siblings then would happen when this all gets revealed, everything would be a mess.

"Ivanie it her dad she's going to hate me I can't do this, I feel so guilty right now it eating me up" Jaennie said to Jace.

Jace sigh he use his thumb to wipe her tears and said to her.

"Ivanie isn't like that, and it not your fault your parents couldn't deal with their matter and got you involved in it. You shouldn't antagonize yourself like this it breaks my heart " Jace said to her.

He pulled her into a hug and she sniffle.

★★★

The gate to the Shanks mansion opened up and a car drove in, Ivanie got down the front seat her head taking in the familiar scene, she missed the old days of running around their fast compound and messing around.

Vlad had ask James to drop her off and she couldn't be more thankful for that. She had important matters to discuss with her parents and she couldn't ignore it any longer.

The door was automatically opened by the maid upon recognizing her, things were different she thought.

she had grown up some more maybe in maturity, because she could vividly remember the maids trying to make sure she stayed away from the kitchen as she always end up making a mess of the place giving them extra work to deal with.

She loved to eat strawberry flavored cake and after baking it new, the maids especially keep out extras just the deliver it to her later.

She was the princess of the house and they all were aware, this mansion holds many happy memories.

She suddenly became unfamiliar with the cold atmosphere , the maids were all new the house too quiet no sound of her mother shouting her name, nor the rumbling of her father's anger bellowing from his study after she made a mess of his files.

Ivanie sigh and stepped in.

Her parents were already waiting her arrival, she had texted them earlier of her coming over.

She didn't bother concealing her blank emotion neither did she returned the smile her mother gave upon arrival.

Her father seem to twitch on his seat seeing her not say a word rather she took her seat Infront of them .

"Ivanie dear what this about?" Her mother was the first to break the silent, seems she couldn't handle the unfamiliarity oozing in the air.

Ivanie didn't reply instead she checked her phone watch and said something underneath her breath her parents didn't hear.

Their was a ring at the door and the maid went to get it, after like a minute Jaennie came into view.

She blink rapidly her head bowed.

Mrs Shanks hands pressed the other her expression blanking out, her chest rise and fall repeatedly following the looming figure of the girl who walked over.

Mr Shanks eyes stared glued on Jaennie and to think she look just like her mother was an understatement, she was just the copy of her mother but in a sweeter way.

"Hello" Jaennie greeted silently and made her way to Ivanie taking a seat away from her but not too far away from her.

She had received a text from Ivanie just this morning, telling her she needed to come over that it was urgent. At first she thought it might be Vlad's place but Ivanie had made it specifically clear that it was at her parents house.

Fear gripped her, she couldn't be sure what this was all about but Ivanie sounded impatient and she wouldn't want to reject the offer, it would have made things more awkward.

"I am here so you both could clear off some of our doubts, without hiding the Truth " Ivanie said.

Jaennie only fidget without looking up, she knew better than to raise a voice in such situation.

Mr Shank sigh he bowed his head and starting explaining to the girls without leaving a single thing out.

At the end of it Ivanie gulp trying to look her bravest, Jaennie was shaking and tears was spilling from her eyes uncontrollably, she bite back on her lips to stop any sound from escaping her lips.

"Why did you hide this from me, from Us Jaennie deserved to know who she was, she was stranded dad, it wasn't enough to sponsor her to school, you should have taken her in after her mom passed away.

Mom might not like it I know, it hard to take care of a mistress child but if you had explained things to her maybe she would have understood, things wouldn't have gone this far. We are a mess because of a single mistake. Dad never made attempt to show up at my school if I invited him he always find excuses not to come. My brother suffered the price of your mistakes. Despite the unfairness I never complained I tried to understand, I never resented you dad. I might sound paranoid or unreasonable but when Jaennie was shot you ran to the hospital looking so anxious you could barely stay put. I never hated you dad. Why have you done this? You ruin all our lives and it wasn't necessary. We could have have bared with your mistakes and forgiven you. Mom was willing to listen and have you come back to her. I remember how she stayed up late at night waiting for you to come, but you never showed her the tiny piece of love".

"Look at Jaennie, she stayed up late at a store struggling so she survive with her bother, she was just a kid when her mother passed away. She deserved to enjoy her childhood which you both deprived her off, she was left off with a kid when she could barely fend for herself. You both didn't rectify your mistakes by cutting off ties with the mistress and her child. Only you made it worst, you destroyed her self esteem. She was bullied for years had only herself and her brother against the world, why mom why dad it wasn't even necessary".

Mrs Shanks broke off in tears she hiccuped and Ivanie felt bad she had used her worlds harshly but it was what they deserved to hear. She blink away the tears that was forming at the corner of her eyes, she needed to be strong and her parents needs to listen even if the truth hurts.

"Maybe Desmond would have been alive if you had sort out your difference right am not saying it was anybody's fault that happened, but maybe things would have been different , just maybe"

Ivanie said she stood up grabbed a shaking Jaennie by the arm and walk away.

Ivanie brought her to her room upstairs and Jaennie finally broke down as soon as the door was shut close.

"Am sorry am sorry am sorry this is all my fault I shouldn't have been born I..." Jaennie muttered like a mantra.

"Hey hey, it nobodies fault don't blame your self for what has nothing to do with you it their problem they should sort it out." Ivanie said patting the crying girl.

She had pulled Jaennie into a hug .

Jaennie cried her eyes out till it hurt and she couldn't anymore.