chapter 5 and 6

3 Days later, Nana was all better. Leonard stayed back from work to look after her. The maids and all the workers were surprised at the change. Martha had quickly informed Lucas West, Leonard's grandfather and told him about the development. He had been so excited and had sent over gifts. 

"He said we could come over when I'm all better, I'm fine now; let's go." Nana says, trying to convince Leonard to let her go visit her dad. 

"No!" He deadpanned

Nana pouted her lips, stomping her feet on the ground. Leonard's eyes went to her tiny legs to find her barefooted. 

"You came down without your footwear again?" He asked, shaking his head. He stood up, going upstairs to bring her footwear. Nana watches him go upstairs, returning with her footwear. She blushes red when he kneels to wear it for her. The past few days have been with him pampering her at every chance he gets. Whenever she needed something and couldn't tell him, she nibbled on her lips and before she knew it; he's back with it. 

"Let's go, please. I haven't seen him for a while." Nana pleads, blinking her eyes cutely. She knows he always falls for that. In her past life, it was around this time her dad started getting ill. She only suspected someone, her step mother. She acted nice, but deep down her intentions weren't pure. 

"Fine!" Leonard groaned. Nana squeals in excitement, jumping jumping on him and peppering his face with kisses

 "Only if you eat your veggies." He added with a smirk. Nana pauses, her expression going from excitement to sad. Leonard chuckled, "That's the only way, baby." He says, picking up her spoon to feed her. Nana unwillingly opens her mouth. 

"Good girl." 

~~~

Hours later, they rang the doorbell to Allen's home. "Leonard!" Lana , opening the door. 

"We weren't expecting you both." She says, bopping her breast in his face. 

"To think I'm your sister." Nana gives a forced smile dragging Lana into the house. "He's your brother-in-law, call him that. " Lana smiles awkwardly, still staring at Leonard. 

"Nana, I didn't know you were coming." The head maid says, coming out of the kitchen. 

Nana smiles hugging her "I blame my dad for not telling you, Clara."

Clara has been with the Allen's far back, she was the mother figure in the girl's life; before Mr Allen married again. 

"Don't blame, he's been under the weather these days." Clara replies. 

"I better go see him. " Nana tells her. 

She turns to see Lana hovering over Leonard, her previous long skirt was now on the middle of her thighs. Although Leonard wasn't paying her attention it still made Nana angry. "Lana, men don't go after uncovered food. Especially one as disgusting as you. "

Lana pauses her antics, her expression morphing into a frown, Nana smiles climbing the stairs, to go see her dad. 

Just before she got to his room, she bumped into someone; her stepmom, Lydia. 

"Nana darling, I didn't know you were coming; I would have prepared your favorite dish" She says, displaying a forced smile. Nothing about her is genuine, including her features. 

"I wanted it to be a surprise, and thank goodness you weren't informed cause I would have been diagnosed with diarrhea." Nana tells her, walking past her. In the past, there was an occasion she came over and had dinner, after that she got food poisoning. 

Lydia's heart raced at the thought that Nana knew what she was planning. She quickly waved it off, going downstairs. 

Nana was anxious as she knocked on the door to her dad's room. They've been on the outs, it all started with the arranged marriage and down to the way she treated Leonard. 

"Come in." She heard his weak voice from within, Nana felt sad; in the past she had neglected him, she can't repeat it again. 

She unlocked the door, stepping inside. He was seated on a chair, his back to her. He looked frail and weak, like he had added 10 years. 

"Dad." Nana calls. 

Alex Allen turns his head slightly, a smile gracing his lips on seeing his daughter. 

"Nana, you finally remembered you have a father, " He says, smiling. 

"Dad, I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional"

"Hmmm." Alex nodded, pointing at sit. 

Father and Daughter chatted for long, about everything and anything. 

"Dad, can I get your drugs? I have to get them checked." Nana tells him. Alex raises his brows questioningly. "Any problem?" He asks. Nana shook her head. Alex shrugged, bringing out the drugs from a little compartment on the table and handing it to her. 

"I'll run a check on them and until I come back to visit try to stay off it." 

Alex nodded, he didn't know why his daughter was acting weird, but he would do as she says. 

"Let's go downstairs, Leonard is here." Nana says help him up. 

"What? You've been here for an hour and you didn't care to let me know?" He asks, hitting her. 

"Ouch, dad. You love him more than you love me?" Nana groans, rubbing the spot where he hit her. 

"You're stubborn, he's not." Alex scoffs, both of them walking out of his room, down the stairs. 

When they got down, Leonard exchanged greetings with his father in law and Alex was happy their relationship had improved. 

"It's your grandfather's birthday next month,isn't it?" Alex asked while they were having lunch. 

Leonard nodded in response, his hands on Nana's lap. 

"Why don't you both go pick his gift today?" Alex says. 

"That would be a good idea, I needed new clothes, so I'll go with you." Lana says, butting into the conversation. Her eyes on Leonard, but when she notices he's not noticing her, she frowns; her eyes meeting his hand trailing Nana's laps. Lana goes green with envy. She's been looking for opportunities to tell him what was about to happen that night, maybe then, he'll have no choice than to divorce the illegitimate daughter of the Allen's.

CHAPTER 6

"Do you have to go with us?" Nana asked, frowning. She and Lana exchange stares. 

"Lana, you really don't have to go." Alex , sensing the tension between the two sisters. 

"Dear, let Lana go with them, her wardrobe is old, she needs to change." Lydia says, siding with Lana. A smirk displaying on Lana's lips. 

"This isn't up for negotiations, she's not coming with us." Nana deadpans. 

"Sis, I'm lacking clothes. Don't worry I will give you both space and not interrupt...your  I don't need the cha..os, the heart..break, the endless search for something that never seems to last. I'll keep my heart to myself—safe, guarded, and unbroken." Lana says in a childish tone, trying to placate Nana. 

Nana gives her a hard stare, still unyielding. 

"Alright, since she promised to behave, let her go with you both." Their father says. 

"Fine." Nana mumbles. 

Lana smiles victoriously "sis, you've been weird lately, are you staying off your medications."

Everyone present turned to look at Nana. 

"What meds, Nana?" Alex asks, getting tense. 

"There's no meds, dad, Lana might have stopped taking hers."

"But-"

"What? You mean the mental depressants pills you got me and said it was for headaches? Should I continue spilling your secrets, Sister dearest." Nana snaps, slamming the table with her hands, shocking everyone. Lana stares at Nana in shock, she didn't expect Nana to know what the pills were for and she didn't expect the burst out. 

"I didn't know what they were for, a friend of mine uses them and I thought it would help." Lana burst out crying. 

Nana wrinkles her face in a frown, it was all a pretense to get the sympathy of her dad. How come she was this oblivious to her schemes in the past? After the arranged marriage with Leonard, Nana had been angry, throwing tantrums anyhow she could. She was just 22, had her plans and marriage wasn't part of it. So, like what every sister would, she asked her sister for help. Only to be given a depressant drug that decreased her mood, made her seem unstable. 

"You can wipe the crocodile's tears out. I won't take your word for it." Nana says, getting up and leaving the dining room. 

Leonard muttered a few apologies on her behalf, going after her. He just sat and watched the drama unfolding, he didn't think Nana would come to her senses. 

"Hey, you okay?" He asked when he finally got to her. 

"I wish I were the type to break down whenever something goes wrong, but I'm not and it freaking hurts. " Nana replies. 

"I know sorry or a thousand apologies won't make up for what I did, I'm sorry, Leonard." She apologizes, tears threatening to spill. 

"Hey, what did I say about you crying? Don't do it." Leonard stated, engulfing her in a hug.

They were both in each other's arms for a few minutes. 

"I really don't want her to come with us." Leonard says, breaking the hug. 

"Well, your scheming wife might have a plan," Nana smirks. 

Leonard gave a nod, "hmmm, I can't wait to see you all scheming, baby girl."

Nana chuckled "come on, let's go back in. "

They both walked back inside the sitting room. Alex was still seated, probably waiting for Nana, so he could apologize for Lana's behavior.

"Nana, I'm-"

"Save it, daddy. There's no use." Picking up her handbag, she hung it over her shoulder. "She can meet us outside whenever she's done." Nana says, walking off and dragging Leonard with her. 

"You didn't let me say goodbye to dad." Leonard tells her once they're outside

"He can get mad all he wants then." Nana shrugs. 

The two continue chatting, until Lana shows up, in her exposed clothing. 

"The weather is cold and you're dressed like this?" Nana scolds, her countenance changing. 

"I feel a little bit under the weather." Lana says, chuckling softly. 

"Very well then." Nana smiles, taking off her windbreaker and wearing it on Lana. "When you feel under the weather, you don't go ahead to expose yourself to more dangers." 

Lana frowns, not expecting the display. With the windbreaker wrapped around her, Nana's clothes come to full display. The short knee length flower gown and the heels, she looked like a model. 

"Come on, sister dearest, don't frown. I'm just looking after you." Nana tells her, walking off. 

"You look hot in that outfit by the way." Leonard whispers in her ear, as they're walking alongside each other. 

The plan was to not take any form of transportation, they were going to walk there, take their time to look around and enjoy the scenery. Leonard was cool with it, as long as he was Nana. 

"Leonard, Nana, you both should wait, the cab I filled would be here soon." Lana says, running to catch up with them. They had already gone far before she snapped out of the little game Nana played with her. She was going to get back at her, she just needed space to talk with Leonard. 

"We are not taking a cab, you can cancel the ride." Nana huffs, still walking. 

"What? No cab? How are we supposed to get there?" Lana screamed in shock. 

"Leonard! You're going with my sister's crazy idea?" She tells again, panting. Leonard and Nana weren't slowing down one bit. 

"You can go home, it's not too late." Nana says, taking Leonard's hands in hers. 

They got to the bus station and had to wait for the bus to arrive, Lana kept mumbling and complaining, mostly for Leonard's attention. 

"Seriously, the public bus? Along with these sweaty and poor people?" Lana groaned when the bus arrived. Nana and Leonard paid her no mind and made their way in, occupying the last available seats.

"Get up!" Lana said, pushing off an old man and taking his position.

"Are you sure Lydia isn't Lana's birth mom, she's irritating." Leonard says to Nana. 

"I'm surprised you don't mind riding a public bus."

"There was a time when a public bus was all I had to ride."

Nana gasped at the confession "I've got a lot to know about you."

"I guess so, baby." He replies, giving her a kiss.