C5 Chapter 5

"What do you mean by Skya getting married?," It's the third time Jaylani is repeating the phrase but the tone of incredulousness just seems to get thicker with each turn.

The first time the phrase was sputtered out as her youngest Sister tried to swallow down the piece of chicken she had been chewing on, the second time had been a confused question that was met with silence and third is when the reality of the situation finally seems to sink into the youngest Sinclair in the house.

"My sister Skyla?" This time the question is directed at Kayla for confirmation rather than her mother who had revealed the news to her.

Mikayla's answer is once again the tense silence that has become abundant in the dining room, which is confirmation in itself because Mikayla had rarely even been a woman of silence and Jaylani knows that well enough.

Mikayla had expected this conversation to happen the second her stepmother insisted that she stay for dinner, she assumes Eloise expected her to somehow soothe a raging Jay which is what they were about to have in the next few seconds as Jay processed the information and connected the dots.

"You can't be serious," there is almost a half laugh arising out of her incredulity that simply does not suit Jayla, but then she drops all pretenses of confusion and the clash of her metal cutlery into the ceramic plate reverberates through the tense and silent dining room.

Mikayla is glad that their father never joined them for these family dinners, because the Sinclair patriarch might like Jayla at least as well enough as he can a heiress, but they both seemed to clash so drastically on certain subjects and Skyla had always been top of that list.

"It's for the good of the family, and for Skyla,"

Eloise looks at Kayla as if she expects her to back her up. She assumes that her stepmother thinks they share some kind of solidarity as Kayla was decidedly benefiting from throwing her beloved sister under the bus too.

"She'll be in the city, she'll officially be a member of the family and she will have shares in the company- Isn't that what you always wanted for your Sister, Jay?" she speaks as if she is trying to reason with a toddler, it just seems to anger Jayla even more.

"Did she ask for any of that?" Jayla reels, "Does she want to come back to the City? Does she want to get married? Or was it just convenient for all of you to call her a Sinclair now so you can just sign her off to some strangers!"

Jayla never shouts, and even in the pinnacle of her frustrations her words are low, almost hissed out and it's somehow worse than when she is shouting.

"They are not strangers, dear- It's Adrian , and the Fitzroy's . We are basically family. He is a good man, I am sure he would treat Skyla very well,"

"If he was such a good man then why didn't Mikayla marry him?" Jayla asks, and Kayla knows it's not meant to hurt her, not when Jayla is barely looking at her, but the guilt burns regardless,

"If he is such a good man then why didn't you let me take her place?.It should be me right?I am the 'rightful' Sinclair as Father was so fond of telling me," her gaze is accusing, but beyond that she is determined and Kayla knows from the years growing up with her Sister that the cogs in her brain are already turning, that extreme sense of fairness and protectiveness over her family already taking over.

"You are twenty one, you are not taking her place-You are not getting married, Jaylani," Kayla squashes the idea before she can even voice it out.

"Why not?- Dad won't care as long as the business deals stand right, I'll go right up to Adrian, and I'll make sure he listens to me-", the things she is saying are not just mere words, there is more than a six year age difference between Mikayla and Jaylani, but Kayla prides herself in knowing Jayla and Jayla does not bluff, not about things she cares about and anyone who had ever seen Jayla and Skyla in the same room could see just how much Jayla cared about her exiled half-Sister .

"Your father won't stand for it, neither will the Fitzroy's after everything that has happened. Jayla, this is not some game to go switching around spouses one after the other," Eloise is panicking, the crack of her voice as she attempts to placate her daughter is proof enough of that.

"I don't care- I know she is doing this because I won't have to, and I won't let her, Skyla deserves better and you can't just use her like a spare part that you take out when it suits you. She is my sister ," Kayla can see the tears welling in her eyes.

"They've already set a date, Jay, and Skyla is on a train back right now. I am sorry, Jay, I really am,"

She can't even get herself to see marrying Jace as a mistake, but she can't stop feeling guilty either, and she knew that was the reason she hadn't had a second to see her husband since they touched down in the country.

"I know this sucks, but it's not your job to take care of Skyla. It was mine and I failed, this is not on you, it's on me,"

"I don't care whose fault it is and I don't care who Adrian Fitzroy thinks he is- I am coming with you to pick Skyla up, and putting her on the next train back, no matter what happens," Jayla stands firm.

Jayla had never liked being the youngest, she had done everything she could to make herself bigger, to take care of her older sisters rather than the other way around and considering there was only a two year difference between Skyla and Jayla unlike with Kayla,

Skyla had always seemingly been at the other end of Jayla's big sister complex and for the most part Skyla had always amused her.

She probably assumed the same to happen this time around, that She would whine and brood a little and Skyla would relent to her charms, but Kayla knew that wasn't going to be the case.

Jayla leaves without a second word, her mother is quick to follow her with more pleading words leaving Kayla alone at the dinner table.

Kayla finally takes the time to audibly groan out loud into the silence. Jayla had been quick to connect the pieces, it makes her wonder if Skyla had anticipated this abject return the second she saw the picture of Jade and Kayla happily married.

She wonders how she is ever supposed to pay her back for that....