Love or Duty

Chapter Two

According to what Anne told Vivian. Vivian's parents died in hospital after the car crash. The reporters called it, the crash of the century, and Vivian was the only survivor. She spent the initial months recovering in the hospital partially in an induced coma.

When she was stable, she was discharged and spent the last two months recovering at the mansion. All her belongings were moved from the second house to the central estate where her grandfather lived. However, she never saw her grandfather.

Her grandfather Phillip Sky was out of town when the accident occurred. As far as Vivian knew, he was working on a large project that he could not abandon. But now that it was complete, he could return.

The family business, Azure Sky, was a multi-billion dollar company that traded all over the world. The main headquarters was here in the big city of Swallow. Vivian's father, Daniel Sky, was the former CEO of Azure Sky. Now that he was gone, the powerful Philip Sky took rein over the company again.

Vivian was anxious to see her grandfather. She usually saw him once a year during family gatherings, if he would attend at all. The last time she saw him was a year ago with her parents.

During her yearly visits to see her grandfather, she always thought he seemed cold to her. Even though she was his only granddaughter, but she loved him regardless.

Vivian, currently wheelchair-bound, moved room to room with her private nurse Anne impatiently waiting for grandfather's return.

"Do you think he will be angry?" Asked Vivian, looked up at Anne.

"Why would he be angry little Miss?" replied Anne with a raised eyebrow.

"I tried my best, but my legs couldn't recover in time," she said, a bit disappointed.

Anne crouched down next to Vivian, "Doctor said you would be able to go walk with more practice and time. You are doing so well," she reassured her.

Vivian rubbed her legs and sighed, "I just wish he didn't have to see me like this."

Suddenly, the head of the house, Thomas the Butler, entered the main entrance hall to open the main door.

"Master Phillip has returned," Thomas declared.

Anne quickly got up to wheel Vivian to meet her grandfather.

A long black car drove to the door of the mansion and stopped. Thomas quickly walked past Vivian to open the passenger door.

Instead of her grandfather stepping out of the car, a young boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes exited first. He locked eyes with Vivian, the girl in the wheelchair in front of him.

---

Vivian was not expecting to see this handsome boy step out of the car.

Who was he? She thought

The boy looked up and started at Vivian for a moment before he heard a voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.

"Sebastian, dear boy, please move aside so I can get out", came a deep, kind voice.

"Grandpa!" Exclaimed Vivian. Her face lit up with happiness.

Philip Sky stepped out of the car, a slight frown formed on his face as he looked at his granddaughter in the wheelchair ahead. In his arms, he was holding a young child.

Vivian gasped, "what is going on?" As she was staring at her grandfather, the boy called Sebastian and the young child in his arms.

"We shall talk inside," as he looked at Vivian's confused face while handing the young child to Thomas, "Thomas, please take Sarah to the nursery. I assume you have it prepared as instructed?

"Yes, it has been prepared for Miss Sarah." Replied Thomas. "I have also prepared a room for Master Sebastian as well."

"Good, good," nodded Philip.

"Anne, please take Vivian and Sebastian to the library; I will join them shortly," said Philip.

Anne bowed slightly and replied, "As you wish," then she turned to Sebastian, "please follow me, Sebastian; I will take you to the library with little Miss."

Anne pushed Vivian inside the mansion and down the long hallway to the library. Sebastian followed closely behind, eyes wide open with curiosity as he walked down the hallway of this giant mansion.

Can this man protect Sarah? Who is this girl in the wheelchair?

Once in the library, Vivian looked up at the older boy with a flushed face. He was good looking. She quickly looked away as Sebastian turned around and looked at her with a smile.

Sebastian thought to himself, she will grow up to be a beautiful lady one day, as he continued to stare at the young girl in the wheelchair.

I wonder why she is in the wheelchair?

Suddenly a sweet voice broke his daze, "My name is Vivian. I heard grandpa say, your name is Sebastian? Why are you here, Sebastian?" Vivian asked.

Sebastian bent down to look at Vivian's blue eyes.

"Your grandfather will explain soon." answered Sebastian, "It's a pleasure to meet you; Philip didn't mention he had a granddaughter."

"Oh…" said Vivian, a bit shocked to hear this statement and that this young man calls her grandfather by his first name only. Not many people would be brave enough to do that.

Upon hearing her sad tone, Sebastian tried to explain, "we have been rather busy lately preparing the move here. It probably slipped his mind."

"I see," said Vivian.

She was the only grandchild of his only son. The accident was big news worldwide, CEO of the wealthiest company in the world died in a car accident. Something this big surely shouldn't have left his mind and not even been mentioned in the last few months?

"Have you always been in this chair, Vivian?" asked Sebastian, trying to break the silence.

"No, I've only been using for the past few months," replied Vivian. "Doctors said I am making good progress."

"That good to hear." Said Sebastian as he placed his hand on hers, "I hope your recovery is a speedy one."

"I hope so too." Replied Vivian, looking up at Sebastian. She didn't notice his hand on hers.

"I want to move back upstairs to my room; I don't like the guest room I'm in right now." Said Vivian.

"Oh? What's wrong with it?" Questioned Sebastian with a raised eyebrows.

"It's not a proper bedroom," explained Vivian, her voice started to get a bit irritable," I think it was a cupboard or something before."

"You mean it's small?" Asked Sebastian.

"Well, no. It's big…" said Vivian, "I can't explain it to you, you have to see it...It is weird."

Sebastian started to laugh. This girl was amusing. He didn't know what, but he liked her already.

Vivian was turning a bit red, "it's not funny! stop laughing!" She said in a raised, annoyed tone.

"After whatever my grandfather wants to talk us about, come with me, and I'll show you." She said

"Okay, okay!" Said Sebastian trying to suppress his laughter. "Please show me this small but big, not a proper bedroom of yours later."

"I'm telling you, you'll understand when you see it. My room upstairs is better," Vivian said.

"Is it because your entire room is pink? And this guest room is not?" Asked Sebastian.

Vivian's mouth dropped open in shock, "pink? Do you think my grandfather would allow me to paint the room pink that I stay in once a year?"

"Once a year? So, you don't live here?" Asked Sebastian.

"No, I live here now, "Vivian started.

The library door opened, and her grandfather Philip entered, causing Sebastian to stand up straight, and his hand left Vivian's. It only then did she realised he was touching her hand this whole time.

---

Philip Sky came into the library; he noticed Sebastian standing up too quickly from his granddaughter's side. He pretended not to notice as he walks briskly past Vivian and Sebastian to the large window in the library, pausing for a moment before turning around to speak.

"I see you two have introduced each other while waiting?" Philip stated.

"Yes", replied Sebastian as Vivian nodded in silence while looking at her grandfather.

"You didn't mention your granddaughter lives here." Said Sebastian.

"Anne," Philip suddenly interrupted Sebastian, "I would like to talk to Vivian and Sebastian alone."

"Yes, of course, Sir," said Anne, "I'll take my leave now. Please let me know when Little Lady is ready, and I will return." Anne bowed and quickly left the room.

Once Anne closed the door, Philip turned to Vivian, "what you hear today must never leave this room, you understand Vivian?" He said.

"Yes, grandfather, I understand." Replied Vivian.

"Besides us in this room and Thomas, no-one else should know the truth about Sebastian and Sarah," said Philip.

Philip looked at Sebastian to get his nod of approval before continuing.

Vivian was starting to get curious, what kind of relationship could this boy have with her grandfather?

"Sarah is your sister," Philip stated.

"My sister?" Vivian repeated, thinking she misheard it.

"Yes, and Sebastian, here is …" Philip started to get flustered.

"Guardian." Sebastian finished.

"That right, he is her guardian," Philip continued, "I have been organising all the paperwork to bring her to Swallow. It took longer than expected. Sebastian here has been looking after her the whole time. I've decided to take him in as well."

"Okay?" said Vivian in an unconvinced tone.

It didn't make sense.

How come I didn't know that I had a sister? Or is she a child with another woman? When did father have time for a mistress? If she was an illegitimate child, why did we need to hide it?

Sebastian could see Vivian trying to process the situation. He knew she knew this was a lie.

"Philip does not want to ruin your father's reputation as a good man in front of others," Sebastian said, "if anyone asks, just say she is your sister."

"You understand, Vivian?" Philip asked.

"Yes, I understand. But how do I explain I suddenly have a sister?" Vivian asked.

"It doesn't matter to me what story you make up. As long as you are clear that Sarah is your TRUE sister," Philip said, clearly wanting to end the conversation.

"What about Sebastian? What if they ask about him? What does he have to do with anything? " Vivian asked.

"Your granddaughter is smart", Sebastian commented.

"Sebastian is Thomas's nephew," Philip said, "no one would question his loyalty."

"So…mum and dad had my baby sister in secret without my knowledge. They left her with Thomas's family to raise, and now that they have died, she comes back to live with us?" Vivian said, "Is this right?"

"That is correct." Said Philip.

"All of this, just to hid the fact daddy had a mistress?" Vivian said, not convinced at all, "You honestly think people would believe this grandfather?"

"If that is the story you want to go with, then that is the story. No one shall know the truth you hear me?" Philip threatened.

Vivian looked at her grandfather perplexed and shook her head.

Philip was starting to get angry at the attitude that Vivian was giving. Vivian was only 12 years old, but she had a mind like a grown-up, just like her father at that age.

Sebastian sensing the hostility between grandfather and granddaughter, decided to step in. He lowered himself to be eye level with Vivian and touched her hand.

"I know it sounds silly; it's for your father's name and reputation. He only passed away recently; you do not want people to change their views about him at his time of death, do you? And what about your mother? What would people say about her?" He explained.

Vivian listened to what he said and looked up at her grandfather.

"I think mother and father made the right decision to let Thomas arrange care with his family in the countryside to look after my sick baby sister," Vivian finally said.

Sebastian smiled, "thank you". He then turned to Philip.

"Is there anything else you need to add?" Ask Sebastian

"No. As long as she doesn't say anything out of line," looking at Vivian, "everything will go according to plan," Philip said.

Vivian watched her grandfather look down at his watch and mutter some incoherent words before leaving a huff.

As Philip left the room, Sebastian kept his eyes on Vivian. He waited for her to turn around to face him.

"What are you thinking about?" Sebastian asked kindly.

"You and grandfather are hiding something," She said, "I don't know what it is, but I know Sarah is NOT my sister or even half-sister!"

Sebastian lips curved into a smile. "You truly are amazing."

"Huh?"

"One day, I promise you, I will tell you the truth. But now, make what we discussed to become the truth and only truth," he said.

"Okay," she replied and shrugged.

"Thank you, My Lady. I, in return, will watch and protect you." Sebastian said dramatically.

"What are you? We don't live in ancient times anymore!" Vivian laughed, giving him a gentle punch in the arm.

"Your knight in shining amour, your protector or boyfriend?" suggested Sebastian.

"Eww, that's gross! I'm only 12, and you are…." Vivian started to say in disgust.

"17," Sebastian said proudly. "When you are 20, I'll be 25. See, it doesn't sound that bad when we get older."

"Nah, boys are still disgusting." Said Vivian sticking out her tongue.

Both Sebastian and Vivian started laughing in the library.

It wasn't until Anne returned to the library did they stop laughing.

"Now, before I get shown to my room, can you show me the room you hate so much?" Sebastian asked with puppy eyes.

Vivian rolled her eye. "Just follow me, and I'll show you."

"Anne, right?" Sebastian asked, turning to face Anne.

"Yes, that is correct," nodded Anne.

"Let me help smart lady, and you lead the way to her cupboard," Sebastian suggested, grabbing the wheelchair handlebars.

Vivian's face started getting red from embarrassment. She could no longer look up at Anne and Sebastian; she just waved her hand so that Anne knew it was alright to lead the way.

"Well, follow me; it's just down the hall from here." Said Anne.