Many things tangled up in Annabelle's mind, and she felt a mix of emotions: joy at his success, guilt for not being better and for how he was forced to work, anxiety, worry—so many feelings—and finally, pride at what he has achieved.
She became still in that moment, unsure of how to process everything that was happening.
But as she tried to think about the most rational and logical decision she could make, it suddenly struck her: all of what she was feeling now was because of her brother, the most important person in her life
Following this train of thought, should she think rationally or emotionally this time? Suddenly, she became even more moved, her eyes reddening and moistening as she felt at a loss.
Embarrassed, she covered her face with her hands, shielding her eyes. All she felt now was warmth and affection, she also knew the source of it. So she wanted to hug her brother even more, to feel his presence close to her.
But trying to calm herself a little, Annabelle was suddenly struck by the realization that she hadn't thought about this subject carefully before at all. She hadn't considered what it entailed afterward, what she would do when he reached that amount, or even if it was possible.
Was her brother to blame for reaching it too quickly, or was it because she had dismissed the subject with the idea that it would take a long time? Annabelle didn't know.
As while the amount was significant for their family, the idea of spending money from her brother had never occurred to her. It wasn't because she found it shameful to take money from her younger brother, but rather because she wanted him to spend it all on himself and whatever he desired.
She couldn't bring herself to spend the hard-earned money her brother had worked for.
But having reached this point, she knew she had to give an answer. She also never wanted to lie to her brother.
She didn't want her brother's gaze to ever change, nor did she want his trust in her to waver.
Closing her eyes, she thought things through again. She didn't need to see her brother's phone or the trading and banking accounts again, as he clearly wouldn't lie about such things.
And aside from that, even if she stopped working for now, she had saved some money for his university. So if worst came to worst, she could simply use those savings and look for another job.
Snapping him out of his reverie was Annabelle, whose eyes had been twinkling but were now becoming a little downcast.
She had initially thought he would agree immediately, but as the silence lingered, she feared that maybe her request was a bit too much, so she lowered it a little.
And Christian, watching his sister as she negotiated the terms as if it were something precious and she couldn't hug him normally, felt a sense of resignation. Thinking that at least she would stop working now, he finally said.
"Okay."
As soon as he finished speaking, Annabelle, as if on cue, went toward him immediately and hugged him. But noticing that he was sitting and she was standing, which made it difficult to hug him properly, she sat on his lap. Finally feeling comfortable, she hugged him even more tightly, as if fearing he would run away if she held him too loosely.
She held him so tightly that it seemed like she wanted to blend with him completely.
Now placed in an awkward situation, Christian suddenly remembered that his sister was wearing very little and was hugging him with all her bare skin exposed. But after thinking it over and feeling a bit helpless, he decided to just go with the flow.
While the current situation couldn't be considered normal for just siblings, he resolved to accept what was happening as if it were completely normal.
But his hands, resting at the sides of the bed, still didn't move; accepting the situation and taking the initiative were two different things after all.
Now hugging her brother, Annabelle suddenly came to terms with the idea of stopping work and felt a sudden sense of loss and hollowness inside.
If she stopped working, what should she do then?
Since she was eighteen, when their parents died, all she had thought about was taking care of her younger brother, providing for him, and ensuring he didn't feel the absence of their parents. But now that he would be the one providing for the household, what about her?
What would her place be in the house then? What would her role in her brother's life become?