Page 74 of Secretly Married To My Monster Alien Boss
“No, I helped us survive. The rest was all you. And I found a solution for you to not only survive, but thrive.”
“It wasn’t your solution to find!” Damian’s voice rose in tandem with Alissia’s.
“I got us food.” Alissia pointed the straightest finger in existence at her brother. “I helped you with your homework whenever I could. I managed to keep us in that crappy apartment we pretend is large enough for the both of us. Don’t ask me not to take any responsibility when that’s what I’ve been doing so far. With love and care, so you wouldn’t have to ever think about sacrificing your dreams because we didn’t have enough. Donotask me to suddenly stop caring after all that effort and don’t youdarejudge me for how I fixed it.”
All the fight seemed to leave Damian, even as Alissia got more riled up.
“I’m not judging you, Ali. I never would,” he said softly. “You do whatever you want. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty because you had to do it for me.”
“I didn’t do it just for you,” Alissia said, mellowing out as well. “I had my own stuff to think about.”
Damian nodded. Then nodded again. “Okay, just tell me this.”
Alissia took a deep, centering breath. “Go on.”
“Did you just marry him for…for the money?”
Alissia grimaced, looking at Damian as if he’d just insulted her and every family they’d ever had. “No!”
“Then why?”
“Because Rynar needed my help,” Alissia answered simply. She didn’t even have to think about it.
Sure, helping Damian was part of the equation. But Rynar had been in trouble. Alissia could help him. And when she saw him with Zinny in his arms, looking at her like she was the light he’d been looking for in his life, she said yes.
It was as simple as that.
“That’s actually…pretty awesome of you,” Damian said with a hint of a smile.
“Thanks.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, adrenaline still rushing through her. “He helped me, too.”
Not just with Damian’s tuition and the finances to pass her bar exam. She felt more confident. Like she could actually do this lawyering thing she’d kept dreaming about since she used to mediate arguments between her dolls back when she still had baby teeth.
Being around Rynar was intoxicating in the best ways, but it also brought a comfort in her life she hadn’t noticed she was missing. Maybe that’s why she worked so hard. Can’t notice what a void her life had become if she barely had time to sleep, let alone process.
Always keeping busy did more than bring food on the table. It numbed her enough to help her get through each day.
But with Rynar in her life, she started to actually believe there was more out there. Waiting for her to have the courage to grasp it. Her dreams, her motivations, her wants, and needs.
And she finally felt confident enough to know she would be able to tackle them all.
“Does he know? About the money thing,” Damian said.
“No. But I’ll tell him,” was all Alissia said. One uncomfortable discussion at a time, please. “I’m sorry I kept this secret from you. But I wanted to avoid the exact thing I’m seeing on your face right now.”
“What’s that?”
With his hunched shoulders, shifting gaze, and the flush on his face, there was only one answer. “Guilt. I didn’t do it all for you, Damian. I know it sounds selfish and weird, and maybe I went into this thinking that was the most important thing, but…you really can’t carry this with you. Because then I’ll feel guilty, because, frankly, this situation isn’t about you.”
It was about her and her own decisions. And that was final.
“Okay.” His smile finally grew. “I just want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’ve seen the sacrifices you’ve made. I guess…I guess I’ve always felt guilty about that. And when I saw that contract…all that shame just crashed around me.”
“I didn’t sacrifice anything,” Alissia said. “Sacrifice means doing something you hate. And I loved taking care of you. You’ll always be my baby brother and I’m proud of that. Always.”
“I’m really proud to be your brother, too. And thank you for everything.”
The corners of Alissia’s eyes stung as they kept on looking at each other, their dopey smiles identical. If anyone had a doubt they were siblings, this was the perfect proof.
