The 8th Deadly Sin - Chapter 1
Some days can be life-changing, altering your destiny forever.
Elle was eager to cross the road, but the heavy traffic of cars and people made it difficult for her to pass on with the bicycle. It was 6 pm so everyone was going home. Finally, she saw the green light and managed to cross. She had been keeping up with her assignments, but as the end of her third year of university approached, she wanted to dedicate more time to planning her book. However, there was one final task she needed to complete before wrapping up the semester, and she planned to do it in her favorite library in New York. Once she arrived, she headed towards the tables, took off her bag, and sat down. As she was taking her laptop out of her bag, an envelope with the word "INVITATION" written in big black letters accidentally fell out. She had received it by post earlier in the day but had not opened it as she needed to focus on her studies. Now seemed like the perfect time to see what it was about. She was not expecting any invitations, so it was a mystery to her. She picked up the paper from the ground and opened it curiously. As she held the card in her hands, her eyes were fixed on the printed letters.
my name is Joshua Harrington, and I believe that I am your long-lost grandfather. As I am nearing the end of my life, I feel a strong desire to get to know you. I understand this may be a lot to take in, and I respect your decision either way. However, I would be grateful if you could take a moment to read this letter. I would like to extend an invitation to you to come and spend the summer with me in my mansion near the ocean in Portland. I have a lot of belongings and assets that I would like to pass on, and I don't have anyone else to give them to. I have also invited your sister and cousins to join us. I understand that you may not know each other, but I believe this could be an excellent opportunity for you to meet. Please let me know if you are interested in taking up my offer. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
"What?!" she almost screamed as she heard her echo in the empty library. She looked around, hoping that no one was staring at her weirdly. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized nobody was around. The next thing that came to her mind was to immediately call her sister. She took out her phone.
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Elle has returned to her college dorm room, which she was sharing with her sister. Alli.
Alli was standing up when her sister entered. "I've been waiting for over an hour." - Alli complained, but Elle ignored her as she put out the envelope and handed it to her sister.
"Yeah, I've got one too." - she said casually as she pulled out of her pocket an envelope too."
Elle sat down on her bed and said: "I think we need to talk to Mom about this."
"Are you actually considering this?"
"I don't know, but I think we should try to get some answers from her. She has never talked about her father, and I am curious to know why," said Elle.
"You're right, it's weird. I mean, if he is living in a mansion near the ocean in Portland, he must be pretty rich," Alli replied while lying on the bed, reading the envelope. "Also, he's probably going to die soon, and now he has regrets." - she added.
"Besides that, Alli, he talks about cousins. Can you believe we have cousins and we never knew about it? That's it. I'm going home tomorrow. Are you coming with me?"
Alli gave Elle a strange look. "Don't you have a date with Peter tomorrow?" she asked.
Elle sighed, realizing she had completely forgotten. Saturday was their date night, a tradition they had kept since their first year in college.
"I'll talk to him about it. He'll understand," Elle said confidently. "We've never missed a date before, so I don't think it will be a big deal if we only miss one."
"To you." Alli muttered under her breath. Elle heard her but decided to ignore her comment. She glanced at her phone, knowing that Peter would call her at 10 pm, just like he did every night when they weren't spending it together.
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The next morning, Elle and Peter were standing in front of Alli's car. "I'm still not sure if I can forgive you," he joked before kissing her with his soft, familiar lips, and she smiled in return.
"I need to sort this family thing out." Peter nodded in understatement.
"I've heard it's good for couples to spend some time away," Alli interrupted their private moment as she arrived behind them carrying her luggage.
However, Peter wasn't ready to let Elle go. He took her gently aside and said, "You know, I'm planning a special date for next Saturday." He looked like he had been waiting eagerly to say that.
Elle felt a little bit concerned because they had been dating for more than 3 years, and it was not surprising that he would want to take their relationship further. "A special date?" she forced a smile. She thought she should be happy, but something inside her wasn't quite right. "I can't wait then." She gave him a quick goodbye kiss and ran to her sister's car.
"Everything alright? You look numb." Of course, Alli noticed immediately. She knew her sister well and she could sense that something in her relationship was off.
"Yes, just drive," Elle replied irritatedly.
Alli decided not to let her sister get away with this and planned to discuss it later. She wouldn't be shoving her nose in her sister's romantic life only if she wasn't personally interested.
Some days can be life-changing, altering your destiny forever.
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