Trey
Having lunch with William and Jeremiah isn't as bad as I anticipated. After dodging his attempts to schedule it for the past few times, I finally relent. Surprisingly, William opts for water instead of a beer, mentioning he hasn't touched alcohol in the past thirty days. He's also committed to ensuring Lucinda maintains her sobriety.
Afterward, I drop J off and head home to change my outfit before picking up Kiara for my mom's Christmas Eve dinner party. There's no doubt it will be a fucking disaster, but Kiara insists we go. Despite recently discovering our relationship, my mom has been surprisingly supportive, which means a lot to Kiara, especially considering Candice is still being a pain in the ass.

I'm on the verge of renting an apartment for her. I find myself at Kiara's place more often than my own, and there's no sign of that changing since Candy hasn't moved out. It's suspicious how she affords to go out so much, considering she still doesn't have a job. While kicking her out is an option, I refuse to be the shitty brother she keeps accusing me of being.
Her drinking and attitude have escalated. Kiara and I have been dating for months, and I had hoped my sister would have gotten over it by now. However, every time she mentions Kiara's name, there's still a lingering bitterness and jealousy in her voice.
Unlocking and opening the door to my penthouse, I'm greeted by the sight of Candy, completely butt ass naked, on my couch with another girl underneath her. Startled, they both scream and scramble to cover themselves with a throw blanket.
"What the hell, Candice?" I shout, shielding my poor fucking eyes. I would consider pouring bleach into my eyes, but I fear this image is permanently seared into my memory.
"I had no clue you were in a relationship," the stranger exclaims, throwing an accusatory glare at my sister.
Candy responds with a scoff. "Eww, that's my brother. I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole."

My expression twists in disgust when Candy smacks her ass as she gets up. Shamelessly, she strolls naked across my living room, heading toward the bathroom. My mouth gapes as I process what the hell I just walked in on.
"Who the hell is that?" I whisper-yell, pointing toward the bathroom door.
Candy swiftly uses a blanket to cover herself as she begins to put her clothes back on. Nonchalantly, she shrugs and replies, "A chick from Tinder. I actually don't remember her name...Aliyah, Olivia...something like that."
I avert my gaze elsewhere as she returns to the room and throws back on her clothes. "Candy, this was fun. Call me," she says, casting me a lingering, lust-filled glance before confidently strutting out the door.

My mind races with the horrifying thought: what if Kiara walked in just as that girl was leaving? The risk of her assuming I was cheating on her, instead of considering the absurd idea that Candy was randomly hooking up with strangers in my apartment, was too great. There was absolutely no way I was going to allow my sister to jeopardize my relationship like that.
A wave of anger sweeps over me. I turned my gaze towards my sister, finding her reclining on the couch, an arrogant smirk on her face.
"Candice, seriously, we've got to set some damn boundaries because this isn't okay. If I can't fuck in my own home, no one else will be doing it either," I state firmly, the frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.
"Nobody said you couldn't. I know you're fucking more than just Kiara. Bring 'em right in," she quips with a shrug.
My jaw tenses. "You're wrong."
It's like she can't comprehend the idea that I can remain faithful, that someone with my history genuinely deserves Kiara's heart. I'm willing to bet she's been secretly wishing for me to fuck up all this time. Even though she hasn't said a word to Kiara since everything came out, she would jump at the chance to prove herself right the moment she had any shred of evidence. However, that will never happen. Despite love being uncharted territory for me, I'm unwaveringly committed to keeping my girl.
"C'mon, you can be honest with me, I'm your little sister. How many hoes do you have lined up?" she teases, searching for evidence that doesn't exist.
I lean against the kitchen counter, fixing her with an intense gaze. "None. There is only her, and there will only ever be her, whether you believe it or not."
"Cut the bullshit, Trey. You know you'll grow tired of her eventually."
Frustration building, I grit my teeth and yank the tiny black box out of my pocket, flashing it to her. "Why would I have gotten this if I wasn't serious about her?" I retort.
Her eyes widen as she stands. Walking over, she takes the box from me, examining it as if she can't believe it's real. "I-Is that an engagement ring?" she gasps out. Before I can respond, she bursts into a fit of laughter. "Trey, you can't be serious. You've only been dating for four months. I know Kiara. She's not going to say yes."
"And why is that?" I arch an eyebrow, challenging her assumptions.
She narrows her eyes, scoffing. "She dated Jordan for a whole two years, and it didn't go anywhere. What makes you think you're so special?" The skepticism in her tone lingers, demanding an answer.
I smirk. "I'm more of a man than her ex will ever be."
I know for a fact that Kiara has experienced more life, pleasure, and love in the past four months than she ever did with him. Occasionally, I sense her doubts, but overall, she trusts me not to hurt her — to offer her the entirety of myself without lies, cheating, and unnecessary bullshit.
"Yeah, whatever," she mumbles. "Are you planning to do that tonight at Mom's party?"
I'm actually uncertain about the exact timing, so I'll patiently wait for the moment that feels right. Maybe tomorrow, I'll choose a special place before dinner with her family and propose then. What matters is creating a cherished memory for us to reflect on when we're older. It will mark the beginning of our forever.
"You heard about that?" I ask, attempting to redirect the conversation away from the personal matters I unintentionally exposed in a moment of frustration.
"Mom sent me an invite, and of course, I wasn't going to go, but watching you humiliate yourself is going to be the highlight of the night. So, I'll be seeing you there."