"How...how... did you find out?" Mom asked. In my inner thoughts, I was like that's not what you're supposed to be saying mom, or wait, she isn't actually my mom.

"When I was eight years old and you told me join you to search for a particular document, then when I was searching, I stumbled upon adoption papers. I was so scared that I was the adopted one and that's why you people always loved Lettie more than me. I couldn't check the name on the papers 'cause you were around but after  you found the document you were looking for and left for the office, I sneaked back in and checked the name and discovered it was Lettie's." She finished while giving me the stink eye.

"What's going on here? Mom? Dad?" I glanced at the both of them to offer me an explanation. Tears trailed freely down my cheeks as Liam attempted to console me by placing my head on his chest, but I wasn't having any of that right now.

Mom walked away slowly and unsteadily, she looked like she was about to faint. Dad looked very pissed. The thing about Dad is that he never raises his voice, whenever Maddie is being aggressive towards me, Dad just comes to my room to console me after. He offers me lots of chocolates and gets me lots of stuff. Dad hates confrontation, it's just who he is. Which is why he got 'The coolest CEO' award for thirty years straight up, but I saw Dad lose his cool and yelled at Maddie for the first time.

"Meredith Avery Brown! How dare you say such things without asking first? Do you know the story behind everything? You are very insensitive and a bitter person. I've watched you drive a wedge between Lettie and us. She moved out because of you, she avoids coming here like a plague because of you. When did you become so bitter young lady?" Dad shook Maddie as he talked.

"I hate you all. Nobody loves me at all. You love Lettie more than you love me, and she isn't even your daughter!" Maddie yelled while forcefully removing herself from Dad's grip.
"You little..." Dad angrily said as he raised his hand as if to slap Maddie. Maddie closed her eyes in fear, but Dad brought his hand down. I knew he wasn't going to hit her.

"Leave it dear. I think it's time I explained everything," Mom said, while entering the dining room with a paper in her hand, "This is the paper you saw right?" Mom questioned.
Maddie nodded her head in affirmative.
Mom smiled a bit, "If you've just let it out instead of bottling it in, you would have saved yourself from much unnecessary hate."

Maddie scrunched her brows in confusion, "What do you mean unnecessary?"
"Meaning that Leticia is your sister blood wise and all."
"Not just on paper? Then... then... How do explain the adoption papers?" Maddie stammered, looking very confused. I was also confused 'cause you can't adopt a child that's yours, or can you?

"Well, here's the full story. When I was pregnant with Lettie, I went for antenatal and the doctor discovered that unlike your pregnancy I couldn't carry Lettie full term, so I was advised to look for a surrogate early. I had limited options and I was lost on what to do, but my good friend Melody came to my rescue, may her soul rest in peace. She was willing to help me, then she did a check up and thankfully she was perfect to carry the baby. During the eighth month, Melody read something up and she advised me to adopt my baby legally immediately after birth. She said she read that after birth, the surrogate can claim a baby or her family and her family according to her weren't the best set of people. They'll love to have the baby if anything happens to her during childbirth, and it'll be to mooch off me. I think Melody knew she wouldn't make it 'cause everyday she kept reminding me not to forget. While she was entering the theatre, she made me promise to do it. When I heard Melody didn't make it, I was heartbroken and I hated myself. But when I saw you," Mom said smiling at me widely and caressing my cheeks before she continued her narration, "I knew Melody came back to me for the second time. When you smiled at me from your court that day, I fell in love with you. I did as Melody said, and I was so lucky I did 'cause like Melody said, her family came for the baby but I already had legal documents proving that I already adopted her. I was so hurt by Melody's death, everyday I thought to myself, what if I never allowed her carry the baby? She'll probably be alive till now. Which is why I never revealed the story behind Lettie's birth. I'm sorry for never telling you this Lettie. It's just that I never fully got over the guilt. I'm sorry." My mom apologized as she fell on her knees crying.

I fell on my knees and hugged her. She didn't commit a crime, she just found a way for me to live. I can never hate her for not telling me.
"Mom, this can't make me hate you. If anything, I love you more. I understand completely, you were hurt and because of me, you couldn't mourn your friend properly."

We stayed in that position for sometime before mom withdrew from the hug and stood up with determination in her eyes. She faced Maddie, "You both will sort out your differences and no one will come out till you both sort out your differences and you properly apologize to Lettie. Honey, Liam, let's give them some space."

Liam mouthed, 'Will  you be okay?'
'I'll me fine.' I mouthed back.
Maddie and I stared at each other for a long time until Maddie said something.
"I'm sorry."
I decided to play dumb 'cause I'm not going pretend everything is okay when everything is not.

"Sorry about? What could you have possibly done wrong?"
"I'm sorry okay!" Maddie yelled but I was tired of her bullshit and wanted no more of her attitude.
"You don't have to apologize if you don't want to. We can just shake hands and tell mom we made up. I already planned to leave today and never come back.i forget I have a sister, you do the same. How does it sound?"

Maddie looked like I downed her with ice-cubes. She didn't look excited like I expected her to look.
"I'm sorry okay? I'm really sorry for everything I put you through all these years. I know a mere apology cannot atone for my sins."
"You got that right! A simple apology cannot balance the scale right now. You can't keep offending me, and keep apologizing everytime because I can't keep forgiving you everytime. I'm a human being and I have feelings which gets hurt anytime you act the way you do."

"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings, but like I said yesterday I had was always jealous of you. It was always Lettie this, Lettie that. You want to know another surprising thing? I lied about Dad offering me the CEO position first. Dad never asked me you know, it was always you from the beginning. I just told you that he asked me first in order to make myself feel better. When Dad finally gave you the CEO position, it felt like I had legit reasons to hate you now."

So, Brie was right about Maddie me hating me more because of the position thing.

"But, Maddie all these things didn't matter to me. All I have ever wanted was just a sister's love. That's why I jumped into that pool for you. I felt that since your greatest wish was to see me dead, then maybe you can even love me in my death?"
Maddie shook her head sadly and gasped, "Oh my gosh! All the stupid things I've ever said to you. You don't know how I hate myself for that day. After I saw you at the pool, I called myself 'pathetic.' That day I realised that I almost killed my only sister, I cried myself to sleep that day."

I looked at her shocked, "I thought you called me pathetic?" I asked.
"No, I called myself pathetic. You don't know how many times I wanted to reach out to you but I realized I was too late. When Mom told me that you graduated from Harvard business school, I was so proud of my smart-ass sister. So I baked a cake, it took me long 'cause I'm not as good as you and mom but I did it anyway. I took Dad's private jet, except I didn't tell him that I wanted to surprise you. I got to your apartment then, but you weren't there and I thought even better. I told your next day neighbor to give you the cake and promise to say it was an anonymous person. I went home feeling happy that day. My greatest joy was when you were telling Mom and Dad about the cake, and you said it was the best surprise ever. It made me really glad."

My voice cracked a bit, "It was you who got the cake?"
"Yeah."
I hit her shoulder lightly, "Why didn't you say anything? I thought you didn't care."
Maddie heaved a sigh, "I've pushed you away for so long and like I said I before, I didn't know how to reach out."

Now it was full blown tears as I threw my hands around my sister and for the first time ever, she hugged me back without anything attached.
"I forgive you. Even your bipolar self who always has my ass everytime. I tried to hate you Maddie for everything you ever did to me, but I found out I could never do that."
You know something amazing? I've rarely seen my sister show any emotion, but I saw the her cry today.

"I'm sorry once more, it's just that all my friends wanted to be your friend and it make me very angry. I'm..." I interrupted Maddie by placing my finger on her lips in order to shut her up.
"Let's leave the past in the past. Let's focus on the present and the future, so let's start over. Would you like that?" I asked to be certain she hasn't checked her mind 'cause with Maddie you never can be too sure.
"I would love that very much." She nodded in affirmative.

I withdrew from the hug and stretched out my right hand, " Hi, I'm Leticia Melody Brown and I'm pleased to meet you. I hope we can be good friends and sisters." Now I knew the reason behind my middle name, I was so happy to have the name.
Maddie shook it and smiled, "I'm Meredith Avery Brown and I'll be delighted to be your friend and sister."

"I would have said I promise to love and cherish you but I don't want you running for the hills." I smirked.
"Please don't. This is as much niceness I can deal with right now. Too much showing of emotions scare me." She deadpanned.

"Wait, till you have a Liam in your life. You'll change your opinion." I laughed.
"Well, till then. Shall we go out and tell them we already made up?" Maddie gestured towards the door.
"We shall." I said.
When we got outside, we met only Liam. My parents were no where in sight.

"Where are my parents darling?" I asked. Liam just looked at Maddie and I in shock, like he couldn't actually believe we made up but he recovered quickly and answered me, "They said you both are taking too much time, so they went to their room."
"Oh, okay."
"I'll go call them. Mom legit prayed for this day to come before she died, she'll be so happy." Maddie said and skipped the stairs like a little girl. I turned back to Liam and placed my hands round his neck as he placed his hands on my waist.

"Well, that just happened. So do you still want to be with me 'cause I come with the whole package, dysfunctional family and all." I smiled already knowing what Liam will say.
"I already told you, normal is boring. So let's ride from here to the moon and back." He smiled and pecked me on my forehead.
"You don't want to make out? We just made a major decision you know." I teased.
"No way, your parents will walk in anytime. What'll they think of me? Your mom adores me way too much, and I don't want to give it up." He teased back.

I wriggled out of his grip on my waist, "Then go make out with her." I said running away.
Liam started chasing me, "Come back baby, you are it for me. I don't want no other." Liam declared dramatically.
I skipped away till he caught me by my waist and brought me close to him.
"I love every bit of you Lettie." He smiled.
"I love you too." I smiled back and started kissing him cause I knew he couldn't resist me.

We forgot where we were and kept on making out, it wasn't until we heard a throat clearing that we jumped off each other. We saw it was my dad giving Liam a stern look.
"Ermm... Hi Dad." I smiled nervously as Liam rubbed his neck.
It was akward for a bit but when Mom came down, it became normal and for the first time ever we hugged as a family with all the hatchet buried. Oh, and Liam joined in the hug too.
Guess he's now family.

This is the story of twenty-six year old bad ass me. I may be imperfect in so many ways, but I sure I'm dangerous. I may not be dangerous enough for some people, but I made Liam Jones fall in love with me, so give me some credit.

Careful now, else you might just be the one falling.

A/N- We're nearing the end of the book people, and I'm tearing up a bit.