[Bonus chapter] Choice (3)

"I want my sister to be in my future. I don't want to fight for a man who prefers my sister. Not like I would have to anyway, she's never going to get married with the way you all keep her caged up in this house. I will get married mother but I will pick the man that I want. Don't look so disappointed, I know I have to marry someone with money. Happy mother?" Regina said, looking away from her mother.

Regina already made up her mind to marry someone with influence so she could be able to protect her sister but she wasn't going to let her mother know that. She would sacrifice a marriage with love to get away from this household. They didn't only cage up Aurora but her too. They made her believe she had the freedom to fly around but there was always an invisible chain holding her in place.

"Regina, I need you to open your eyes and see that you have to think about yourself. This world is selfish so you also need to be selfish. There's a lot of things you have no idea about in this house and the things you are fighting so hard to protect cannot be saved. I don't want my beautiful daughter to crumble in this household. Go out and find a husband to get away from this place while you can." Rachel soothed out Regina's hair which was out of place. She wanted her daughter to be perfect without a flaw. If she was sterner when the children were growing up, things would've been better.

"What do you mean mother?"

"Don't worry about it because it doesn't concern you. Just think about yourself and what you want in life. Your brother is already looking at taking over the family business. I hope your grandmother hurries up and dies," Rachel softly muttered in the last part. She was thinking about giving Minnie that extra push to help her reach death's doors. She married Nathaniel and was meant to be the lady of the house not his mother. Minnie was supposed to be done with this and go retire somewhere.

Regina heard what her mother said about Minnie. There was always tension between Minnie and her mother at the table but she didn't think it was this bad for her mother to wish death on Minnie. "Minnie controls and knows everything in the house," Regina said to get a reaction out of her mother.

Rachel sighed, annoyed just hearing it. "What a wonderful position that is. So many resources and money at her hand but the old bat holds onto it herself. Sorry, I should not have said that out loud. That was unladylike of me. I'm going to take a long warm bath and go to bed. Your father can go sleep with his mother since he still acts like a damn child. Marry a man whose mother is dead, Regina."

"Yes, that's the best type of man I should put on your list. How could I forget about that?" Rachel thought out loud standing up from her chair to go to the bath Sarah had prepared for her before her daughter arrived. "See yourself out when you're ready."

Even after her mother had left to take a shower, Regina sat in silence thinking of how Minnie had control of the entire household. Forget a husband who had money, Regina wanted this house to belong to her. She might have to compete with Samuel for it and push Minnie out from her spot but in the end, it would all belong to her. She loved her brother and wouldn't push him out of the house and she knew he wouldn't do the same to her but there was a problem with Samuel being the one in control.

When he marries, his wife will become the lady of the house. His wife will command all the workers in the household and just like Minnie, attempt to use Aurora. Regina could not allow that to happen. She had to be the lady of the house just like Minnie. It won't be an easy task but if she played her cards right she could do it with the help of Aurora. That was the choice she made.

On the other side of the house in Minnie's room, she sat by her bed thinking of Aurora's behavior. The girl was starting to act differently and she already knew it might be due to Aurora remembering her past. She went through this once before when Aurora was not known as her granddaughter but as her best friend.

Just like Regina, she used to be really close to Aurora but she had to make a choice between her family and friends. Family was always more important to Minnie so she sacrificed her friend. She tried to make up for her guilt by letting Aurora live as the granddaughter in this life but that was a mistake. Aurora had gotten too close to Regina and Minnie knew firsthand how it would be to separate the two.

In her hand was half an old portrait she had torn a day she was upset with Aurora. The smile on Aurora's face in it showed pure happiness and Minnie remembered the day she had called over a painter to do this while her father was away. Her father never liked how close Minnie was to Aurora.

"Forgive me, old friend," she apologized to the portrait once more just like on the night she had betrayed Aurora.

Just like right now, Aurora had started to remember a life she had before being Minnie's friend when she was close to Minnie's mother. A woman Minnie had few memories of because she passed away when Minnie was young.

They were both going through something at the point in time and when Aurora needed her friend the most, Minnie turned her back on her. She destroyed every piece of their friendship out of frustration. She had the chance to make things right with Aurora's new life but…

"I have to choose my family again, Aurora."