His Contractual Mistress

"My goodness, brother!" Sheena blurted out hopelessly. Her dear brother won't be afraid to join a Debate at his school, but such a chicken when approaching a girl! "Seriously? Are you not going to introduce yourself?" 

"Why would I?" Vincent glared at his little sister, who didn't stop nagging him. The usual, though. And he won't take her challenge. 

"Come on!" Sheena has no plan to quit. In fact, it will only make her determined to encourage her brother.

"I'll tell you. I don't want to be soaked with lemonade." Vincent pointed his mouth toward the girl selling fresh lemonade across the street. "That's the third guy for this morning. I wonder how many men will be soaked with lemonade the entire day?" 

Sheena glanced at the lemonade booth across the street. She dropped her mouth open with amazement. The girl splashes one guy with a glass of lemonade. Now that guy who wore an Armani suit was soaked with the juice. He is cursing the girl even he's already drove his Porsche leaving the place. But the girl just raised her finger with a fu...k you sign. 

They didn't understand what they were talking about, as they didn't know how to speak Hungarian; however, the people who understand it laughs. Whatever that girl said amuse them.

Sheena could not help to laugh with her stomach. Not because she understood them, but it amuses her to witness how badass that girl is. 

"You know what, brother? That kind of girl is worth pursuing. A badass girl and playing hard to get? That's the one!" 

Vincent chuckled. His little sister is playing cupid with him. "I missed you, sis." 

Sheena pouted, "You just wanted to change the topic." 

"I didn't! I just missed you around teasing me like this." He reasons out, and it's the truth. If his mom is nagging him over again, his sisters love to make fun of him. And lately, it's kind of lonely when Sheena settles in Paris, and Deena lives in England. 

Sheena smiled. She knew that her brother meant it. She only loves to poke fun at him. "I missed you too, brother." 

Vincent held his little sister's hands. He is too strict with Sheena. He is actually against her being an Internet sensation like vlogging. But there are things he cannot prevent when he wasn't there during those times. 

"How are you?" He asked sincerely afterward.

"I'm good! Don't worry about me. Stephen is a great guy. He loves Lena like his own daughter." 

"I'm glad to hear that. But I will always be worried about you. I hope you could come home together with Lena..." Vincent didn't continue his statement. And Sheena understood what her brother wanted to tell her. 

"Only me and Sheena, right?" Because her mom was more shocked that she found a boyfriend and Stephen is not from a wealthy family. Stephen is only a chef in a restaurant. "I know mom is still angry at me. I disappointed her. Moreover, I gave shame to this family." 

As emotion flooded on her chest, her voice cracks a bit. 

"Don't say that! You may have the wrong choices. But you can't forever punish yourself. However, it doesn't mean you have to make the same mistake. Hm?"

Sheena smiled. It was Vincent who would always comfort her. And although her brother was never in a relationship, he is the best brother she could ask for more. 

When she faces those gossips and their mom's anger, it was Vincent who helps her get away and hide in Paris. And Vincent, who helped her start a new life and get through hardships as Lena growing inside her belly, and now she is getting bigger.

It was her brother who is always there and never abandons them. And so she is sure that Vincent would be a wonderful father and husband. 

"When would you plan to get married? You are never getting younger, you know, my dear brother," Sheena says it like a joke, but she meant it.

"I haven't met the one yet." He joked. 

"And you would never find her if you never go on dates!" Sheena glances over her shoulder and teases her brother by pointing her lips toward the girl across the street. "Start with her." 

"Seriously, sister? You're teaching your brother, and who's older than you, to hook a girl?" 

"Wrong, brother. I'm encouraging you! Hm?" 

"Jeez. You just wanted to make fun of me." 

"Not really! I'm serious! It would be best if you had fun once in a while, you know?" 

Vince pushes his lips into a smile. He messed up Sheena's hair, which she complains about later on. 

"Hey, brother, stop!" Sheena tried to lean backward to avoid her head from her brother's reach. She was laughing hard when an idea popped into her head. "Wait, here!" 

"Huh? Where are you going?" Vincent asked, confused about where his sister is going. He watched Sheena cross the streets. "What the heck?" 

Vincent grabs a newspaper. 

* 

Meanwhile, Sheena halted in front of the stool. "Hello?"

She greeted and waited for the girl to answer if she understood English. She's nervous because her French isn't that good yet. She doesn't have that leisure time to attend French class after she gives birth to Lena. She isn't a pampered princess anymore. But she is trying to live up her life to the fullest with her very own princess. 

And if it weren't for her brother helping her, life would be harder for her, the reason she wanted to help him chill out once in a while when their mom was out of sight. 

His life is too dull, added their mom's nags. 

"Hi! What's your order?" 

Sheena sighs with relief that she speaks English. "Two lemonades, please." 

"Size?" 

"Large!" 

"Got it! Would you like to try our lemon pies?" 

"Oh." Sheena looks at the plate in front of her. 

"Go on. It's free to taste!" 

"Cool! Looks tasty!" Sheena picks one portion and puts it in her mouth. "Hmm... Wow! That was... Um... Delicious! I'll have one box!" 

"Great! I'll pack it right after your lemonade." 

"Thanks!" Sheena observes the girl filled two large cups with her drinks. And she could not wait anymore for her to finish to ask a few questions. "So, are you, locals, here?" 

"Oh. Me?" The girl glanced at Sheena, and then she returned her gaze at the drinks. She is placing the lid on the cups. "Something like that!" 

"I see! So, um..." She didn't feel able to continue talking when the girl placed the two cups in front of her. Sheena bites her lower lip. 

"Here you go! Two cups of large lemonade and a box of lemon pie... That's..." The girl gives the total cost. 

Sheena pats her back pocket, but her wallet isn't there. "Oh. I'm sorry. I left my purse on the table. You know, we just sat across from here. There!" Sheena pointed to the coffee shop. "I was with my brother..." 

She was excited to point out her brother, but her eyes popped out after discovering that Vincent hid his face with a newspaper. 

"I'm really, sorry. My brother isn't looking this way. I'll get my purse. I'll be right back!" 

"Sure. You can bring them already. Just come back with your payment." 

"Oh. Can I do that?" 

"Yeah!" 

"Are you not afraid that I would just disappear?" 

"Well, I don't worry about myself. But the old lady needed it for her grandson's treatment." The girl points the old lady at the back, doing an inventory of how many boxes they got today. 

"However, you still trusted me even if the possibilities lie on the table?" 

The girl smiled at Sheena, and she thinks she is not only pretty but she is also very charming. 

"I like you!" Sheena could not help to blurt out. 

"I could see you are not that kind of person." The girl stated, that please, Sheena. "So I trusted you." The girl added that made Sheena more impressed by her. 

"Sheena, by the way." She extended her arm toward the girl as she introduced herself.

"Hailey." The girl accepts her hand and then gives her name.

"Nice to meet you, Hailey." 

"Pleasure to meet you, Sheena." Hailey smiled back.

Sheena was still in a daze when she went back to the table. Vincent peeped out from reading the newspaper. Well, he is just pretending to read the morning news in this city. 

"What's gotten into you?" he asked Sheena when his sister remained silent. Unusual from her personality, and so he knew that something happened. 

Sheena fixes her gaze to her brother. She just recalled her purpose why she approached Hailey. She scowled at her brother. "You are unbelievable! I left my purse so that you can bring it over, and then, you can introduce yourself!" 

"Oh. So that's your plan, huh, sister?" 

"Yeah! It was your glorious moment!" 

"My what?" Vincent chuckled. Later, he wiped the smile on his face, then said, "At least, you are sharing your plan! How am I supposed to know?" 

Sheena stared at her brother with a helpless expression on her face. "You are impossible, brother. Thank god, I got her name." 

"Oh…" 

"I won't give it to you if you won't ask her out." 

"Really? And that's a threat now? You were threatening me using her name?" 

"Yup, I am!" Sheena sipped on the lemonade while saying this. She opens the box and takes out one slice of lemon pie, and stuffs her mouth. The pie is already delicious, but she put more acts into it so that her brother put down the newspaper. 

"Hey, give me some," Vincent begged his sister. 

"Go and buy yours. This is all mine." 

"Wait… You haven't paid it yet!" 

Sheena put out her tongue and winked. "You can pay it yourself, brother. Then, it was your chance to ask Hailey out! Oopsie..." 

Vincent laughed. He shook his head and then made a casual glance across the street. 

"Hailey, huh? It's a beautiful name," he mumbled. His lips tore into a smile, but he hid it quickly. Not for Sheena to see. 

However, Sheena already caught him and was ready to tease him further.