I grow stronger by making my wife happy.

Chapter 307: 307:Empty threats.

One of the girls smiled.

"Why haven’t we heard about her before you always talk about your family but not her?"

Shirley’s smile became slightly uncomfortable.

"Family matters can be complicated, you know."

Ravenna nearly applauded. There it was the opening she was looking for. The girls immediately became more curious.

Shirley lowered her eyes slightly.

"I don’t really like talking about it. Ravenna and I didn’t exactly have the easiest relationship growing up, it’s hard to put it in words."

Mallory’s expression darkened. Ravenna touched her arm beneath the table.

Shirley continued.

"Basically... There were some... incidents."

One of the girls frowned.

"What kind of incidents?"

Shirley hesitated beautifully. Ravenna had to give her credit; the pause was excellent. Just long enough to suggest that she didn’t want to say anything but not long enough for anyone to change the subject.

"It really isn’t something I should discuss."

Ravenna stared at her.

Shirley glanced toward her as though asking permission. Ravenna smiled faintly.

"Don’t stop on my account. You’ve already brought everyone to the edge of the cliff. It would be cruel not to push them over."

Shirley’s eyes narrowed for half a second, then she sighed.

"Ravenna was always... temperamental."

Mallory immediately turned toward her. Ravenna tightened her fingers around Mallory’s arm.

Shirley continued.

"She had difficulty controlling her anger, especially when we were younger. There were fights, arguments, and eventually things became serious enough that our parents decided it would be better if she lived away from the family when it finally got out of hand."

One of the girls looked shocked.

"You mean she was sent away?"

Shirley looked uncomfortable.

"Exiled would probably be more accurate."

Mallory couldn’t remain quiet anymore.

"That’s not..."

Ravenna squeezed her arm. Mallory turned toward her. Ravenna shook her head.

It wasn’t worth it.

Shirley wanted exactly this. She wanted Mallory angry, Ravenna shouting, and everyone in the restaurant looking toward their table while she stood there calmly explaining that her poor violent stepsister had always been difficult.

Ravenna had fallen for it before, years ago. She wasn’t going to do it now.

Shirley looked toward Mallory.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset anyone. I’m sure Ravenna has told you her own version of what happened."

Mallory’s jaw tightened. Ravenna finally spoke.

"She knows enough."

Shirley looked at her.

"Then you told her?"

"I don’t remember asking whether I was allowed."

"That’s not what I’m saying."

"I know. You’re trying to make it sound like you don’t want to talk about my past while somehow managing to talk about my past."

The girls behind Shirley went quiet. Shirley’s smile tightened again.

Ravenna continued calmly.

"If you want to tell them I was exiled, tell them. If you want to tell them I was violent, tell them that too. You’ve repeated the story enough times that I’m sure you’ve perfected it by now. Just don’t stand there pretending someone forced you to bring it up."

That landed.

Shirley’s expression didn’t collapse, she was too practiced for that. But the warmth disappeared from her eyes.

"I was only answering their question."

"You brought them to the question."

"You’re accusing me of manipulating my friends?"

Ravenna shrugged.

"If that’s what you heard."

Shirley stared at her.

Ravenna picked up her glass again. The silence lasted several seconds.

Antony looked from one sister to the other. He had remained mostly quiet, but Ravenna could see the realization slowly settling across his face. This wasn’t an ordinary disagreement between siblings.

It was a game.

Shirley wanted Ravenna angry and Ravenna was refusing to play, which meant Shirley hated it. Eventually Shirley sighed.

"I really did hope you’d changed."

Ravenna smiled faintly.

"I have. That’s why this conversation hasn’t become interesting yet."

Mallory covered her mouth. Antony looked down at the table. One of Shirley’s companions shifted uncomfortably.

Shirley’s smile became brittle.

"You always think everything is an attack."

"No. Sometimes people are simply annoying."

"Ravenna."

"What?"

Shirley shook her head with an expression of sisterly disappointment.

"Nothing. I don’t want us fighting when we’ve only just seen each other again."

"Then we finally agree on something."

Ravenna looked toward the entrance.

"You can go back to whatever you were doing, and I can finish waiting for my food."

The dismissal was obvious. For several seconds, Ravenna wondered whether she would finally drop the act.

She didn’t; instead, Shirley smiled again.

"You’re right. I shouldn’t keep you." She adjusted the bag hanging from her shoulder. "But I should probably call dad and Mom."

Ravenna’s gaze returned to her.

Shirley noticed immediately. A tiny spark of satisfaction appeared in her green eyes.

That had been the real weapon.

"I don’t think they know you’re in Alpha Three," Shirley continued pleasantly. "Mom will worry if she discovers you came all this way without telling anyone. And dad should know his daughter arrived safely."

Ravenna almost laughed.

Shirley knew perfectly well what informing them meant: questions, calls, demands, and possibly people being sent.

Her parents learning Ravenna had returned to somewhere as important as Alpha Three would create exactly the sort of attention Ravenna didn’t need while she was trying to find Shawn and organize help for Silver.

Shirley knew that, which was precisely why she wanted to tell them.

Ravenna leaned back.

"If you want to call them, call them. You’re going to do it regardless of what I say, so pretending you’re asking for permission seems like a waste of both our time."

Shirley blinked.

"I wasn’t asking permission."

"Then we’re making progress."

Shirley laughed softly.

"You really haven’t changed."

Ravenna looked directly into her eyes.

"You keep saying that like you’re disappointed."

Something cold passed between them. For a moment, the five girls surrounding Shirley stopped smiling, then Shirley’s expression softened again.

"Whatever happened between us, you’re still family. I wouldn’t feel right hiding something like this from our parents."

Ravenna’s smile became almost genuine.

"There it is."

Shirley frowned slightly.

"What?"

"The concerned sister." Ravenna gestured toward her. "I was wondering when she’d arrive."

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