Chapter 120: Vacation...

"Hey, Vastin, how about we take little sis on a holiday now?" Venny asked, looking at his brothers.

Vastin glanced at Sylvia, who was still sitting on the floor with her glass in her hand.

Mrs. Ashford looked at her daughter with concern.

"Are you sure she’s not going to overreact when she wakes up?" she asked slowly.

Venny laughed softly. "She’ll be fine."

Everyone exchanged glances.

This wasn’t the first time they had taken Sylvia on a vacation while she was passed out from drinking.

In fact, it had become something of a family tradition.

The first time it happened was when Cleric broke up with his ex-boyfriend.

Cleric had been devastated at the time and wanted to get away from everything. He asked his brothers to go on a vacation with him, but they all refused.

They didn’t want to leave the house, and they certainly weren’t interested in spending their time comforting their heartbroken brother.

That night, however, Sylvia happened to be in an unusually good mood.

Cleric noticed it. He approached her and casually invited her for a drink.

Sylvia agreed without thinking much of it. She had no idea what he had planned.

They started drinking, and Cleric kept encouraging her to have another glass.

Eventually, Sylvia became too drunk to keep her eyes open.

The moment Cleric was certain that she had completely passed out, he quietly went to her room.

He packed her clothes and belongings into a bag, carried her out, and took her with him on the vacation while she was still drunk.

When Sylvia woke up, she was already far away from home.

She had been furious. But that didn’t stop the family from doing it again.

After that first incident, Sylvia learned her lesson.

She stopped drinking. She knew exactly what would happen whenever her brothers started planning a vacation.

If they couldn’t convince her to go willingly, they would simply get her drunk and take her along.

And it wasn’t only her brothers who had done it.

Her parents had also joined in on the family tradition more than once.

So, Sylvia had learned to be very careful whenever alcohol was involved.

Unfortunately, tonight, heartbreak had made her forget all about that.

She had willingly picked up the bottle herself.

Now, her family was already discussing where to take her.

Venny looked at his brothers again.

"So?" he asked. "What do you think?"

Vastin folded his arms and looked at Sylvia.

"She’ll probably kill us when she wakes up."

Cleric smiled. "She always says that."

"And she always forgives us," Venny added.

Mrs. Ashford sighed as she looked at her daughter.

"I just hope she won’t overreact this time."

Aldorin picked up his briefcase and stood from the couch.

"Whether she overreacts or not, she’s clearly not in a state to stay here alone."

Venny nodded. "Exactly, big bro."

He looked at Sylvia again. "Besides, a change of environment might help her forget about Amelia for a while."

The others fell silent. That was probably the best reason they had.

Sylvia was heartbroken, and judging by the amount she had already drunk, leaving her to sit around thinking about Amelia all night would only make things worse.

Venny walked toward her and crouched down.

"Little sis."

Sylvia slowly raised her head. Her eyes were still wet.

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to go on vacation with us?"

Sylvia stared at him for a few seconds and then sniffed.

"I don’t want to go anywhere."

Venny exchanged a quick glance with his brothers.

The cleric immediately understood.

Vastin sighed. "Looks like we’re doing it the old-fashioned way."

Mrs. Ashford shook her head, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

She already knew what they were thinking.

Sylvia slowly raised her head and stared at Venny for a few seconds before slowly shaking her head.

"I don’t want to go anywhere."

"Are you sure?" Venny asked quietly.

"Yes."

Sylvia reached for her glass again, but before she could drink from it, Venny gently took it from her hand.

"That’s enough."

Sylvia immediately frowned. "Give it back."

"No."

"Venny. Give me my wine."

Venny moved the glass behind his back.

"You’ve had enough."

Sylvia stared at him in disbelief. "You’re mean."

"I know."

"You’re a bad brother."

"I know that too."

"I don’t love you anymore."

Venny placed a hand over his chest and pretended to look wounded. "That one hurts."

Sylvia almost smiled, but the smile disappeared just as quickly. Her eyes filled with tears again.

"I really don’t love you anymore."

Venny’s expression softened. He gently rubbed her head.

"You can hate me tonight. I’ll survive."

Sylvia sniffed.

"I hate Amelia too." She lowered her head.

"She doesn’t love me anymore."

Mrs. Ashford’s heart ached. She stood up, walked over to Sylvia, and crouched beside her daughter.

"Baby, don’t say that about yourself."

"But it’s true." Sylvia wiped her tears. "If she loved me, she wouldn’t have left me."

Mrs. Ashford gently held her face. "Sometimes people make decisions we don’t understand."

"But I don’t understand." Sylvia’s lower lip trembled. "I don’t understand what I did wrong."

"You didn’t do anything wrong." Mrs. Ashford pulled her into another hug. "You’re a wonderful girl."

Sylvia buried her face against her mother’s shoulder. "I don’t feel wonderful."

"You don’t have to feel it tonight." Mrs. Ashford rubbed her back. "Just let yourself be sad."

Sylvia nodded against her shoulder.

Venny stood up and looked at his brothers.

His eyes moved between Vastin, Cleric, and Aldorin.

"So, where are we going?"

Cleric immediately became interested.

"Somewhere far."

Vastin raised an eyebrow. "That isn’t a location."

"I know."

"Then think of one."

Cleric thought for a moment. "What about the beach?"

Venny shook his head. "Too obvious."

"The mountains?"

"Too cold."

"Another city?"

"Which one?"

Cleric shrugged. "I don’t know."

Vastin sighed. "Why did you suggest it if you don’t know where?"

"I’m helping."

"You’re not."

"Enough," Aldorin interrupted, and the brothers stopped arguing.

Aldorin glanced at Sylvia. "She needs somewhere quiet."

Everyone nodded.

"Somewhere she can relax without people bothering her," Mrs. Ashford added.

"And somewhere we can keep an eye on her," Venny said.

Vastin nodded. "Then let’s use the family villa."

Cleric looked at him. "Which one?"

"The one by the lake."

Venny’s eyes lit up. "That’s perfect."

Mrs. Ashford nodded. "Sylvia likes that place."

Venny looked toward his sister.

She was still in Mrs. Ashford’s arms, her eyes half closed.

"Then it’s settled." Aldorin picked up his phone. "I’ll make the arrangements."

"Dad, you’re coming too, right?" Venny asked.

Aldorin looked at him.

"Of course," Mr. Ashford said with a smile.

Venny smiled. "Good."

Cleric stood up. "Then I’ll go pack."

"Don’t pack too much," Vastin said.

Cleric frowned. "Why?"

"Because we’re not moving there."

"You never know."

Vastin rolled his eyes and didn’t say anything else.

Sylvia slowly lifted her head. "Where are you all going too?"

Venny turned toward her. "On vacation."

Sylvia blinked. "Vacation?"

"Yes."

"I said I don’t want to go."

"I know."

"Then why are you going?"

"Because we’re taking you with us."

Sylvia stared at him. "No."

Venny smiled. "Yes."

"No." Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "Venny."

"Little sis."

"Don’t try anything."

Venny raised both hands innocently. "I’m not trying anything."

Sylvia looked suspiciously at him. She knew that expression. She had seen it before, and her eyes widened slightly.

"Wait."

She looked around the room. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Nobody answered.

Sylvia’s eyes moved from Venny to Cleric, then to Vastin, and finally, she looked at her parents.

"Mom?"

Mrs. Ashford smiled awkwardly.

Sylvia’s eyes widened. "No."

She immediately tried to stand, and her legs wobbled.

Venny quickly caught her by the arm.

"Careful."

"Let go of me."

"You’re drunk."

"I can walk."

"You nearly fell."

Sylvia glared at him. "I hate you."

"I’ll accept that."

She tried pulling her arm away again.

Venny held on. "Come on, little sis. You need to sleep."

"I don’t want to sleep."

"You do."

"No!"

Venny looked at his brothers. "She’s definitely drunk."

The cleric nodded. "Very."

Sylvia pointed at him. "Don’t talk."

The cleric immediately raised both hands. "Okay."

Vastin walked over and looked down at her.

"Come on, little sis. We’re going on vacation."

"No."

"You’ll like it."

"No."

"There’ll be good food."

Sylvia paused, and Vastin noticed immediately and continued. "And your favorite dessert."

Sylvia’s expression softened slightly.

Venny immediately looked at Vastin. "Good move."

Sylvia looked at them suspiciously. "You’re lying."

"I’m not."

She stared at Vastin for several seconds and then slowly shook her head.

"I don’t want to go."

"Why?" Venny asked gently.

Sylvia’s eyes filled with tears again. "I want to go to Amelia."

Everyone went quiet. Venny’s expression changed.

Sylvia sniffed and looked toward him. "I want Amelia."

Her voice sounded like that of a child asking for something she desperately wanted.

"I want to see her."

Venny’s heart sank. "Sis..."

"She broke up with me, but I still want her."

A tear rolled down Sylvia’s cheek. "I want to go to Amelia."

She tried to move past Venny. "I want to see her."

Venny quickly caught her before she could stumble. "You can’t go to her tonight."

"Why?"

"Because you’re drunk."

"I don’t care." Sylvia’s voice cracked. "I just want to see her."

She clutched Venny’s shirt. "Please."

Venny looked away for a moment, trying to hide the pain in his eyes. He hated seeing her like this.

"You can see her another day."

"No." Sylvia shook her head. "I want her now."

Mrs. Ashford stepped closer and gently stroked her daughter’s hair.

"Baby, Amelia isn’t going anywhere."

Sylvia looked at her mother through tear-filled eyes. "She already left me. She broke up with me, Mom. She doesn’t want me anymore."

Mrs. Ashford pulled her into her arms again.

"I know, baby."

Sylvia buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.

"I still want her." Her sobs became quieter. "I don’t know why."

Nobody answered. There was nothing they could say that would make the pain disappear.

After a while, Sylvia’s body began to relax, and her eyes slowly closed.

Venny looked at his brothers.

"We’re definitely taking her on that vacation." He said quietly.

The cleric nodded. "Yeah."

Vastin sighed.

"Let’s just make sure she doesn’t wake up and blame us for kidnapping her again."

Venny gave him a look.

"She probably will." A small smile appeared on Cleric’s face. "Then we’ll deal with it when she wakes up."

Venny carefully lifted Sylvia into his arms.

Her head rested against his shoulder, and she barely reacted.

"Don’t worry, little sis." He gently adjusted her in his arms. "You’ll feel better when you wake up."

He carried her toward the stairs as the rest of the family began preparing for their sudden vacation.

But even after Sylvia fell asleep, one thing remained clear to everyone.

Her heart was still with Amelia.