But the one person who never should have lied to me was Roberta Sullivan.
When we were kids, money was tight, and Dad and I were both so afraid she'd feel slighted that we gave her the best of everything.
To save money, I told Dad I was lactose intolerant, just so the milk delivery was only ever for her, year after year.
Every scholarship I won in college, I never kept a cent. It all went to her trips, her chance to see the world.
Even when she stole my research, even when she took Rupert Stephens, my first love, and married him.
Every time she did me wrong, I chose to forgive her.
Only because I'd made a promise to my mother on her deathbed, a promise to take care of her.
But now, I was starting to regret it.
I stared straight into Roberta's face, and I couldn't stop the question from coming out. "Why?"
Her tone was all innocence, and yet every word out of her mouth was dressed up as concern for me.
"Sis, the truth is, I'm the one who's been good to you."
"You've always been the quiet type. The institute work is dull and dreary, completely wrong for you. That's the only reason I took your spot and went instead."
"As for Rupert, at first I only wanted to help you test whether he really loved you. How was I supposed to know he'd fall so hard for me, that he'd refuse to marry anyone else?"
"And to make it up to you, didn't I introduce you to Owen, who's an even better match?"
"I just never expected that Owen would still be carrying a torch for me."
"When I think it all through, feelings like these just can't be forced in the end."
By the time she finished, somehow it had all become my fault.
I refused to let it go, and I pressed Owen too. "If you love her so much, why bother? Why go through with marrying me at all?"
His face curled with contempt, his voice careless. "If Roberta weren't already married."
"You think it would ever have been your turn to walk into the Delgado house?"
I said nothing for a long moment. I didn't argue anymore.
Once I'd calmed down, I raised my phone and spoke evenly. "A minute ago, I already dialed Rupert."
"Everything you've both just said, say it again, to his face."
"If he has no objection, then I have nothing left to say."
The color drained from Roberta's face. She bolted up off the bed and lunged to grab it.
In the struggle the phone slipped free and hit the floor, the screen going black.
She froze for a second, then, as if something had just come back to her, the corner of her mouth tipped up in triumph. "Forget it. You can't scare me."
"Back then, to keep things proper between you and Rupert, you didn't even come to our wedding."
"And he changed his number ages ago. You two don't talk at all. How could you even call him?"
With that, she melted softly into Owen's arms, like a fox that had gotten exactly what it wanted.
But she'd forgotten one thing. Ever since Rupert married her, he'd been added to the family group chat.
What I'd dialed just now was a group call.
The next second, fists slammed against the door hard enough to shake it, and Rupert's furious voice tore in from the hallway. "Roberta, get your clothes on and get out here!"
Roberta was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan.
But unless she planned to jump from the seventh floor, there was no way out.
Owen had run completely out of patience with me. He grabbed me hard and dragged me into the room.
Once he'd made sure no one outside could hear, he laid out his terms. "Everything you have now, Roberta gave to you. It's about time you learned to be grateful."
"In a minute you'll smooth it over. Tell them it was a joke."
"As long as you cover for Roberta, I'll double the engagement payout."
When I just kept my face cold and said nothing, he added, smug as ever, "Don't worry. Even if I don't love you, for Roberta's sake, since she's your cousin, I can throw you a turn now and then. Help me pass the time."
