The Jennings mansion was dazzlingly lit, laughter spilling out through its gilded doors as guests poured in to celebrate Kylie’s long-awaited return. To everyone, it was her birthday. To me, it felt like a funeral—the slow burial of my last shred of belonging.
Arthur’s hand pressed lightly against my back as we entered together. “Smile,” he murmured near my ear, his voice calm but edged with warning. “Don’t embarrass me in front of Kylie.”
My body stiffened. I knew better than to resist.
“Kylie!” someone called, and all eyes turned toward her.
She descended the grand staircase in a flowing ivory dress, her smile warm and luminous. Every step she took drew admiration. My heart twisted when I saw her pause at the sight of my twin brothers waiting at the bottom—her brothers, not mine. They beamed at her as though they had found their missing treasure at last.
“Happy birthday, Kylie!” Guests crowded around her, showering her with praise.
Then her gaze landed on me. “Sister!” she exclaimed, her eyes glistening with what looked like affection. She walked over, holding my hands tightly, but her glance lingered on Arthur just a little too long.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said sweetly. “Even though you didn’t call or write… I still hoped one day we could be close.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. My throat was too tight, my heart too heavy.
Kylie sighed, her expression full of gentle sorrow. “You must have felt lonely growing up in such a big house. I can’t blame you for misunderstanding me sometimes.” Her voice trembled just enough to sound sincere.
“She’s right,” one guest whispered nearby. “Even after studying abroad, Kylie’s grades are excellent. Unlike Diana, who wasted her chance at the same school.”
“Honestly, it’s no wonder. Diana’s only where she is because she grew up in wealth. She couldn’t compare to Kylie even if she tried.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, their voices sharp as knives.
“She should be grateful Kylie doesn’t blame her,” another added. “If anything, Diana owes her for all the trouble she caused.”
Each word sank like a stone into my chest. I kept silent, biting down on my lip until I tasted blood.
“Please don’t say that.” Kylie’s voice carried over the chatter, soft but firm. She turned to the guests, her eyes glistening. “Diana is my sister. Don’t make her feel worse. She didn’t mean to hurt me.”
Her plea only made the whispers grow louder, more cutting.
“See? Kylie is so considerate. Even when Diana wrongs her, she still protects her.”
“Diana doesn’t deserve her.”
I couldn’t breathe. My vision swam as heat rushed to my cheeks.
Excusing myself, I slipped away from the party, the laughter and music muffling as I pushed open the glass doors to the garden. The night air was sharp and cold, the scent of roses heavy around me. I inhaled deeply, trying to calm the tremor in my chest.
But the sound of deliberate footsteps soon followed. Kylie’s heels clicked against the stone path as she approached.
“Running away again, sister?” Her voice was light, but her eyes glittered in the dark. “You’ve always been so good at that.”
I turned to face her, but she only smirked.
“Do you really think Arthur loves you?” she asked suddenly, her tone sharp beneath the sweetness. “He married you because of the family alliance. That’s all. If he had known I was the real daughter back then, you never would have stood at the altar.”
My body froze, blood draining from my face.
Kylie leaned closer, her whisper laced with poison. “While you sat at home waiting, Arthur was with me. Every anniversary trip, every so-called business outing… it was me he spent the nights with, not you. I know what he likes, Diana. He told me you were too dull, too plain, too submissive. You could never satisfy him.”
My chest heaved as bile rose to my throat. The ground beneath me seemed to tilt.
“Don’t look so shocked.” Her smile widened, cruel and triumphant. “Arthur and I have always been the real couple. You were just holding my place until I came back.”
I staggered backward, clutching my stomach as tears burned down my cheeks. My world was crumbling again, piece by piece, and this time, I wasn’t sure I had the strength to survive it.
