I turned around to slip back into my room, but Cassie walked up to me with a smile.
"You must be Ally! Adrian has told me a lot about you. I'm glad I finally got to meet you today."
She took out a light gray scarf from the gift bag and gently wrapped it around my shoulders. "This caught my eye when I was away on a business trip. It's cashmere, so it's really soft. With how fair you are, this color suits you perfectly."
The scarf smelled nice.
I froze in place, my toes curling subconsciously. "Thanks, Cassie."
Adrian and Mom stood to the side, their expressions tight. Lowering my head, I tried to step away.
"Sorry, but I made plans today, so I won't be joining you guys for the meal."
Cassie gently rested her hand on my shoulder and said, "You know, I came over a few times before, but I never got to see you. Now that we're meeting at last today, I'd love to be able to chat with you and get to know you better."
She turned to Adrian with a smile. "Wouldn't that be nice, Adrian?"
Adrian looked at me. "Why don't you reschedule your plans, Ally?"
I hummed in agreement.
By the time I sat down on the couch after washing up, Cassie had already put on an apron and was helping Mom in the kitchen. She seemed to know her way around the kitchen, chatting with Mom as she worked.
Mom was smiling.
A little while later, Cassie brought out a plate of fruit and set it down on the coffee table before taking the seat beside me.
"You have such gorgeous eyes, Ally. You should smile more."
I smiled weakly, not knowing what to do.
Soon, Cassie's parents arrived. The Lewises were dressed rather fashionably and spoke courteously. The gifts they brought for the family formed a small pile on a corner of the coffee table.
When lunch was served, I stood up. "I'll take my meal in my room. You guys can—"
Cassie stopped me before pulling a dining chair closer to her. "Sit next to me, Ally."
Mom opened her mouth, and Adrian looked like he had something to say as well. But in the end, I sat down at the dining table.
At first, everyone chatted casually about the weather and the wedding plans. Cassie kept piling food onto my plate, moving with such ease that it felt as if we'd known each other for decades.
But when I used my toes to pick up the spoon, the smiles on her parents' faces disappeared. They put down their cutlery and exchanged a glance.
For the rest of the meal, Cassie was the only one who spoke.
Once lunch was over, Mr. Lewis sipped his coffee before saying, "You're a wonderful young man, Adrian. We don't expect much. All we want is for you and Cassie to have a happy marriage."
He paused and slowly turned his gaze toward me.
"However, we have one condition—after you two get married, you must focus on your life with her. Your parents can look after your sister, so you mustn't make her the biggest priority in your life anymore."
Adrian straightened up and said, "Ally is my sister, Mr. Lewis. I will always look out for her."
Mr. Lewis raised his hand to stop him from saying anything else. "But you're about to get married. You can't look after her for the rest of your life."
"I can!"
"No, you can't—unless you don't want to marry my daughter."
The atmosphere immediately grew tense.
"He can do it."
Everyone looked at me. I fixed my eyes on my empty sleeve and repeated, "Adrian can do it."
Cassie shot to her feet. "What do you think you're saying, Dad? I won't agree to this! From this moment onward, I consider Ally my sister, too!"
Mr. Lewis' voice rose sharply. "But what will happen to you? What kind of life will it be for you? Are you always going to be second to her?"
He grabbed Cassie by the wrist. "You're coming with me. We're going home!"
As her parents dragged her to the door, she turned her head around, her tears rolling down her cheeks.
Adrian pulled out a box of cigarettes and walked over to the balcony. I heard the lighter click a few times before producing a flame.
I looked at him through the glass door. He was hunched over, the smoke curling around him before scattering in the wind.
Once again, I looked down at my empty sleeve. This time, I felt sick to my stomach. Out of nowhere, a deep, intense hatred for myself burned within me.
