Annette's voice shot up about three octaves.
"Zelda Heath, did everything I just said go in one ear and out the other?! I'm your sister-in-law! From now on, you do what I say!"
"Not only are all your designer stuff mine, but your house, your cars, your money — all mine!"
I actually laughed. "You really do just say whatever you dream up, don't you?"
"Annette, I know your family's pretty ordinary, and I get that you're envious of what mine has. But I'm an only child. There is no older brother. So your dream of being my sister-in-law? Dead on arrival."
"What?! You'd actually disown your own brother over a few things? Wow, you're really something!"
I sighed, exhausted. "Annette, how many times do I have to say this? I'm an only child. No brothers. No sisters."
"Fine. I'm calling your brother right now. He needs to know his precious little sister is out here telling people she's an only child."
"You'd cut off your own family for the inheritance? Unbelievable! Your brother has been so good to you, and you stand there saying he doesn't exist. That's cold."
The call connected.
"Hey, Abner, Zelda's actually claiming she doesn't have a brother. I'm furious. Here, I'm putting her on. You talk to her."
Annette shoved the phone at me. "Here. Your brother wants a word."
I took it. "Abner Heath?"
His voice came through low and deliberate, barely above a whisper.
"I'm almost at your dorm. Come downstairs. We'll talk face to face."
Before I could get a word in, he hung up.
"So the 'brother' you're talking about is Abner Heath?"
I thought back. Abner had shown up at campus before, riding in my family's Rolls-Royce to come see me. Other students had spotted him. Was that how this whole misunderstanding started?
"Obviously. We've been together three months now, and we're headed for marriage."
"He's our chauffeur's son. He even asked me out once, and I turned him down. You're telling me you've been dating him and he told you he's my brother?"
Annette's face twisted with anger.
"Zelda Heath, how dare you talk about your own brother like that! He invited me to your family's mansion. The staff there called him 'young master.' Don't even try to fool me!"
Her phone buzzed. She answered, then immediately grabbed my arm and hauled me toward the door.
"Your brother's downstairs. He told me to bring you down. Get ready for an earful!"
The second we stepped outside, Abner pulled me away from her.
"I need a minute alone with my sister!"
He dragged me around a corner, out of earshot.
"Zelda, please. I'll find the right time to come clean to Annette myself. I swear I'll tell her everything. Just don't blow my cover, okay? If she finds out now, she'll dump me on the spot."
"I really love her. I can't lose her."
"She's only with you because she thinks you're my brother. She's in love with my family's money, not you."
"That's not true! She's not like that! She told me herself, she's with me because she likes me, not because of the money!"
I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "Then why don't you dare tell her the truth? You're really something, lying to yourself like that."
"Do you even know what she did?"
I laid out everything Annette had pulled — every last detail.
His jaw tightened. "She actually went that far? Zelda, I'll talk to her about it, I promise. But telling her who I really am... let me do that on my own terms."
"Please. Think about what my mom did for you. When you were in that car accident as a kid, she risked her own life pulling you out of the wreck. For her sake, just do me this one favor."
I drew a long breath. "Fine. As long as she stays out of my face, I don't care."
Abner lit up, thanking me over and over, practically tripping over his own gratitude.
