Chapter 2
Back at the apartment, I was about to book a flight abroad when suddenly I received a call from my mother.
Her voice was full of complaints, saying, “Everly, seriously? You’re Ayla’s sister! She’s got a sprained ankle, and you’re off picking out a wedding dress? How can you be so selfish? If you have any decency at all, get yourself home this instant and help massage Ayla!”
In my parents‘ eyes, Ayleen was always seen as shy, gentle, and a bit fragile, having been pampered and spoiled since she was a kid.
But I had always dedicated myself to being the best sister I could be to Ayleen, taking care of her with all my heart and never uttering a single complaint.
Until Ayleen turned me into the laughingstock of the city.
My childhood sweetheart, Kenneth Evans, whom I grew up alongside and everyone assumed would be my future partner, publicly called off our engagement–all for Ayleen.
How could I possibly not resent her?
After that, Greg repeatedly approached and comforted me.
Even though I was still clinging to the bitterness from past heartbreak, he declared me the one and
only woman he truly loved in the world.
I thought I had finally found my Mr. Right.
Unexpectedly, he already had someone else taking up space in his heart.
Since the real world was far from a fairy tale, I decided to let go.
In ten days, my parents, Greg, or Kenneth–none of them would mean anything to me. They’d just be strangers.
I thought my heart was rock–hard after they all betrayed me. But walking into the Olson’s house
and seeing that cozy scene, I felt the pain still zinging through my body.
My mom grabbed an ice pack from the fridge, her hands all red from the chill, but she still held it
firm on Ayleen’s swollen ankle.
My dad, who was usually strict, was now watching a variety show he never liked, just to keep Ayleen
company.
And my always–busy fiancé Greg was carefully feeding cut fruit to Ayleen, piece by piece.
What a joyful scene.
Chapter 2
1/4
I gave a bitter smile and was about to go in when I heard Kenneth’s voice.
“Everly? Who asked you to come?”
His voice was thick with disgust. “Ayla’s already hurt, did you come here to make fun of her? Can’t you just leave her alone and stop messing with her? I suggest you leave. We’ve all seen your true colors, and nobody’s going to take your side!”
After saying that, he didn’t even look at me, bumped past my shoulder, and went inside.
Unprepared, I was knocked down the stairs, my body aching as if broken, but it was nothing
compared to the pain in my heart.
When did Kenneth, who once promised to be good to me forever, change like this?
I had a crush on such a man for my entire youth.
I laughed at myself mockingly.
Hearing the noise, my mother came to the door, saw me on the floor, but had no intention of
helping me up.
“Oh, who do you think you’re fooling with this pathetic show? Did your foot suddenly twist too? Listen up, even if you shattered every bone in your worthless body, you’ll never get a tiny bit of the love Ayla gets!”
I was used to it. I gritted through the pain and got up, accidentally yanking my wound, but quietly
went inside the house.
“Don’t you even know how to say hello to us? Lost your voice, or just too dumb to speak? What a disrespectful, ungrateful brat!”
My mother roughly dragged me into the living room and shoved me hard.
I fell to my knees in front of everyone.
“Get moving and massage Ayla’s leg right now!”
Her eyes were only on Ayleen’s slight sprain, completely ignoring the bruises I got from falling
down the stairs.
As long as Ayleen was around, I was always the lesser being, worthy of being overlooked and
stepped on.
I remembered back in high school. The boy Ayleen had a crush on confessed to me. But I only had Kenneth in my heart, so I gently turned him down.
Ayleen went home and cried to Mother, who promptly grabbed the kitchen scissors used for cutting fish and chopped my long hair into a tangled mess.
2/4
Mother jabbed her finger at my nose, berating me for being shameless, and sneered that with a hairstyle like that, I’d never dare to try and attract any men.
When I secured the qualification for a postgraduate recommendation, Mother exploited her connections to shove Ayleen into the university I had always longed for, taking my place.
She was a blatantly biased mother.
Greg saw me and paused in feeding Ayleen fruit.
He put down the fruit box, rushed to my side, and helped me up.
“Everly, how did you come here?”
His look of concern and anxiety seemed as if he truly cared for me deeply.
