I started to move toward him, but Mom’s sharp voice stopped me.

“Always with the food! You’re such a glutton!”

Dad recoiled, muttering, “I’ll…I’ll warm you some milk. Get some rest.”

He shuffled into the kitchen.

Dad was always under Mom’s thumb. He must have protested their plan to hurt me, but his timid nature held him back.

I gestured for everyone to sit down.

I needed to tell them about the cancer.

“I won’t be able to manage the company anymore. I have…”

Jessica cut me off, looping her arm through mine.

“Sarah, I just graduated. Mom said I could help out at the company. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of things. You just focus on getting better.”

I subtly pulled my arm away.

“The company…”

Mom interrupted again.

“Jessica calls me ‘Mom’ now. Don’t read into it, Sarah. Just rest. Your brother and Jessica will handle the company.”

I couldn’t even finish a sentence.

What was I expecting?

“Okay.”

I went upstairs.

As I opened my bedroom door, Jessica called out, “Michael was so upset when he heard about the…incident. Don't forget to talk to him.”

My heart sank. Tears flowed silently.

The hot shower stung, making me tremble.

I sobbed, the sound swallowed by the running water.

Michael and I had promised to wait until our wedding night.

I hadn't kept my promise.

There was a glass of warm milk on my nightstand. Dad had been here.

I opened my door a crack, hearing laughter from downstairs.

Jessica was nestled beside Mom, telling her something amusing.

My brothers were laughing along.

Only Dad kept glancing towards my room, his face etched with sadness.

I closed the door, shutting out the noise.

I scrolled through Jessica’s Instagram feed.

Pictures from the adoption party.

The family photo, Mom beaming at Jessica, Jessica beaming at Michael.

Jessica always tagged everyone in her posts, fishing for likes.

This one had none.

When Mom first brought Jessica home, I treated her like a sister.

But I soon saw through her manipulative ways.

Flirting with my brothers, playing the victim with Mom.

I warned them, only to be scolded.

Now, I was the unreasonable one.

I opened my messages with Michael.

“We’re done.”

He replied quickly.

“Sarah, they said you made up the assault story to disrupt Jessica’s party. Is that true?”

“I didn’t lie.”

“Sarah! Why won’t you tell me the truth? If you didn’t lie, why did Jessica say you dropped the charges?”

How could I explain that my family had conspired against me? No one would believe it.

Especially not Michael, who was childhood friends with Mark.

“We’re done.”

I turned off my phone, burying myself under the covers, clinging to the faint warmth.

The house was empty when I woke up.

Jessica’s Instagram showed them at a fancy brunch.

A photo captioned: Family time is the best time.

They’d forgotten me.

The doorbell rang.

Michael stood there with flowers.

“Sarah, you look terrible.”

“We broke up. What are you doing here?”

He stared at me, his voice trembling.

“Were you…really assaulted?”

I thought I was prepared.

But hearing him ask, I started shaking again.

Jessica's laughter echoed from outside.