" Chloe ! Get in ! " The moment the door slammed shut , I felt the tremors start in my hands . In the rearview mirror , I saw a face streaked with tears , my makeup a faint smudge beneath my eyes . Maya pressed a tissue into my hand , muttering a stream of curses against Caleb . " He used to be such a sweet kid . What happened to him ? " she fumed . " He used to adore you ! God , men are trash . They change their minds faster than they change their clothes . " Her voice softened as she saw me press the tissue to my face , my shoulders shaking silently . " Chloe ... " " I'm okay , Maya . Really , " I whispered . " I just ... I miss my mom . " . The car fell silent . I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window , watching the familiar scenery blur past . Everything had changed , and I was the only one foolish enough to stand still , waiting for a past that was never coming back . It wasn't always like this . Ethan and Caleb ... they were good to me , once . They really were . My mother was a world - famous wedding gown designer . She always said she would create a one - of - a - kind dress for me , that she would watch me with her own eyes as I wore her love and blessings to marry the mar I loved . The year our families decided Caleb and I would one day marry , he had come to me , his cheeks flushed red , and taken my hand . Ethan had immediately shoved him away . ' Hey ! The deal was for when you're grown - ups , not now ! " The adults had laughed . I had buried my face in my mother's dress , shy and giddy , as she stroked my hair . Back then , my mother hadn't been diagnosed with stomach cancer yet . Back then , there was no sister nam- ed Ava in our house . Everyone I loved was right there , with me . 1 My mother passed away when I was twelve . She'd spent her final months working on my dress , constantly guessing at how I would grow , re - stitching seams , and finally , in a concession to the future she wouldn't see , adding adjustable closures to the waist and bust . t was the last gift she ever gave me . And I almost lost it . The same year my mother died , my father brought a little girl home . Her name was Ava . He said she was the 5/9 13:17 C daughter of an old army buddy who had died , a man who had made my father promise to care for her . " Ethan , Chloe , " he'd announced , " this is your new little sister . I expect you to make her feel welcome . " tried . But it seemed Ava had other plans . had never met a child like her . One second , she would be hissing at me , trying to snatch a doll from my hands , and the next , she would be running to Ethan and Caleb with tears streaming down her face . s it human nature to automatically side with the one who seems weakest ? don't know . All I know is that the two boys who had always been on my side slowly began to drift away . ' Chloe , you can't be like that ! Ava's lost her parents . Have some compassion ! " She's right , Chloe . You need to share . You have a brother , and you have me . Ava has nobody . " lost track of how many fights we had . They always ended the same way : with them telling me I wasn't as < ind , as gentle , as sweet as Ava . Eventually , I just stopped fighting . But my silence only made Ava bolder . She started going after the one thing that was sacred . She tried to ake my mother's dress . The day I found her dragging it down the stairs , its white silk hem collecting dust , something inside me sna- > ped . For the first time , I hit her . 1 When she came into my room later , a bright red handprint on her cheek and Ethan in tow , I was on my knees , Jently cleaning the smudged hem with a damp cloth . Sniffle ... Ethan , please don't be mad at Chloe , " Ava cried , hiding behind him . " It was my fault . I made her ingry . I deserved it . " ' ll never forget the look in Ethan's eyes . Disappointment . Confusion . And something else ... disgust . I never thought you could be so cruel , Chloe , " he said , his voice cold . " She's never seen anything so beautifu > efore . She just wanted to look at it . How could you hurt her like that ? " My hands were shaking with rage . I tried to explain , to defend myself , but our shouting brought my father nto the room . He saw Ava's tear - streaked face and immediately went to her side . " Ava , don't cry , " he soothed . " Daddy will have someone make you an even more beautiful princess dress , okay ? " After he had calmed her down , he turned and finally noticed me standing there . A flash of awkwardness crossed his face . " Ahem , well , both of you . Chloe will get one too , of course . " As I watched him and Ethan dabbing at Ava's tears , a cold realization settled over me . I was the outsider in my own home . 6/9 13:17 CNEDIRET 131 I didn't ask for a new dress . I took my mother's gown , locked it away in my closet , and understood , with a certainty that chilled me to the bone , that there was no one left in this world who truly loved me . " Chloe , we're here . I'm coming in with you . I'm not letting that little snake get another shot at you . " 5 Maya's eyes were as red as mine . I shook my head . " No. " Over the years , she had gotten into so much trouble defending me , falling for every one of Ava's petty traps Maya was all heart and no guile ; Ava could set a snare at her feet and she'd walk right into it , every time . And Caleb , using his family's influence , always sided with Ava , leaving Maya furious and in tears . I was leaving . I couldn't let her burn any more bridges for my sake . " It's okay , Maya . I just need to grab my passport and a few documents . I'll be right back out . " I took a deep breath , gathered the heavy skirt of my dress , and walked into the house I grew up in . The first thing I saw was Ava . The same Ava who was supposedly " crying her eyes out " was lounging on the sofa , twirling a lock of hair around her finger , a smug smile on her face . " Well , look who it is . Back already? " she chirped . " I thought Caleb just left . That must have been the world's fastest wedding . " She covered her mouth in mock surprise . " Oh , dear . What happened to your dress ? Caleb can be so mean Even if he doesn't like you , he shouldn't have poured wine all over you . Especially since that was your moth er's final creation . " Her performance was flawless , but as I stood there , silent and unmoved , the smile faded from her eyes . I fel no anger . Just a deep , hollow sadness . Even she remembered whose dress this was . But my own brother .. he had forgotten . Before she could speak again , I cut her off . " It wasn't Caleb . " She froze . I held her gaze . " It wasn't him . It was Ethan . " The color drained from her face . Her mouth opened and closed , but nothing came out . " You don't have to fight anymore , " I said , my voice flat . " Ethan , Caleb ... they're all yours . I don't want any of it . I turned to go to my room , but she lunged , her fingers digging into my wrist . Something I said had hit a nerve . Her entire demeanor shifted , becoming manic and agitated . " Let me have them ' ? " she shrieked . " What do you mean , ' let me ' ? You didn't let me have anything ! You lost ! You couldn't hold on to them ! " Her face twisted into the familiar , venomous mask she only ever wore when we were alone . " I won ! It was 7/9 13:18 ( WM 1 always me ! I won ! " she chanted , her eyes wild . " You're insane , Ava . " I tried to pull away , her grip tightening painfully . " Let go of me . " " You lost , Chloe ! You lost to me ! Hahahaha ! " She was completely unhinged . I finally shoved her away , not even that hard , just enough to break her grip . But she let out a piercing scream and threw herself backward , crashing into the tall curio cabinet against the wall . CRACK . The entire thing toppled over with a deafening crash . All the little treasures I had collected over the years - glass figures , painted boxes , delicate ornaments - shat- tered into a thousand pieces . I stared , stunned , at the glittering wreckage . My eyes fixed on a broken glass jar on the floor . I was so lost in the haze of it all that I didn't see the figure rushing in from behind until a violent shove sent me stumbling forward . " Get away from her ! " Caleb roared . He had come back . " I was actually coming back to apologize to you , and I find this ? You can't be left alone for five minutes without hurting her ! " He had pushed me right into the pile of broken glass . A sharp , searing pain shot up from my ankle . 6 " Ah- " I gasped , the pain cutting through my shock . I tried to push myself up , but Caleb grabbed my shoulde- rs , his grip like iron . " Why are you so cruel ? " he raged , his face inches from mine. " You've been bullying her since the day she arrived ! Always competing with her ! " " For toys , for clothes , for a brother's attention ... you even had to take the person she loved ! " " You already won , Chloe ! You got everything you wanted ! I agreed to marry you ! Why can't you just give her a break ? Why can't you cede an inch ?! " Ava was on the floor in the only clear spot , a small patch of carpet , sobbing dramatically . Caleb shook me , his forehead vein throbbing , his voice cracking with a mixture of hatred and desperation . But I wasn't looking at him . My gaze was fixed on the broken glass jar . It had split in half , revealing the cont- ents scattered on the floor : dozens of small , folded pink stars . Paper stars . My breath hitched . Ignoring Caleb's tirade , ignoring the throbbing pain in my ankle , I whispered , " It wasn't me . " The pain was becoming overwhelming , a sharp counterpoint to the dull ache that had been building in my head all day . I could feel tears welling in my eyes , and I saw my own blurry reflection in Caleb's amber irises . But I didn't care . My hands , shaking , found the sleeves of his jacket and clenched them tight . B / 9 13.18 ChiGREY 1 Just like I had done ten years ago , I was trying to make him believe me . " Caleb , it wasn't me . I didn't hurt her , " I pleaded , my voice breaking . " She grabbed me first . I didn't even push her that hard . I didn't . " For a second , I thought I saw his expression soften . His frantic breathing seemed to even out . He even start- ed to raise a hand , as if to wipe away my tears . But then Ava spoke from the floor , her voice choked with sobs . " Caleb , please don't yell at Chloe . She's right ... she didn't push me hard . It was my fault . I'm just so clumsy , I lost my balance and fell . " She sniffled loudly. " But ... I think I twisted my ankle . It really hurts . Can you take me to the hospital ? " Caleb hesitated . His eyes flickered between me and Ava , a silent war playing out on his face . In the end , he pulled his arm away from my grasp . " I'm taking Ava to the emergency room . We'll talk when I get back . " He knelt down , scooping Ava into his arms . As he stood , he glanced back at me , his voice heavy with a wea- y sigh . Your brother and my parents are handling the guests . They told everyone we had a fight and you said things you didn't mean . Our wedding is ... postponed . " He looked at me , a hint of pleading in his eyes . " I already agreed . We'll have the wedding . Just stop fighting , okay ? Wait here for me ." He kicked a shard of glass out of his path and walked past me , his shoe crushing one of the pink paper stars on the floor . n his arms , Ava shot me a look of pure , triumphant hatred . felt nothing . The pain , the world , it all faded away . I sank to the floor , my movements slow and robotic , and picked up the star with the dirty footprint on it . unfolded the tiny paper . Chloe don't be scared . Your dad and Ethan like Ava more now , but I like you . I like you the most . Only you !! He had given it to me in class , two years after Ava had arrived . The other kids had teased us , guessing it was a love note . I'd opened it , read it , and burst into tears . Even now , after all this time , that childish promise felt more real , more precious , than any love poem . At fifteen , Caleb Vance had seen my fear and loneliness . With the fierce , clumsy sincerity of a teenage boy , he had tried to heal the wounds left by my mother's death and my family's betrayal . But years passed . And this is what we became . This . 9/9