18
The car pulled into the familiar driveway of the Hawthorne estate.
My father personally got out to open my door. My mother rushed out, calling to the butler, “Alfred, is the banquet arranged? Stella will be ready to
leave as soon as she’s bathed and changed!”
Liam chimed in, “Alfred, order me a new Ferrari. I want it delivered by the end of the month!”
The butler looked completely bewildered.
wwww
Then, Isabelle appeared. She was delicate and fair–skinned, and she came running toward me with a wide, welcoming smile. And then, just like
before, she tripped and fell, scraping her knee.
In my past life, this was how she had stolen the spotlight. The moment she fell, my parents and brother had rushed to her side.
I had been left standing there, a forgotten, pathetic clown.
But now, my parents and brother didn’t even glance her way. They continued to help me out of the car.
“Careful, Stella. Do you want me to carry you?”
“My sweet girl, there wasn’t time to roll out the red carpet, but don’t you worry. For your birthday, I’ll have the entire estate covered in them!”
“Hey, you two are doing everything! What’s a father supposed to do?”
The three of them laughed.
Isabelle, still sprawled on the ground, stared in stunned silence.
As we walked past her, Liam kicked her lightly. “Get up. Don’t you have hands?”
“What do you think you’re doing, lying on the ground like that? Get back in the house and stay there,” my father snapped.
My mother said nothing, but she shot Isabelle a look of pure disgust.
Isabelle looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. She stumbled to her feet, utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend what had happened to her
family.
I shook my head. It was over for Isabelle. Her future was bleak, a loveless void.
Just like mine had been.
But she was luckier than me. Because I had no intention of fighting her for even a scrap of their affection.
I was above that.
