“There must be a mistake! Did they mix up Mia’s name with Lily’s?” Mrs. Blackwell said instinctively.
Lily’s eyes were red–rimmed, her lip trembling as she fought back tears. The sight broke Mrs. Blackwell’s heart. She was convinced the school had
made an error and declared she was going to demand they give the spot back to Lily.
Mr. Blackwell frowned but said nothing, though it was clear he didn’t believe I could have earned it either.
Only Ryan offered a word of reason. “Mia’s grades are excellent. It’s not surprising she’d get the spot.”
But his words were like poking a hornet’s nest.
Lily burst into tears. “I know I’m just adopted! Mia is your real sister, Ryan, so of course you’d take her side! This i should have left a long time ago.”
She ran to her room, sobbing. Mrs. Blackwell scolded Ryan before rushing after her.
isn’t my home, after all. Maybe I
Mr. Blackwell looked at his son with reproach. “Is that any way to be a brother? Your sister is heartbroken, and instead of comforting her, you make her cry?”
Ryan glanced at me, silent and stoic through it all, then looked up at his father. His gaze felt heavy.
“Dad, Mia is my sister, too. And so is Jessie. They’re your daughters. You and Mom can see Lily’s pain. Why can’t you see theirs?”
Mr. Blackwell froze for a second, then his face flushed with anger. “Are you questioning me?” he boomed.
Ryan didn’t back down. They stared at each other.
in the end, it was the father who faltered. His son was an adult, the one who had inherited the company from his own father. While he could occas- ionally pull rank as a parent, he didn’t dare push Ryan too far.
He threw out a few face–saving remarks and stormed off, his retreating back looking suspiciously like a hasty escape.
Ryan’s gaze shifted to me He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and ruffled my hair. He smiled warmly. “Mia, congratulations.”
To be honest, I didn’t care about the admission spot. It was definitely Old Man Al’s doing.
But feeling the warmth on my head, I smiled back at Ryan and, for the first time, said the word.
“Thanks, bro,”
