Chapter 1
I used to be the only princess in my family.
But everything changed on my eighteenth birthday the day my dad brought home a foster girl from a group home.
That was when the whole world turned upside down.
My brother adored her… and suddenly couldn’t stand me.
My childhood best friend–who I thought liked me–started ignoring me, eyes only for her.
And my father? He looked me dead in the eye and said she was a thousand times better than his actual daughter.
On the day of my college graduation, they stood me up. Again. For the 101st time. Because of her.
And this time, I snapped.
“Am I not your real family?” I shouted, voice shaking.
But all my dad did was pull her close, shielding her like I was the threat. Her eyes shimmered with tears–like always–and without hesitation, he slapped me across the face.
“You jealous little thing,” be hissed. “I wish I never had you.”
My brother didn’t miss a beat.
“You make me sick,” he spat. “Just get out. No one wants you here.”
I didn’t fight back. Didn’t say a word.
I just packed up my things and left.
And once I was gone, the house was finally “peaceful,” as they liked to call it.
They took her on a trip to Aspenridge to see penguins–figuring that, like always, I’d cry it out, calm down, and come crawling back on
my OWIL
But what they didn’t know was–this time, i wasn’t planning on coming back.
I called my mom
–
-the one who’d left years ago and told her I was ready to move in with her.
I was done with them.
Done being the afterthought.
“Mom,” I said, holding back the tremble in my voice, “I’m ready to move in with you. Like you talked about. Living abroad… I’m in.”
For a moment, the line went completely quiet.
Then I heard the sharp inhale, followed by a burst of joy.
“Claire! Oh my God, baby, you finally said yes!”
But her excitement quickly turned into alarm.
“Wait. You said no just last time. What happened? Did your father do something again?”
“I knew it,” she muttered angrily. “I knew he couldn’t be trusted. When I divorced that man, I begged him to let me take you. But he refused. Said he’d raise you and Logan right. This is what he calls raising you?”
“Claire, sweetheart, if something happened–tell me I’ll fix it.”
She was right.
She didn’t want to leave me back then. I was her baby.
Chapter 1
ReelShort
R
46 FACE
The secret romance is soon iscovered, sparking & community–wide
Google Play
INSTALL
But Dad had clung to me like a lifeline, swearing he’d be a good father,
Even my brother cried, saying he couldn’t bear to be separated from me.
So I stayed.
I stayed for people who promised to protect me–then forgot those promises the second someone else showed up.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to sound okay.
“No, Mom. It’s not like that. I just… miss you.”
Her voice softened. “Oh, honey, I miss you too. Come home to me. This time, we’ll stay together, okay?”
“I’m booking your flight right now.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
As soon as the call ended, my phone buzzed again.
A message from the airline.
She wasn’t kidding. The ticket was booked.
Three days from now.
And 1 was finally leaving.
1955
