Thanksgiving afternoon.
For the fifth year in a row, I stayed behind at Nana’s old house instead of joining the family, because Nana had another one of her episodes.
I had just finished changing her diaper pad when I turned around and caught the supposedly severely demented old woman speaking clearly into her phone, sharp as if she were a different person entirely.
“Diana, you and Richard just go enjoy Sienna and Ethan’s wedding. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“That silly girl is dumb as a rock. I’ve been faking it this long, and she hasn’t caught on once.”
Diana is my mother.
Sienna and Ethan. One is my little sister. The other is the boyfriend I’ve been long-distance with for five years.
I waited until Nana was asleep, then took her phone.
There was a seven-person family group chat that I wasn’t in, and right now it was buzzing like Christmas Eve.
Diana: 【Our two kids are finally getting married. Mom’s so happy for you both.】
Richard: 【Dad booked the best available date at the church. Wishing you a lifetime together.】
Right after, my brother Julian Carter sent a Venmo transfer to the chat. $20,000.
My best friend Madison Hale posted a photo of the preserved flower bouquet she’d made by hand.
Ethan Vance, who had been whispering sweet nothings to me over the phone the night before, was now in that chat, making vows to another woman.
Ethan: 【Thanks for all the well-wishes, everyone. I promise I’ll love Sienna well.】
In that moment, I felt sorrier for myself than I ever had in my life.
The year my parents divorced, Dad took Julian, the brother who topped every class at school.
Mom took Sienna, the pretty one who always knew what to say and how to charm a room.
I was the one they left behind, with a grandmother who could barely walk.
Mom’s phone wallpaper was a family photo with me cropped out.
When Dad set up the Verizon family plan with five lines, he’d rather give the last slot to a neighbor than to me.
For years I told myself it was because I wasn’t good enough. So I ground through grad school, threw myself into work, and made sure Nana was taken care of down to the last detail.
But looking at that group chat, I finally understood.
It was never that I wasn’t good enough.
They had simply never loved me.
My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 09 I turned and started up the stairs. The next second, Ethan grabbed my wrist. “Sloane, don’t do this.” “I know I was wrong. Hit me, curse me out, whatever you want. Just don’t pretend you don’t know us. Please.” Diana got frantic. […]
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 08 Sienna looked like she’d short-circuited. Not a word came out. Everyone else just stared at each other. Ethan slid the phone back into his pocket and locked his eyes on her. A long time passed before Sienna finally stammered out a reply.
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 07 Ethan couldn’t wrap his head around it. “You’re sure it was Sloane? You didn’t mix her up with someone else?” Sienna sniffled. “Who else hates me that much?” “Ethan, you think I’m lying? Look at me. My face is swollen.” She sent
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 06 The moment those words were out, the room went silent. Richard and Diana exchanged a look, and decided to go check for themselves. The whole group headed over to Sloane’s rental in a caravan. The second they got inside and realized she
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 05 On the other side of town, once Ethan had wrapped up the last of the wedding logistics, he headed straight back to the apartment. There was no one home. The moment his phone powered on, dozens of missed calls from the hospital
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 04 I was packing at home when I felt something an arm tighten around my waist. The next second, Ethan carefully lifted me and set me down on the couch. “How could you be this careless.” I followed his gaze down and realized
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 03 Eventually, they tired of yelling and stopped. Diana: 【Forget it. Nana’s out there. She’ll find a way to hold Sloane back.】 Diana: 【Sienna’s wedding is what matters right now. Let’s not waste time on people who don’t count.】 I laughed. My boyfriend’s
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 02 Mom was the first to jump in. Diana: 【I’ll call her in a minute. I’ll tell her I’ve got a pumpkin pie for her and she needs to pick it up at the UPS Store.】 Diana: 【A client sent me a box
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My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 01 Thanksgiving afternoon. For the fifth year in a row, I stayed behind at Nana’s old house instead of joining the family, because Nana had another one of her episodes. I had just finished changing her diaper pad when I turned around and
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