On my wedding day, my sister Luna Salvatore returned home from abroad temporarily. My parents, brother, and my fiancé all went to the airport to fetch my sister, leaving me behind. My sister boasted popularity on social media, while I tried contacting them, only to be hung up on repeatedly. My fiancé, the only one who answered the phone, said only one thing, asking me to stop making a fuss and that the wedding could be held again. They turned me into a laughingstock at my eagerly awaited wedding. I dealt with the situation calmly and noted the new number 99 in my diary. They had disappointed me 99 times, and I wouldn’t ask for their love again. I submitted my study abroad application and packed my bags. They believed I’d turned over a new leaf, unaware I was about to leave. ***** The door swung open, and Louis Salvatore, my brother, entered and sneered as he caught me looking at my diary. “How old are you? Why are you still so childish? Writing a diary like a pupil?” Normally, I would have argued with him. But this time, I kept my head down and ignored his words. Louis, frustrated by my lack of response, grabbed my diary to inspect it. There was only one number on it—99. It was the number of times they had let me down over the years. Louis was confused, scowled, tossed the notebook aside, and gave me orders. “Stop writing this mess. Luna wants to eat the meatloaf you made. Go wash your hands and do it. “Consider this as an apology for the sarcastic comment you made about her today.” I stayed composed, nodded, and went downstairs. Louis was surprised at my calmness. After all, I always shed tears over cooking meatloaf for my sister, feeling wronged. But I remained silent this time. “Stella, why are you so obedient today? Are you planning to put something bad in the food?” He looked me over, trying to see through if I had any bad thoughts. Louis glanced at my reddened eyes, paused, and then fell silent. After a long time, he spoke again, “Luna has been abroad for a year. This is her first time back after. We missed her and wanted to see her soon. You should understand. “It’s just a wedding. We can hold another for you, okay?” I quietly retrieved beef from the fridge to clean them. Yeah, it was just a wedding. They prioritized fetching Luna over my long-awaited wedding, as always. I secured a high-end wedding dress after extensive negotiation. And I meticulously designed the wedding over six months with the planner. They knew all of this. However, my nearest and dearest turned me into a complete joke. As the bride, my family was absent, and my groom never showed up. As Luna boasted on social media about so many people picking her up, I endured jeers and handled the mess alone. Even the hotel staff noticed my pale appearance, found me pitiful, and suggested I go home to rest. But my family immediately asked me to cook upon their return. I smirked at myself. I initially intended to decline my tutor’s study abroad offer due to my parents’ age, Luna’s residence abroad, Louis’ work commitments, and my upcoming marriage. But now, maybe leaving was the right choice. It was a pity that a two-week delay was expected after application submission before departure. I pushed Louis away. “Make way. You’re blocking my way.” My cold demeanor made Louis upset. But the little princess, the living room’s focus, approached him just as he felt helpless and was about to speak. “Louis, I can’t peel this chestnut!” Louis instantly got worried. “Don’t peel it yourself. It will hurt your hands. You’ll be a pianist. I got this!” The annoying flies finally left the kitchen. I looked down at my hands. My fingers, once slim, were now red and puffy from allergies.
As I served the meatloaf, I noticed a joyful atmosphere in the living room. Currently, my father, normally preoccupied with business, was attentively listening to his little daughter recounting her study abroad experiences. And my mom’s eyes brimmed with love as she embraced Luna, noting her weight loss and feeling distressed. Louis sat aside, concentrating on helping Luna peel chestnuts. I merely observed the cozy scene in silence. The living room and dining area were distinctly separate, one lively, the other lonely. “Stella, why are you standing there? Are you still mad at me because I affected your wedding?” Luna’s aggrieved voice rang out, and only then did the other three people in the living room notice me. My dad frowned subconsciously, “Are you mad at us? Come here!” My mom showed some impatience. “Your wedding issue is purely due to your poor decision on the date. It has nothing to do with Luna. “If you dare to be angry with Luna, you’re not my daughter anymore!” Luna pouted and acted coquettishly towards our mom, “Oh, Mom, don’t be harsh. Stella will be sad.” She seemed to soothe over the things, yet her smugness was evident. I know Luna wasn’t innocent because I told her the wedding date a week ago. She saw the message and told me she would prepare a surprise for me. It was indeed a “surprise”. She’s been acting in this drama since childhood, forcing our family to choose between us two. Every time, I would be overlooked. Even my fiancé, who was supposed to spend his life with me, didn’t choose me. I should have been sad, but maybe I was desensitized, feeling no emotional stir at these words. “I’m not angry.” Uttering these five words, I caught everyone’s attention in surprise. Not angry? How was it possible! I took in their expressions and felt sarcastic. Well, they did realize their actions would provoke anger. But they still did it and even blamed me for my displeasure. Despite my calm demeanor, my parents and Louis sensed unease. After a moment’s silence, Dad spoke, “I’m glad you’re not angry. We’re family. Don’t be stingy.” “Yeah, I know.” I nodded obediently. Seeing that I really didn’t seem to take it to heart, they felt relieved and took Luna to have dinner. Alongside my meatloaf, the maid prepared many of Luna’s favorite seafood. “Luna, you look too thin. You need to eat more.” Dad, Mom, and Louis never stopped adding food to Luna’s plate. She grinned, boasting her orchestra spot and readiness to perform from her studies abroad. My parents and Louis praised her for that. And I just had dinner silently. Noting my silence, my mom seemed to feel guilty, recalling my past grievances. A spoonful of meatloaf was put on my plate. I looked up and met my mom’s uneasy expression. “Try it. Don’t think that we are partial to Luna. I care about you, too.” I gazed at the meatloaf before setting down my utensils. “No, I’m full.” My mom felt embarrassed and irritated. “What’s wrong with you?” She was about to speak when Luna, beside her, clutched her own neck, her expression shifting. “Mom, I, I can’t breathe!”
My parents and Louis, seeing Luna’s rash, grew highly anxious. “Is this an allergy? Why would you suddenly have an allergy?” My mother’s eyes flickered and then fixed on me. The next second, she slapped me with all her strength. I couldn’t even stand and fell to the ground with my head buzzing. “Stella, what did you put in the meal? Don’t you remember what your sister is allergic to?” Louis also looked disappointed. “No wonder you were so obedient. Turns out you really wanted to hurt Luna! “Stella, how could I have such a vicious sister like you?” “Alright! Stop arguing and send Luna to the hospital first!” My dad’s slamming the table prompted my mom and Louis to avert their hateful glares from me. I sat alone, dazed, clutching my swollen face as they rushed away. It wasn’t me. I tried to explain that this was not my doing. But they often disbelieved my explanations after too many similar occurrences in the past. Forgot it… The maid, hearing the noise, attempted to assist me but froze upon seeing my hands. “Stella, why are your hands so swollen?” “I’m fine.” I declined her kindness and retreated to my room. Picking up the notebook on the table, I was flooded with memories. At eight, my family lived in an old house with limited funds. My parents, overwhelmed with work, intended to send one child to stay with my grandparents in the rural area. But Louis was entering high school, a pivotal period, while Luna, young and frail, caused concern. I didn’t want to make it hard for my parents, so I volunteered to go. Then I was sent to the countryside. Before leaving, my mother patted my head and praised me as her most sensible child. However, staying at my grandparents’ house for eight years was the cost of being sensible. For eight years, I had only seen my parents and siblings at Christmas. Their increasingly elegant attire each year suggested my family’s financial status had significantly improved. I waited for my parents to take me home from elementary school to high school, but I didn’t go back until my grandparents passed away. The shabby, aging cottage I recalled had been renovated into a three-story mansion. But my room on the first-floor corner, devoid of books, e-sports gear, and girlish touches, mirrored my neglected status in the family. I packed my essentials into a suitcase. My originally requested wedding leave had been pointless. I was considering calling my tutor and returning to the lab tomorrow when my phone rang. It was a call from Earnest Gilbert, my fiancé. I anticipated questions about the wedding follow-up, not a scolding when I answered. However… “Stella, what did you do to Luna? Why is she in the hospital?” This typically calm man lost his composure twice in one day, once upon hearing Luna’s return, and again now. More ridiculously, he was my fiancé. “She’s allergic,” I answered. “You did it, right? How could you do this to your sister?” Earnest’s voice sounded angry. “Stella, I thought you were kind, but you hurt Luna just because of such a small thing! How could you be so cruel?” I heard his accusations without defending myself. “Well, I’m cruel. “I hurt Luna. I will apologize when she comes back, okay? “If you’re done, I gotta go. I have something else to do.” Earnest was taken aback by my unexpected reaction. We’d had many disputes over Luna before. He used to be deeply absorbed in chatting with Luna while dating me. He always ignored my dietary restrictions and ordered Luna’s favorite food while we dined together. Despite my repeated hysterical queries, Earnest simply stated, “She’s your sister. I’m just helping you care for her.” His indifference made me look like a petty lunatic. My family, including Louis, supported him, claiming I was overbearing. Therefore, I subtly reveled in Luna’s absence abroad. Thirsty for love, I ignored the pain of the glass shards, refusing to release them until now, and my hands were bloody. “Stella, you’d better really think so. “If anything happens to Luna again, we won’t have a wedding!” Earnest’s words contained a strong warning. I heard him exit the car and shut the door as the surrounding noise intensified. I could tell that he likely rushed to the hospital to visit my sister. Earnest really treated me like a fool, pursuing his crush in the name of taking care of my sister. I gave a sarcastic smirk, hung up, and reached out to my tutor. When my parents and Louis returned home weary, I had my belongings packed and set for dormitory life. As I stepped out of the room with my luggage, I heard my mother’s sigh. “It would be nice for Luna to be with Earnest if his family weren’t struggling. “Look at him. So thoughtful to Luna.” I paused and stopped. Then I heard my father say, “Yeah. A handsome boy. I think Luna actually likes him very much. If I had known it, I would not have tried to introduce Earnest to Stella.” “Don’t think too much. I can’t bear to let Luna suffer with Earnest. Let him be with Stella. He and Stella are more compatible. Luna wants to be a pianist. “Even if he’s Stella’s husband, he can still pamper Luna.” On seeing me at the top of the stairs, my mother retreated a step in fear after saying so. “Ste-Stella, why are you here?”
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