1 On our wedding day, the bridal party played Truth or Dare for the door-crashing ceremony. Rick smirked as he admitted his dare. “Cici, I leaked those private photos of you. When Mia’s were exposed, my parents and I had to protect her. Making you take the fall was the only way.” The room erupted. My mother stepped forward. “Mia has suffered. You need to accommodate her. Even if we tricked you, no real harm was done, right?” Rick knelt before me. “Now that you’re married, your wish came true. Do me a favor—don’t come looking for me anymore.” My fingers turned ice cold. “Rick, what do you mean?” He tapped my nose, gentle but looking at me like I was delusional. “Mia and I already got our license. I’m only doing this wedding so you get the aisle experience. Our actual wedding is tonight. In this same ballroom.” Confetti cannons exploded, ringing like sirens. Every bridal party member wore a mocking smile. Everyone knew but me. Rick held up my wedding heels. “Cici, it’s completely up to you whether you want to finish this ceremony or not.” … It felt like someone had wrapped their hands around my throat. I couldn’t force a single word out. My father stood off to the side, looking annoyed. “Why are you just standing there? Stop wasting everyone’s time. Mia is waiting for us at the photo spot.” “The faster you finish this up, the less time she has to wait, and the less sun she has to deal with.” My mother smacked my father’s arm, adding a comment that made my heart physically ache. “Why are you stating the obvious? Mia burns easily, which is exactly why her wedding is scheduled for tonight.” “Since the lighting is good right now, let’s just use Cici to figure out the best camera angles.” Hearing that name tossed around over and over, my fingers dug viciously into the tulle of my wedding dress. Fifteen years ago, Mia’s mother saved my mother’s life. When her mother passed away, my parents took Mia into our home. From that exact day forward, “You must be grateful” became the only phrase they ever said to me. So the pretty dresses I loved? Given to Mia. The cookies my grandmother baked specifically for me? Given to Mia. I accommodated her for so long that my parents completely stopped seeing me as their actual daughter. And now, I was supposed to give up my fiancé, too. “I’m so sorry, I’m late.” Mia’s voice shattered my memories. She was wearing a standard, simple bridesmaid dress. But the moment she walked in, every single eye in the room locked onto her. My mother immediately rushed over to dab the sweat off Mia’s forehead. “Mia, sweetie, didn’t I tell you to rest at home? Why did you come all the way here?” Mia put on her best innocent, accommodating smile. “Cici is my sister. Today is her big day. How could I miss it?” Rick practically sprinted across the room, gently hovering his hands over her shoulders. “Are you nervous?” “You still haven’t kicked that habit of pushing yourself when you’re anxious, have you?” Mia glanced up at him with a soft laugh. “You always know me best. I am a little nervous, so I wanted to come down early and watch the rehearsals.” A bitter, agonizing acidity rose in my chest. I gritted my teeth and violently kicked off the wedding heels I had just put on. I wanted to ruin everything for her. “I’m not getting married.” Standing barefoot on the floor, I turned around and marched toward the door. But Rick shot a look at his groomsmen, and they instantly blocked my path. “Since Mia came all this way to see a full wedding rehearsal, you are going to finish this ceremony today.” I froze in my tracks. A sharp, freezing pain shot down my spine. I had reached a point where I didn’t even have the fundamental right to cancel my own wedding. My father stomped over, jabbing his finger hard against my forehead. “Can you stop being such a brat? There are so many friends and family out there. Do you have no shame?” “As the younger sister, it is your job to accommodate her.” Those words slammed directly into the most fragile part of my heart. Mia and I were never related. Why was it my absolute obligation to treat her like royalty? I stared dead into my father’s eyes. My voice was shaking uncontrollably. “Dad, I just want to ask you one thing. Between me and Mia, who is your actual daughter?” Hearing that, tears instantly welled up in Mia’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “Cici, please don’t misunderstand! I never, ever wanted to steal your parents from you.” “I… I just love you all like my real family…” Rick immediately pulled her behind him, glaring at me with pure disgust. “Are you done throwing your tantrum?! Stop holding everyone up.” “Rick, who exactly is…” Before I could even finish my sentence, he grabbed my wrist and aggressively dragged me out of the hotel. My bare feet scraped against the rough pavement. Every step felt like I was walking on broken glass. But Rick didn’t notice, or didn’t care. His grip on my wrist was like a vice. My parents hurried behind us, their entire focus locked onto Mia. “Mia, watch your step. Don’t trip over your dress.” “Cici is just stubborn and petty. Don’t let her attitude ruin your mood.” Looking at this sick, twisted farce of a wedding, I felt completely dead inside. I pulled out my phone with my free hand and replied to the email from the overseas corporate branch. “I accept the offer. I will arrive for onboarding next Monday.” Since this family had completely erased my existence the day Mia moved in. I would just erase myself from their world for good. When we finally reached the outdoor photography spot. I realized something sickening. The massive welcome sign that was supposed to have my and Rick’s faces on it. It was replaced with a gorgeous portrait of him and Mia. Months ago, he spent hours testing out every possible lighting angle at this exact spot. Even this morning, he told me he wanted me to be the most beautiful bride on earth. Now the truth was agonizingly clear. All that gentle devotion was just a front to make sure everything was perfect for Mia. “Stand exactly here and don’t move.” “When Mia is satisfied with the shots, you can leave.” He shoved me onto the designated spot. He was as cold as if I were a literal mannequin. The harsh midday sun beat down relentlessly, blinding my eyes. I had suffered from extreme light sensitivity since I was a child. Whenever I brought it up to my parents, they would just brush it off. “It’s just a minor issue. Stop being so dramatic.” When I started dating Rick, he would always pull a sun hat over my head before we went outside. He would instinctively raise his hand to block the glare from my eyes. But right now, he was standing a few feet away, holding a professional camera right in Mia’s face. “Mia, how does this angle look? Do you like the framing?” Mia glanced at the digital screen. “Rick, you are so talented!” “But… the lighting is a bit…” As they talked, I tried to step back into the shade. Rick immediately snapped at me. “We need to shoot exactly one hundred photos for Mia today. We haven’t even finished the first batch.” “Cici, suck it up and stay on your mark.” My mother stomped over, yanking me roughly back onto the scorching concrete. She muttered viciously under her breath. “If Mia doesn’t get the perfect photos today, I am blaming you.” “You’re just being difficult because you’re jealous.” My vision completely blurred. Tears flooded my eyes until I couldn’t even see my own shadow on the ground. I couldn’t remember when I became a total ghost in my own family. I stood barefoot on the boiling concrete for almost an hour. My legs were trembling so violently I thought I would collapse. When they finally finished the first set, Mia walked over and held a bottle of water out to me. “Cici, it’s my fault you’re standing out here. I just really wanted these pictures.” “Drink some water. Please say you forgive me?” As I reached out to grab the bottle, she intentionally let it slip through her fingers. The water splashed onto the concrete, splashing a few drops of dirt onto the hem of her dress. Rick snapped his head up, his brow heavily furrowed. “Cici, what the hell is your problem?!” “Mia was nice enough to bring you water, and you refuse to even take it.” “You just ruined her dress! Do you even have the money to pay for that?!” I glanced down at her sparkling, designer gown. For as long as I could remember, I wore cheap, bargain bin clothes my parents bought from flea markets. They always said the expensive things had to be saved for Mia. They told me I wasn’t delicate enough to need nice clothes. The suffocating rage I had buried for years finally exploded. “I didn’t even touch the bottle! She dropped it herself!” “Rick, are you literally blind, or are you just looking for an excuse to humiliate me?!” He froze, completely stunned into silence. Mia gently tugged at his sleeve. “Rick, what are you doing?” “It wasn’t Cici’s fault. My hand slipped. You are not allowed to yell at her.” “Quick, apologize to Cici.” Rick looked down at Mia and let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Mia. I just lost my temper. Please don’t be upset.” “And Cici, I apologize on her behalf. She’s always been too forgiving for her own good.” He managed to twist an apology that was supposed to be for me into another way to highlight my flaws. A chilling numbness washed over me. I pushed myself off the ground, walking straight past them. “Rick, I wish you both a lifetime of misery.” “After today, you and I are completely done.” I ordered an Uber and went straight to the ER alone. The triage doctor took one look at the bottom of my feet and asked what happened. I fought back the tears threatening to spill over. “I accidentally stepped on something hot.” After getting my feet bandaged, I limped slowly toward the exit. Suddenly, a massive crowd of people surged down the hallway. Someone violently shoved me out of the way. I crashed to the floor, my prescription bottles scattering everywhere. I looked up and saw Rick sprinting toward the trauma bay, carrying Mia in his arms like a madman. My parents were sprinting right behind him, their faces pale with terror. “Doctor! You have to save her!” “She ate a peanut! She’s having an allergic reaction!” Mia was rushed through the emergency doors. Rick stood there panting. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted me sitting on the floor. “Cici, what are you doing here?” I didn’t say a word. He glanced down at my heavily blistered and bandaged feet, frowning slightly. “When did you get hurt?” “I got hurt when you dragged me out to stand barefoot on boiling concrete for an hour.” I stared dead into his eyes. “Don’t you think pretending to care right now is a little pathetic?” He opened his mouth to speak, his face turning bright red. My mother glanced down at me, her voice dripping with annoyance. “You came all the way to the hospital for a few blisters? What a waste of money.” Before I could even defend myself, a nurse called out for Mia’s family. My parents instantly shoved past me. My mother grabbed the nurse’s arm, repeating the same thing over and over. “I don’t care how much it costs! Give her the absolute best medication you have! You have to save my Mia!” The absolute last shred of love I had for my family shattered into dust. I felt like a sponge completely wrung dry. I didn’t even have the strength to stand up. I dragged myself back to the empty house and started packing my suitcases. I put all my IDs and crucial documents safely in my bag. Without me realizing, the sun went down. I reached out to turn on the living room light, but nothing happened. My phone buzzed. It was a text from my father. “We are staying at the hospital tonight to watch over Mia.” “I cut the main breaker to the house. Since you’re the only one there, there’s no reason to waste electricity.” When I was in middle school, I was locked in my pitch black bedroom for an entire night. I called my parents dozens of times, but nobody answered. When I finally got out the next morning, I found out the truth. Mia had mentioned she wanted a specific cake from a bakery two towns over, so they drove out and spent the entire day having fun without me. Later, at a parent teacher conference, I tried to laugh off the story to the other moms. The other parents looked at me with deep pity. But my parents? They were busy discussing which designer dress to buy Mia next. A dark, bitter smile touched my lips. I navigated the dark hallway back to my room. Early the next morning, my parents brought Mia home. Seeing me leaning against my bedroom door, my father barked: “What are you standing around for? Go make lunch!” “Mia wants honey glazed wings and braised ribs. Don’t make them too sweet, and absolutely no cilantro.” I stood there, staring at the floor. They had every single one of Mia’s dietary preferences memorized flawlessly. Yet, the last time we went out for dinner, they ordered an entire table of spicy food. When I quietly reminded them that I was highly allergic to chili peppers, they accused me of intentionally ruining Mia’s night. Seeing that I wasn’t moving, my mother’s face darkened. “Why are you still standing there? What if Mia’s stomach starts hurting because she’s hungry?” Rick parked his car and walked in, immediately stepping in to play the peacemaker. “Mr. and Mrs. Reed, why don’t you take Mia to the couch so she can rest.” “Cici and I will handle lunch together.” He grabbed my wrist, yanked me into the kitchen, and slammed the door shut behind us. “What is your problem now? Are you still throwing a fit over the wedding? I already apologized, didn’t I?” “Are you seriously going to hold a grudge over this?” Even now, he truly believed I was just throwing a childish tantrum. My fingernails dug so deep into my palms they almost drew blood. “I am not cooking.” I violently ripped my hand out of his grip. “If you want to cook for Mia, do it yourself.” I turned to walk back to my room, just as Mia was coming down the stairs. She smiled sweetly and grabbed my arm. “Cici, please don’t be mad. I was just craving your cooking.” “Mom and Dad were just trying to make me happy. Please don’t take it personally.” My chest felt like it was filled with cement. I couldn’t move an inch. I viciously shoved her hand off my arm and walked up the stairs without looking back. From the living room, I heard my father comforting her. “Mia, ignore her. We completely spoiled her.” “If she had even half of your maturity, my life would be so much easier.” I let out a dark laugh on the landing. Fine. You want me gone? I’ll give you exactly what you want. That afternoon, I officially resigned from my local job. When I got home, I saw my parents shoving a debit card into Mia’s hands. I recognized that card immediately. It was the checking account where my entire salary was deposited. And lying on the floor next to the couch was my purse, ripped open. I sprinted over, staring at my mother in absolute horror. “What gives you the right to touch my bank account?!” My mother immediately raised her voice, completely unbothered. “We raised you for over twenty years! Do you have any idea how much money we spent keeping you alive?!” “What’s wrong with giving back to Mia now?! Why are you so ungrateful?!” That account held every single dollar I had ever saved in my life. I had been saving for years to finally buy my own apartment and escape this hell. But now, my only lifeline was being handed away. “The rent, the groceries, and the gifts I’ve bought you since I graduated college easily paid back whatever you spent raising me!” The second I got my first paycheck, my parents demanded a massive monthly ‘living fee.’ For every holiday, I was forced to buy them expensive gifts and cash envelopes. But Mia? She lived rent-free, entirely funded by my parents. “Why does my money belong to Mia?!” “Who exactly is your real daughter?!” Mia quickly tried to hand the card back, putting on a perfect performance of being deeply conflicted. But the look in her eyes was pure, venomous triumph. “Mom, Dad, I really can’t take Cici’s money. Please take it back.” My father grabbed her hand and forcefully shoved the card into her pocket. “Mia, keep it. Ignore her.” “She’s used to throwing tantrums and expecting everyone to cater to her.” Cater to me? When, in my entire life, had they ever catered to me?! Before I could even process the shock, Rick stepped forward. He placed a thick stack of cash into Mia’s hands. “Cici, I withdrew all the emergency funds we set aside for the wedding.” “Mia and I are hosting our official reception in a few days. Consider this your blessing to us.” When we started planning the wedding, Rick suggested we create a joint fund. We agreed to split the costs exactly fifty-fifty. But he kept dragging his feet on depositing his half, forcing me to drain my personal savings to cover the deposits. The agonizing memory of starving myself just to pay for a wedding that was never mine came rushing back. It felt like someone was carving my heart out with a dull knife. “What gives you the right?!” I lunged forward to rip the money out of his hands. “Rick, don’t you dare forget that I paid for every single cent of that wedding!” “What gives you the right to give it to her?!” My father aggressively stepped in front of Mia, pointing a finger directly in my face. “You heartless bitch!” “Mia’s mother saved your mother’s life! A daughter pays her mother’s debts! What’s wrong with taking a little of your money?!” I refused to listen to their psychotic logic. I dove forward again to grab my debit card from Mia. But my mother grabbed me by the hair and slapped me across the face as hard as she could. “Learn your damn place! You’re making a scene over a few dollars like a common thug!” “If you throw one more tantrum, we are disowning you for good!” My cheek burned like fire. The tears I had fought back for days finally spilled over my eyelashes. “I wish to God you had never given birth to me.” I didn’t say another word. I turned around and walked back to my room. For the next four days, the house was filled with laughter and wedding planning. But my bedroom felt like it had been entirely erased from existence. Not a single person checked if the severe burns on my feet were healing. Nobody even asked if I had eaten a meal. The night before my flight, Rick opened my bedroom door for the first time. He threw a bridesmaid dress onto my bed. “Mia wants you to be her maid of honor. You better be on time tomorrow.” He turned and walked away. It was like he truly believed his ex-fiancée was meant to stand in the background and play a supporting role in his new life. I picked up the dress and shoved it directly into the trash can. I was absolutely not going to that wedding. The next morning, before the sun even came up, I grabbed my suitcases and walked out the front door. As the plane lifted into the sky, the city shrank into tiny, meaningless blocks. From this moment on, I had absolutely zero connection to the family that had drained the life out of me for twenty years.
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