My first day at the new job. I rode to the company in Caleb’s car. After getting out, I handed him a portion of the breakfast Mom had made. But as soon as I settled into my cubicle, my brother’s assistant called, her voice sharp and accusatory. “How can an intern like you be so shameless, trying to hit on men the minute you walk in?” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Caleb wasn’t my biological brother, but he was Mom and Dad’s adopted son. Why would I ever try to seduce him? Fresh out of college, I started my internship at our family’s branch company. Caleb Sterling happened to work there, and he’d offered to drive me on my first day. I never expected it to turn into such a ridiculous misunderstanding. Listening to the shrill scolding over the phone, I recognized her. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that voice – Caleb’s assistant. Caleb had chattered away on the phone with her in front of me more than once. He often talked about how sweet and innocent his little assistant was, calling her an angel. He even listed a bunch of her adorable blunders. Like how she always accidentally mixed up the meeting documents. Or how she’d offer customers milky tea instead of actual tea. And how, when booking travel for clients, she’d book them economy class but herself first class… I felt it was inappropriate and once asked Caleb: “If that’s the case, why don’t you just fire her?” “We should give ordinary people more chances. She works hard, she’s kind, she’s just a little scatterbrained.” Caleb’s answer was perfectly reasonable to him. I didn’t say anything else. She was just an assistant, what kind of trouble could she really cause? The woman on the phone was bossy and rude, and I couldn’t help but frown. Seeing my silence, Willow Davis’s arrogance grew. “Must be great having a man drive you to work, carrying your bag, huh?” “How can you be so shameless? We’re both women, so don’t pull your fake innocent act with me, it won’t work!” “Do you know how busy Caleb is as the General Manager? How dare you waste his time making him pick you up?” My face burned red. It was just a quick ride since he was going that way anyway. Was it really that big of a deal? But seeing how Caleb always defended Willow in his words, it seemed like they were either flirting or already dating. I could somewhat understand her possessiveness over her boyfriend. “He’s my brother,” I explained. I thought that would make Willow change her tone. Instead, her words became even more venomous. “Oh, so you’re the clingy pest they warned me about. Seducing your own brother at such a young age? You’re truly disgusting.” Her insults completely stunned me. How could such an unreasonable person be the kind, scatterbrained angel Caleb talked about? A vein throbed on my forehead, but I still patiently tried to explain: “Don’t say such terrible things. We grew up together. Is it really too much for my brother to drive me on my first day of work?” “Shut up! How can you be so ill-mannered? Didn’t your parents teach you about the separation between men and women? Even if you’re his sister, you should know better!” Willow’s voice was terrifyingly cold. “I’ve seen plenty of manipulative, backstabbing women like you. You even compete with other women at home, seducing your own dad and brother—” Those words were truly disgusting. Even with my generally good temper, I couldn’t take it anymore. My face darkened: “Where did you come from, you psycho? Are you saying this because you do such things at home?” “Fine, you bitch, just you wait. I won’t let you off easy.” Willow hung up after that. I didn’t take it seriously. I sent the recording of the call to Caleb. I figured he would handle it. Caleb’s message came back quickly. He seemed panicked: “I’m so sorry, Skylar. Your sister-in-law is just childish, and very possessive of me, but she doesn’t mean any harm.” “I’ve already talked to her. I promise this won’t happen again.” “Next time we meet, I’ll make her apologize properly to you, okay?” Caleb was my brother, the one I’d grown up with. Since he was humbling himself like that, I found it hard to stay angry. I didn’t want to make things difficult for him, so I agreed to reconcile with Willow.
I thought my forbearance would lead to a graceful end to this matter. Instead, the next day, Willow tagged me in the company chat. In a group of nearly five hundred people, she unleashed her fury on me. “You rotten snake, when I curse you, just take it! How dare you tattle to my boyfriend?!” “Brother, brother, endlessly! Are you a broken record? Complaining non-stop.” “Not only did you make him drive you to work, but you dared to sit in the front passenger seat? Don’t you know the front passenger seat is reserved for *me*, his girlfriend? How can you be so shameless?” She even attached a few pictures. The photos showed her using a high-pressure washer to clean the front passenger seat. Willow didn’t forget to add: “Disgusting, that seat reeked of cheapness.” I stared at those messages, my mind completely blank. I sat in the front passenger seat only because I get severe motion sickness. And I didn’t know Caleb had a girlfriend at the time. Even if he did, I didn’t think sitting in my brother’s front passenger seat was a big deal. The group chat fell silent for a while because of Willow’s craziness. Some people were watching the drama, others felt it was inappropriate to act like that in a work chat. But everyone knew she was Caleb’s girlfriend, so no one dared to voice their displeasure. All my good mood was ruined by Willow. Meeting the curious, scrutinizing gazes of my colleagues, I unleashed my fury. “Ms. Willow Davis, first, I must make one thing clear: Caleb is my brother. We’ve lived under the same roof since childhood.” “Second, this is a work chat, not a place for you to throw tantrums. Please keep your personal and professional lives separate.” After I sent the messages, the chat exploded. Some people messaged me privately asking for details. Others in the group played the peacemaker, trying to ease the tension. Some subtly advised Willow to calm down, urging her not to be impulsive. But Willow was clearly blinded by jealousy. She then threw out a screenshot of a chat. It was a message Caleb had sent her yesterday. [Stop it, Skylar is my sister. She’s always been clingy with me since she was little. I can’t exactly be mad at my own sister.] When I saw that message, my head buzzed. It looked like he was defending me, but his words were strange and off. Willow continued to furiously spam the chat. “Skylar Sterling, are you f***ing disgusting or what? You know he has a girlfriend, but you still cling to him every day! Are you trying to engage in an incestuous relationship with your brother?!” My head was ringing from her insults. I previously had been very clingy with Caleb, it’s true. Mom and Dad were always busy, traveling all over the world for business. From a very young age, Caleb had always taken care of me. That was also why Mom and Dad adopted him. I relied on Caleb a lot. Plus, I was a very high-maintenance child when I was little, so I loved sticking to Caleb. Because of this, people around us always joked that I was his little shadow. Just as the atmosphere was thick with tension, Caleb suddenly tagged Willow in the group: “Alright, Willow, don’t be mad anymore. I bought you your favorite pink diamond as an apology, okay?” Willow replied with a haughty emoji. And just like that, the two of them started flirting in the chat. I became part of their little couple’s play. A surge of anger got stuck in my head, unable to rise or dissipate. I felt my temples throbbing. Just then, the department director suddenly sent a message in the group: “This work chat is for work-related discussions only. Violators will be dealt with according to company regulations.” The farce temporarily ended. But my nightmare had only just begun.
The next day, as soon as I got to my cubicle, I found it drenched in red ink. My computer was completely dead. A fellow intern whispered to me that Willow had come in early to do it. I was furious, practically breathing fire. But I could only swallow my anger since I was at work. And Willow wasn’t even at the company; she had gone on a business trip with Caleb. As soon as I clocked out and reached the company’s ground floor, someone doused me with a bucket of cold water. Willow emerged from the crowd. She held up her phone, with the live streaming camera on. Beside her were several of her girlfriends, all seemingly on her side. Willow pointed at me, drenched like a drowned rat, and looked into the live camera. “Family, this is the psycho who coveted her own brother. Absolutely disgusting.” At her words, sharp laughter mixed with jeers erupted around me. Many people gathered to watch the show. Those who didn’t know the full story started pointing fingers at me. I clenched my fists. “Are you crazy?” Willow let out a short, mocking laugh. “So what if I am? If you dare to seduce my boyfriend, you better be prepared for the consequences.” The live stream comments were frantically scrolling. I glanced at them; almost all of them were insulting me, calling me cheap. I pushed Willow away. “Willow, does Caleb know what you’re doing today?” “So what if he knows? I’m going to marry him someday, I’m your sister-in-law. As your future sister-in-law, I’m practically family, and I have the right to teach you a lesson! Who can say anything?” Willow spoke as if it were obvious. She lunged forward and grabbed my hair, pulling so hard my scalp stung. I tried to struggle, but her girlfriends came up and grabbed my arms. I was forced to look up at Willow. She sneered: “You bitch, you’d better tone down your innocent act, or you’ll regret it once I’m officially part of the family.” As she spoke, she eyed the bag on my shoulder. Her eyes lit up instantly. “That’s the latest Chanel bag!” Then she reached out to snatch it. Of course, I wouldn’t allow it. But there were too many of them. I was slapped several times, and my bag was still snatched away. Many people were coming and going from the company, but no one dared to intervene. “Willow!” I suddenly broke free. But Willow grabbed my hair again and violently shoved me away. I fell to the ground, my forehead throbbing with a dull pain, the world spinning. During this, I heard the continuous sound of gift notifications from the live stream, mixed with the shrill laughter of Willow and her friends: “Family! Our little ‘innocent’ sister is bleeding! Send rockets, and I’ll make her kneel and beg!” Then, several rockets appeared in the live stream. Willow’s high heel suddenly kicked my hand. She triumphantly held up the bag she’d snatched from me. “The Sterling family will be mine and Caleb’s. You need to understand that every penny you spend now is mine. How dare dead weight like you spend so lavishly?” “Caleb told me you get a six-figure monthly allowance. From now on, that money won’t be yours.” As she said this, Willow’s heart ached. She already considered the Sterling Group as good as hers. Me spending my parents’ money also felt like *her* loss. “Are you insane? What does me spending my parents’ money have to do with you?” I truly couldn’t follow Willow’s twisted logic. Willow giggled at the camera, then turned to me: “Of course, it’s your sister-in-law helping you get rid of your wasteful habits.” I gasped for breath. “You? You think you’ll ever step foot in my family’s house?” Willow was enraged. She raked her long nails across my face. In a few swipes, glaring red scratches appeared on my face. Just then, a furious shout came from outside: “What’s going on?! Who dares bully my sister, Skylar Sterling?!”
It was Caleb. The group of girls quickly released me. I looked at Caleb, filled with hope. “Caleb.” Seeing the scene, he looked at Willow in shock. Willow ran over and wrapped her arms around his waist, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. “Caleb, you’re here.” “It was her! She just said I wasn’t worthy of entering the Sterling family home, and I got so mad that I…” Her voice trailed off, but her meaning was clear. My heart clenched. Caleb… he wouldn’t believe her, would he? We’d known each other for so many years. I was the sister he’d watched grow up. He should know my character. But Caleb still disappointed me. His gaze fell on my pale face, and a fleeting flicker of impatience and blame passed through his eyes. But he said nothing, only told Willow to turn off the live stream. Willow reluctantly ended the stream. After that, Caleb walked back and helped me up. He still had that high-handed, patriarchal air about him. “Sister, you really went too far. I’ve spoiled you these past few years.” “Apologize to your sister-in-law, and this whole thing will be over.” I felt cold all over. This Caleb was so utterly foreign to me now. “Apologize? I’m the one with scratches all over my face, and you want *me* to apologize?” I suddenly laughed. Meeting my sarcastic gaze, Caleb’s expression remained unchanged. Willow, hiding in his arms, looked at me with a smirk of triumph. “Caleb, you need to rein her in. She’s too stubborn.” A chorus of boos rose from the onlookers. A few passersby holding phones started shouting at me: “Homewrecker, get lost!” “Original wife beats the homewrecker, how exciting!” “Young girls these days, no sense of morality, just looking to hook up with rich guys. Society’s gone to the dogs.” Seeing that I remained silent, Caleb’s eyes showed clear displeasure. “Still not apologizing? Do you even have any respect for me as your brother?” “And you? Do you have any respect for me as your sister?” I stared fixedly at Caleb. Caleb seemed to realize, belatedly, that he’d gone too far. His tone softened a bit. “Sister, no matter what, you were too clingy with me, which made Willow uncomfortable.” “Her hitting you once is understandable, but your saying she’s not worthy of entering the family is going too far.” Willow watched me, arms crossed, a smug look on her face, fanning the flames. “Caleb, you can’t let this go! You’re the future heir of the Sterling family. Her daring to bully me shows she looks down on you.” “If you don’t teach her a proper lesson today, how will you establish yourself in Sterling Corp in the future?” I looked at Caleb in surprise. The heir to Sterling Corp had always been me. What did that have to do with Caleb Sterling? But Caleb showed no sign of guilt. He frowned at me: “What are you waiting for? Apologize! Otherwise, get out of the Sterling household.” “Do you think you have the right to say that, Caleb?” I found it utterly preposterous. Had Caleb lost his mind? Caleb was visibly enraged and looked like he wanted to hit me. But he barely managed to restrain himself. “I’m your brother, Mom and Dad’s only son. Of course I have the right.” “Are you sure?” I tilted my head, looking straight into Caleb’s eyes. I leaned close to his ear and whispered, “But I’m their only biological child.” At my words, Caleb’s pupils constricted. It had been so long since anyone had mentioned his adopted status, he must have forgotten. He’d gotten too arrogant these past few years. Because of my presence, Mom and Dad had placed a lot of importance on him. They even gave him full authority over this branch company. Our kindness to him had made him lose sight of his true place. I ignored him, pulled out my phone, and messaged Mom and Dad: “Caleb says he’s kicking me out of the house.” I also shared Willow’s live stream with them. The next second, Caleb’s phone rang.
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