While traveling abroad with my family, a sudden flood hit. My fiancé, Eddie, immediately picked up my sister, Kyla, and ran out. My parents didn’t even think to check on me, but they remembered to take the little parrot they’d just bought for Kyla. They flew back home that night and didn’t forget to share the news in the family group chat, celebrating their narrow escape. But they had forgotten something. Their eldest daughter was still stranded in the flood, with no one to help. When I woke up, I made a resolute decision and called my mentor. “Professor, I’ve decided to join you as a doctor with Doctors Without Borders. I’m never coming back.” Half a month later, I returned home, covered in scars. Inside, the house was filled with laughter. Colorful ribbons and presents littered the floor, a clear sign of the family’s recent celebration. I saw it in the family chat. Relatives and friends had gathered to celebrate their survival. When Eddie saw me, a flash of guilt passed through his eyes. During the flood, his first priority had been to save Kyla, completely disregarding that I was his fiancée. And my parents’ expressions were no better. They thought of everything while escaping, even remembering the parrot they bought for Kyla, but they forgot about their own daughter. Eddie approached me hesitantly and said, “Sophie, are you okay? The situation was so urgent. Kyla couldn’t move on her own, so I had to save her first.” He reached out as if to pat my head just like he used to. I subtly avoided his touch, looking at him coldly. Mom’s eyes reddened slightly as she pulled me into a tight hug. “Sophie, you’ve been through so much. Your dad and I never meant to leave you behind.” Since Kyla had returned home, I hadn’t felt the warmth of Mom’s embrace in so long. I would have been moved before, but now, I just took a couple of steps back, keeping my distance. My mother seemed hurt. At that moment, Kyla hobbled over, wrapping her arms around Mom sympathetically. “Sophie, how could you treat Mom like that when she’s so worried about you? “I know you’re angry because Dad and Mom focused on saving me, but you shouldn’t embarrass them in front of everyone! “Sophie, I don’t blame you for what happened when I got lost. So, please don’t blame Mom and Dad. It’s all my fault… If only they hadn’t taken me in…” Kyla cried so hard that it made Dad go from guilt to anger. “Sophie, what do you mean? Are you trying to make everyone think your mom and I didn’t care about you? “You two are sisters! When you caused your sister to go missing and get abducted, shouldn’t you be the one trying to make up for it now? Of course, we had to save Kyla first! “I thought you would have learned your lesson after all these years, but you’re still as vicious as ever!” Eddie also stepped in, shielding Kyla behind him and joining Dad in scolding me. “Sophie, this is enough! Kyla has already suffered so much because of you. You owe her, and now you’re making things harder for her and your parents!” I stared at them in disbelief. These people were my own parents and my fiancé, the person I trusted most. I had been swept away by the flood, my body battered by branches and rocks, and dozens of cuts across my skin. I barely managed to grab hold of a tree in the raging water, stranded on it for a whole day and night before finally being rescued. When I woke up, the first thing I wanted to do was let my family know I was safe. But when I opened the family group chat, there was a message celebrating their safe return: [Really a close call. Thank goodness we were all together.] The dozen photos they posted were like daggers to my heart. My parents, my sister, and my fiancé, all huddled together, looking like the closest family. While I was stuck in a foreign land, nearly dead, my body was covered in deep scars. The doctors said if I had been any later, I would have lost my hand. For a clinical doctor, those hands were everything. I nearly died in this disaster, and when I barely escaped, my own father blamed me for being vicious. Even Eddie, who had promised to always stand by my side, was now against me. I suddenly had no desire to explain myself. I turned and went back to my room. Kyla, still pretending to be sympathetic, continued to argue for me. “Dad, Eddie, don’t blame Sophie. She didn’t mean it.” Dad sneered. “Kyla, you’re still too understanding. Why was it you who got abducted instead of Sophie?” I slammed the door behind me, collapsing on the floor. Since Kyla had returned, she had made vague accusations that I had intentionally let her get lost. Ever since, I had no place in this family. My parents ignored my protests and gave my princess room to Kyla. I was pushed into the small converted storage room. Whenever Kyla cried, they would stop listening to me. I should have gotten used to their attitude by now. My mentor sent me a message saying everything was ready. I could leave whenever I wanted to. My parents didn’t know that, while in the hospital abroad, I had already made the call to my mentor. “Professor, I’ve decided to join you as a doctor with Doctors Without Borders. I’m never coming back.”
The next morning, Mom came to my room with a few gifts, clearly leftovers picked out by Kyla. Her tone was soft, but there was a clear undertone of reproach. “Sophie, can’t you be more sensible? Why didn’t you tell us in advance that you’re coming home? And why are you being so cold toward your dad? We may not have taken care of you, but you can’t hold that against us…” Before she could finish, I pulled open the curtains, and the bright sunlight shone down on me. I was wearing a thin nightgown, and that’s when Mom noticed the scars covering my body. Only then did she realize what I had gone through. Her hands trembled as she reached out to touch my scars, but I coldly pulled away. Eddie entered the room just in time to see it. “Sophie, you’ve been hurt so badly? Why didn’t you say anything…” I looked at them coldly. What did they mean, “Why didn’t I say anything?” They were so consumed with Kyla that they didn’t even notice me. Kyla had suffered so much at the hands of the traffickers that she was malnourished and weak. Every time she had even the slightest cold, the whole family had to rush her to the hospital. Meanwhile, when I had acute gastroenteritis and was on the verge of fainting, they ignored me, only focusing on taking Kyla to the hospital for a mild fever. It was a kind neighbor who saw me and called for an ambulance. But when they saw me in the hospital, they thought I was just pretending to be sick, trying to compete for attention. Perhaps my cold gaze gave them some hint of discomfort, a fleeting panic crossing their faces. After all, since Kyla was brought back, I had always been humbled in front of my parents, constantly trying to please them, fearing they might abandon me. Eddie, flustered, grabbed my hand and noticed that the engagement ring was missing from my finger. “Sophie, where’s your ring?” I shrugged casually. “It was washed away in the flood.” A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, but he quickly smiled again. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll buy you a better one!” “No need.” I had personally thrown it into a drain while I was abroad. Once, Eddie had been my only support, and I had cherished everything he gave me. Back when my parents had rejected me, I met the gentle and kind Eddie in college. He treated me well and believed that I hadn’t intentionally abandoned Kyla. But somewhere along the way, he had taken Kyla’s side. He told me Kyla had suffered so much, and I needed to be more understanding, to give her and my parents more consideration. So, I no longer needed him. I didn’t care for him anymore.
Soon, it was mine and Kyla’s birthday. To be precise, it was just Kyla’s birthday. Although we shared the same birthday, it was on her seventh birthday that she went missing at an amusement park. She was lost for ten years, and my parents searched for her for all those years. Finally, she was found at the age of seventeen. But the first thing she said when she came home was, “If it weren’t for Sophie abandoning me, I wouldn’t have gotten lost and been kidnapped.” That day, for the first time, my parents looked at me with disappointment. Dad didn’t listen to my explanation and slapped me hard across the face. Since then, I had no place in this family. Now, my parents celebrated only Kyla’s birthday. They, along with Eddie, surrounded Kyla, who was wearing a delicate dress, and gathered around the cake, lighting candles and singing the birthday song while waiting for her to make a wish. No one noticed me in the corner. Even the housekeeper said, “Sophie, you might want to avoid appearing in front of your parents, since if it weren’t for you, Kyla wouldn’t have gone missing for so many years.” Kyla made her wish and, under the soft candlelight, quickly pecked Eddie on the cheek. My parents didn’t stop her. Instead, they looked on with satisfaction. They had always known Kyla had feelings for Eddie. When I first brought Eddie home, Kyla had fallen for him at first sight, crying and throwing a tantrum. Mom had also urged me several times. “Kyla is your sister. She’s suffered so much, and it’s all because of you. You should make it up to her.” Back then, I had stubbornly refused, and Eddie had declared in front of my parents that he would love only me for the rest of his life. But now, he looked down at Kyla, who was smiling serenely, with eyes full of affection. After blowing out the candles, Kyla handed me a small piece of cake. I reached out to take it, but she pulled her hand back just before I grabbed it, and the sticky cream splattered all over me. Kyla’s eyes welled up with tears. “Sophie, don’t you like me? You even made my birthday cake fall to the ground…” My parents’ faces immediately darkened. I knew they would soon start lecturing me on how thoughtless I was and start listing all my wrongdoings. Before they could say anything, I grabbed Kyla’s hand, removed the bracelet from my wrist, and placed it on hers. With sincerity, I said, “Kyla, this bracelet was a gift from Eddie’s mother. She said that anyone who wears it becomes part of their family. Since you like Eddie, you can have him. Consider it your birthday gift from me.” Kyla blinked, a flash of joy crossing her eyes. My parents were pleased. After all, they had told me many times to let Kyla and Eddie be together. Mom smiled widely and no longer scolded me for dropping the cake. She hurriedly said, “Sophie, my dear, you’ve finally come around. When your birthday comes, your dad and I will make sure to celebrate it properly!” I smiled faintly and said, “I share the same birthday as Kyla.” For a moment, my parents looked embarrassed, realizing their mistake. Eddie, who had just figured out what was going on, rushed over and grabbed my hand angrily. “Sophie, what do you mean? I’m your fiancé! You want to give me away to another woman?” I yanked my hand out of his grip. “You remember that you’re my fiancé? Then when you were messing around with my sister, did you ever remember your place? Since you couldn’t say it, I’ll say it for you.” I glanced at Kyla, who was standing behind Eddie, her eyes welling with tears. “If you say one more word, my dear sister might just faint!” Hearing that, they all rushed to support Kyla. I looked at the scene with a sneer and walked away without a second glance.
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