Chapter 2: The Sister Everyone Loved
I didn’t answer Daniel right away.
How do you explain years of pain in one sentence?
How do you tell someone that the person standing next to you in family photos has spent most of your life quietly tearing you apart?
I looked at the email on his phone.
“What did she do?””
Daniel hesitated.
“She sent this from her account.””
He tapped the screen.
The email was addressed to the hotel manager.
I read the first line.
*Requesting a private adjustment to the guest list. My sister Emily has a history of causing emotional situations at important events.*
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
Daniel looked embarrassed.
“I found it when I was checking our reservation details. She asked the hotel if they could move your room away from the wedding party.””
I stared at him.
“She told you that?””
“No.””
“Then why would she do that?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Because he knew.
We both knew.
Vanessa had always been good at making cruelty sound reasonable.
Growing up, everyone called her the responsible one.
The organized one.
The confident one.
I was the quiet sister.
The emotional one.
The one who “needed extra help.””
But nobody saw what happened when cameras weren’t around.
Nobody saw the way Vanessa would whisper insults and then smile when I looked confused.
Nobody saw the way she changed when we were alone.
I remembered one night when we were teenagers.
I was seventeen, standing in front of the bathroom mirror before a school dance.
Vanessa had walked in behind me.
“You’re really wearing that?””
I looked down at my dress.
“What’s wrong with it?””
She shrugged.
“Nothing. If you want everyone to notice how insecure you are.””
I had changed outfits three times after that.
Years later, she claimed she was “just trying to help.””
Daniel watched my face.
“Emily, what else happened?””
I looked away.
“Why do you care?””
His eyebrows pulled together.
“Because I almost married someone who could do this.””
The honesty in his voice surprised me.
Before I could respond, the elevator doors opened.
Vanessa stepped out wearing a different dress.
She looked beautiful.
Perfect.
Exactly like someone who had never pushed her injured sister into a pool.
She walked toward us.
“There you are.””
Her eyes moved between Daniel and me.
Something changed in her expression.
She knew.
She knew something had happened while she was gone.
“What are you two talking about?””
Daniel stood.
“Your email.””
Vanessa froze.
“What email?””
“The one asking the hotel to separate Emily from the wedding group.””
For half a second, her face showed panic.
Then it disappeared.
“Oh my God.””
She laughed.
“Daniel, seriously?””
He said nothing.
Vanessa looked at me.
“Emily, did you seriously make him investigate me?””
I felt my chest tighten.
“I didn’t do anything.””
“Of course you didn’t.””
The way she said it made my skin crawl.
Daniel stepped between us.
“Stop.””
Vanessa stared at him.
“You’re taking her side?””
“I’m taking the truth’s side.””
That sentence landed harder than any argument.
Vanessa’s jaw dropped slightly.
“You don’t understand our relationship.””
Daniel looked at her carefully.
“I’m starting to.””
She looked around at the guests nearby.
People were pretending not to listen.
But they were.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“You’re embarrassing me.””
“No,” Daniel replied.
“You embarrassed yourself.””
For the first time, I saw Vanessa afraid.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Afraid.
Because Daniel wasn’t someone she could easily manipulate.
That night, I barely slept.
The hotel room was quiet except for the ocean outside my window.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my scar.
I wondered how many times I had ignored my own instincts because I wanted to believe my sister loved me.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Daniel.
*I found something else. I think you need to see it.*
A second message arrived.
Then a photo.
It was a screenshot.
My blood went cold.
It was a conversation between Vanessa and one of her bridesmaids.
The date was from two weeks earlier.
The message from Vanessa said:
*She always ruins things. I just need everyone to finally see it.*
I kept reading.
The bridesmaid replied:
*What are you going to do?*
Vanessa answered:
*Something small. Something that makes her look dramatic.*
My hands started shaking.
Because I finally understood.
The pool wasn’t an accident.
It wasn’t a joke.
It was a plan.
And then another message appeared from Daniel.
May you like
Only three words.
*There’s more, Emily.*
