Big Sis, You Don't Matter Anymore

Vivian Cavendish, my older sister, frowned at my words. She sounded displeased as she asked, "Didn't I tell you in advance that I was coming home? Didn't you tell Adrian I was coming back?"

I calmly took a sip of my tea. After all these years, I was no longer that invisible nobody living in Vivian's shadow.

My silence infuriated her. She shot to her feet, and her shrill voice echoed through the room. "Noelle Cavendish, what the hell do you mean by this? Don't forget that I was the one who was supposed to marry into the Sutton family! Now that I'm back, do you think you can still cling to being Mrs. Sutton?"

I glanced at her and smiled. "I don't understand what you're talking about, Vivian. My husband and I are on very good terms."

Over the years, I'd accompanied Adrian Sutton to countless charity galas and business events. Our image as a loving couple was well-known in our circle.

Adrian had even earned the favor of quite a few business partners thanks to his reputation as a devoted husband. There might not be romance between us, but there was something stronger than love binding us together—interest and mutual benefit.

That was why I was so confident.

Vivian's expression turned incredulous. She jabbed a finger at me and shouted, "Do you have no shame, Noelle? He's your brother-in-law!"

I set my teacup down and gave a calm, measured smile. "No, he's my lawfully wedded husband."

My gaze was steady as I stood, no longer willing to play along with this farce. Mom and Dad stood off to the side, completely at a loss.

Vivian rushed over to them and clutched at Mom's sleeve. "Mom, she's lost her mind! Adrian and I have been together since college! If it weren't for me and the Sutton family, our family's company would never have grown this much!"

Mom and Dad had always favored Vivian. However, now, Mom sneaked a look at my face before saying weakly, "But… you ran away from the wedding, and then you faked your death. All these years, you didn't send a single word back.

"There was no bride at the wedding. If your sister hadn't stepped in, the Suttons would've been humiliated. They would never have let that go. Our company would've been finished."

Vivian stiffened. Then, she stammered, "I-I just wasn't ready to get married back then. But I'm back now, aren't I? Besides, you know how arrogant the Suttons are. They've never thought us worthy of them, and I was pregnant before marriage. If I'd married into their family back then, wouldn't I have just ended up being mistreated?"

I looked at her coldly and asked, "Why did you come back?"

She looked utterly justified as she replied, "Now that the Suttons have accepted you, they'll definitely accept me, too. It's perfect, isn't it? If I marry Adrian now, I'm sure my in-laws won't treat me too badly, and Rowan can finally be with his real mother. It works out for everyone."

With that, she hurried over to me and gripped my hands tightly. She looked at me with what she thought was sincerity. "Noelle, you're free now! You can go find your own happiness."

I stared back at her, and my face was expressionless. In her eyes was the same naive certainty that had been cultivated by a lifetime of favoritism and indulgence. She was naive to the point of stupidity.

She was so sure that I, the younger sister who'd always been overlooked, existed solely to sacrifice for her.

I let out a cold laugh and pulled my hands from her grasp. "I'm very satisfied with my life right now. Vivian, you're the one who needs a reality check."

With that, I turned and walked out of this house that had never held any warmth for me.