Chapter 3

Justin never called again, and I spent the next few days at home in a rare, quiet peace.

On Christmas Eve, I was at the supermarket picking up groceries when Dad suddenly called.

“Come home for dinner tonight to meet your sister’s boyfriend,” he said.

I rejected his offer. “I’m not coming. I want to stay with Mom.”

“You…” He choked for a second before he replied, “It’s just one meal. You only come back once a year, and you won’t even visit me? You’re getting more unreasonable the older you get.”

I could hear the anger creeping into his voice. It was the holidays, and I didn’t want a fight.

I let out a quiet sigh. “Fine.”

…

The moment I walked through the door, Justin froze. Meanwhile, Dawn, standing beside him, looked at me with a hint of amusement, like she’d been waiting for this.

“You’re here, Trisha.”

She took Justin’s hand and walked toward me.

“Let me introduce you. This is Justin, my boyfriend and your future brother-in-law.”

I looked at him. His Adam’s apple bobbed hard. He looked like he wanted to say something, but not a single word came out. I had expected this scene, but even so, a sharp, uncontrollable pain spread through my chest.

“Oh, right,” Dawn added, “Justin and I are getting married after the holidays. You have to come, Trish.”

I clenched my teeth, afraid that the moment I opened my mouth, everything I was feeling would spill out.

“Hm? What’s with that expression, Trisha? Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

She stepped closer, studying my face with a small laugh.

“Then again, you’re not that young anymore and still unmarried. Unlike me–”

“Dawn!” Justin cut her off sharply, his expression dark.

Annoyed, she snapped, “What? Isn’t it the truth? She’s just an unwanted old woman. Am I wrong?”

“It is the truth,” I said, a faint, mocking smile on my lips. “But unlike you, I don’t go around picking up what other people threw away.”

“You!”

Furious, she pointed at me, but I slapped her hand aside.

“Trisha! What are you doing?” Dad came out of the kitchen just in time, carrying a dish.

Dawn immediately complained, “I was just telling her to get married soon, and she got mad.”

Dad slammed the dish onto the table and started lecturing me.

“Is she wrong? You’re already thirty and still not married. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?”

My stepmother, Lisa Green, stepped in right on cue.

“Alright, alright. It’s Christmas, let’s not argue. Trish, you’ve had a long trip. You must be tired. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest for a bit?”

As she spoke, she pushed me gently toward the stairs, all smiles.

Just then, a small, timid voice called out, “Trisha…”

I turned around. My little brother, Ben Fowler, stood by the doorway, looking at me with wide, hopeful eyes.

Before I could react, Lisa lowered her voice and scolded him. “Don’t bother your sister. Go play on your own.”

I gave him a small nod and headed upstairs.

The moment I opened the bedroom door, I realized the room had changed completely. It was filled with Dawn’s things. Hers and Justin’s bags were piled on the table.

I stood there for a moment, then quietly closed the door and turned away.

…

As the sky turned dark, I stood on the second floor, looking down. The kitchen lights were on. Dawn was clinging to her mother, acting spoiled, while Justin stood beside Dad, helping with the vegetables. They looked like a real family. Without me, everything felt more harmonious.

Not long after, Dawn came up to call me for dinner. As she passed by, she suddenly grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, “Stay away from Justin. He’s mine.”

I said nothing. I simply shook her hand off.

…

After dinner, Lisa carried Ben upstairs for bedtime, and Dawn followed soon after. Only Dad and Justin were left at the table. As I couldn’t bear to stay for a second longer, I stood up, ready to leave.

Suddenly, Dawn rushed downstairs and called out to me.

“Trisha, did you take my necklace? That’s the token of love between Justin and me!”

I asked, “What necklace?”

“Stop pretending! It’s the one I left in my room. You stole it! It was still there before dinner. I just checked, and now it’s gone. You were the only one upstairs during that time!”

“But I didn’t go into your room,” I said. “I only stood at the door for a second.”

Dad slammed his fist against the table, irritated.

“Enough! It’s Christmas. Can all of you stop fighting?”

Then, he shot me an impatient look. “If you took it, just give it back to Dawn.”

“Dad!” I stared at him in disbelief, my lips trembling. “You don’t believe me?”

He didn’t answer. He just turned his head away and let out a heavy sigh.

Dawn looked at me, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

“Then let’s search her.”