Chapter 2

Everyone nearby was gathered around Celia, looking at the photos.

I pulled out my phone and texted my boss, Trevor Freeman. "Is that partnership offer you mentioned yesterday still on the table?"

His reply came almost immediately. I could practically hear the sarcasm through the screen.

"Oh? So you can actually leave for five years after all? What happened to being the one holding your whole family together?"

Trevor had offered me the same opportunity the year before. But when I told my family it would mean spending five years overseas, they all immediately said no.

Mom said, "This family depends on you. If you leave, everything will fall apart."

Bryan looked conflicted too. "Naomi, we're not getting any younger. I'm not asking you to be the breadwinner, but you can't move that far away."

Back then, I thought Mom, Dad, and Bryan needed me, so I gave up the opportunity without a second thought.

But now, as I watched the four of them together, looking like one happy family, I couldn't keep fooling myself.

I looked down and typed a reply. "I'm not worried about that anymore. Go ahead and get things started."

The moment I hit send, Bryan spoke up beside me. "Get what started? I've been trying to get your attention. Didn't you hear me?"

I locked my phone. "Nothing. Just work. Weren't you supposed to be meeting a client today?"

He looked away, suddenly a little uneasy. "It got rescheduled. I didn't get a chance to tell you."

He didn't have time to tell me, but he had time to go shopping with Celia?

I wanted to call him out on it, but in the end, I just smiled bitterly.

Bryan was my boyfriend, yet he spent all his free time with Celia. He went shopping with her, did pottery with her, and even went to get-togethers with her classmates as her boyfriend.

I'd confronted him about it before, and I'd gotten upset.

But Mom and Dad always said, "Celia's still young. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

Bryan would frown at me too. "Naomi, you're her older sister. You should know better."

But just once, I wanted to stop being the sensible one and live a little. I wanted to hang out with friends, go shopping, and buy things I liked, just like everyone else.

That evening, Mom asked Bryan to stay for dinner, and Celia brought up moving out.

"I already found a place. It's an apartment on the west side."

I glanced at Mom, expecting her to shut the idea down the way she had when I wanted to move out.

Instead, Mom added a few slices of meat to Celia's plate and asked with concern, "Are you sure you'll be safe living alone? Do you have enough money? I can help with the rent if you need me to."

I looked up sharply.

Mom had been just as anxious when I told her I wanted to move out. Except back then, she'd been anxious because she thought I was trying to get away from them and didn't want to take care of her and Dad.

Apparently, not every daughter was expected to put her parents first.

"No need, Mom."

Celia smiled and patted Bryan on the shoulder. "I'll be living right next door to Bryan. He'll look after me. Right, Bryan?"

For a second, I thought I'd heard her wrong. She said it so casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I instinctively looked at Bryan, but to my surprise, he seemed completely on board. He smiled at Celia with obvious fondness.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Kessler. I'll make sure Celia's taken care of."

Mom looked reassured.

I set my fork down, and the soft clink drew everyone's attention.

I clenched my hand and asked quietly, "Bryan, did you forget who your girlfriend is?"

The room went quiet for a moment.

Bryan was the first to react. His smile vanished. "Naomi, Celia's your sister. Do you really have to be this petty?"

Mom gave me an accusing look. "You're jealous of your own sister now? Why do you always have to make such a fuss?"

Celia lowered her head and said softly, "Naomi, if you don't want me to move, then I won't."

Mom glared at me before turning to reassure her. "Don't mind her. If you want to move, then move. It's none of her business."

Bryan chimed in too. "It's fine. Naomi will be over it by tomorrow. You don't have to worry about upsetting her."

I took a deep breath, got up, and went back to my room.

They could do whatever they wanted. I was done trying to make either my family or my relationship work.