Chapter 4

The living room fell silent.

Dad frowned. "Naomi, what did you just say?"

Celia froze too. The concerned look from moments ago vanished as she stared at me in surprise.

Mom shot up from the couch. "What's with the attitude? Are you really going to stop helping this family? Did I raise you all these years for nothing?"

My voice rose before I could stop it. "Then why doesn't Celia have to chip in?"

Mom's expression darkened. "That's different. Celia has enough expenses as it is. Why are you comparing yourself to her?"

"How is it different? You bought her a car, and I'm still expected to help pay her way? Look at the clothes she wears and all the things she has, then look at me. I'm her sister, but I live like I'm her mother!"

Before I knew what was happening, Mom slapped me across the face. My cheek burned, and tears finally spilled down my face.

Her hand trembled as she sat back down on the couch, clutching her chest like she was the one who'd been slapped.

Dad snapped at me. "You're a grown woman. Why are you arguing with your mother?"

Celia stepped forward and looked down at me. "Naomi, how can you talk to Mom like that? She's your mother. Show some respect."

I looked at her, so self-righteous as she lectured me, and suddenly I could barely breathe.

Celia got everything in this family, and somehow she was always in the right. Now she was standing over me in her heels, judging me.

I looked away and said quietly, "Yeah. You're such a good daughter."

Celia's face flushed and her eyes reddened.

Just then, Bryan came back in after walking Marissa downstairs.

"Celia, what happened?"

Celia ran straight into his arms, crying too hard to speak.

Mom pointed at me and scoffed. "Naomi Kessler thinks she's all grown up now and can do whatever she wants! Bryan, if you marry her, you're going to have your hands full. Celia has a lot more sense than she does!"

Bryan frowned at me. "Naomi, apologize to your mom and Celia."

My cheek was still red from the slap, but he didn't notice. He didn't care enough to notice.

Celia was still in his arms, and he only had eyes for her.

I slowly got to my feet and looked around the living room. Everyone was staring at me like I'd committed some unforgivable crime.

Without another word, I went back to my room and locked the door.

Outside, I could hear Bryan apologizing for me, saying I should've known better, while Dad comforted Mom.

As Celia's sobs gradually turned to laughter, I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying out loud.

For the next few days, I might as well have been invisible at home.

Mom and Dad barely acknowledged me, while Bryan and Celia kept posting pictures of themselves together. One day they were at a street fair, and the next they were grabbing barbecue.

Every night, they came back together, said goodnight at the door, and then went their separate ways.

Three days later, I finished packing and was ready to leave without a word. But as soon as I stepped out of my bedroom, I saw Mom sitting on the couch, watching me with a cold expression.

"Your flight's today?"

My mind went blank for a second.

Before I could answer, Bryan came in with Celia. Celia immediately gave Mom an OK sign.

Mom got to her feet with a scoff. "Bryan saw your application for the overseas assignment in your email. You still thought you could leave the country?

"He and Celia already went to your office and turned in your resignation for you. From now on, find a job close to home and settle down. Stop wasting your time on this nonsense!"

I stared at Bryan in disbelief. "You handed in my resignation? Who gave you the right?"

His gaze darted away for a moment, but he quickly put on a concerned look.

"I'm only looking out for you. If you move that far away, what are we supposed to do about getting married? Why can't you just stay here and settle down with me?"

Anger surged through me. I had nothing left to say to any of them, so I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door.

Mom shouted, "You're not going anywhere! You're not walking out that door today!"

I tried desperately to push past them and make a run for the door, but they held me back. In the chaos, someone snatched my phone out of my pocket.

"Give me my phone back!" I screamed.

No one paid any attention. They dragged me back to my bedroom and shoved me inside.

The lock clicked on the other side.

Then Mom spoke from the other side of the door, her tone disturbingly casual. "We're going to Bryan's for dinner. We'll let you out when we get back tonight. Once you stop trying to leave, we can sit down and talk."

I twisted the doorknob frantically and pounded on the door. "Let me out! You can't do this to me! Mom! Dad! Bryan! Open the door!"

No one answered.

I checked the time. There wasn't much time left before my flight.

Just when I was starting to lose hope, I heard someone downstairs yelling my name. "Naomi Kessler, you liar! Get down here!"

I rushed to the window. The second I recognized the face below, I laughed through my tears.

Once the lock was forced open, I went straight to the airport.

Before boarding, I took one last look at the city. Then I got on the plane without looking back.