Chapter 1

“Kaitlyn, this is your idea of being well-brought-up?”

My elder brother, Baron Johnston, looked at me with disgust.

“It’s just one college spot. If you want it, you can retake the test. If you don’t, we’re rich enough to support you for the rest of your life.”

“That’s right, Kaitlyn. You’ve let me down.”

My mother, Laurel Johnston, gave me a disappointed look.

“You’re our daughter. A fancy degree is just a cherry on top.

“But Hannah’s different. She needs this.”

I looked at them, who wholeheartedly planned everything for Hannah. I sneered and said, “If being a Johnston means I can’t go to an Ivy League school, then maybe I don’t want to be a Johnston anymore.”

My father, Jerry Johnston, slapped me across the face.

“You’re so ungrateful!

“While you were gone, your mother would’ve fallen apart if it weren’t for Hannah. This family would’ve been destroyed.

“You came back and took everything from her. You’re so stingy you can’t even give up one lousy college spot!”

I wanted to argue, but Hannah ran up to me with tears streaming down her face.

“Kaitlyn, please don’t be mad at them. It’s all my fault for being so useless.

“I don’t have to go to college. I’ll do whatever makes you happy.”

Her face, which looked a lot like mine, was all wrapped in the phony, fragile act.

Her words made Jerry even more furious.

“If you were even half as mature as Hannah, we wouldn’t be losing sleep over you all the time.”

Then, he turned to Hannah and said affectionately, “Hannah, there’s no need to be so humble. She owes you that much. A degree from an Ivy League school will open so many doors for you.”

“Exactly! Kaitlyn, you’re the one who wandered off because you were too caught up in your own fun. You almost destroyed this family.

“Hannah stepped in and held us together. Now it’s your turn to give something back,” Baron said as he shot me a venomous look

His smug, self-righteous expression made me want to gag.

“Back then, I was just five years old. You insisted on taking me to see the circus. Then, you got distracted by an ice cream truck and ditched me.

“If anyone is to blame, it should be you.”

Laurel’s shrill voice rang out as she yelled at me, “Kaitlyn, how dare you talk about your brother that way? He was just seven years old! He was so wrecked with guilt that he was sick for days. You can’t hold that against him!”

Like a lioness protecting her cub, she shielded Baron behind her.

Jerry also watched me warily, as if afraid I would harm Hannah.

In this household, I had always been an outsider.

“Mom, there’s no point arguing with someone this ungrateful. In short, starting today, you are Hannah, and she’ll go to college in your place.”

I had my own reasons for deciding to return to this family back then. Some small part of me expected more from them. After all, in my foggy memories, I used to be their little princess.