Chapter 2

When Mom and Dad were sure that I really had no intention of making a fuss anymore, they stopped paying attention to me and hurried off with Suzanne to the living room to give the Klein family the good news.

They didn't even care how awful I still felt. I stayed there coughing for what felt like forever, but no one even bothered to check on me.

After getting to my feet with the help of the wall, I made my way unsteadily toward the villa next door.

Reaching for the keypad, I keyed in my own birthday out of pure habit. A beep sounded, and the door unlocked.

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. What was I even getting my hopes up for? This was Suzanne's birthday, after all.

The moment I walked into the villa, the sight before me made my eyes sting. This was what a real home should look like, unlike that house I stayed in.

Everywhere I looked, there were traces of everyday life, and traces of love, too. Right in the center of the living room hung a family portrait of the three of them.

They looked genuinely happy in the photo.

The house was full of pets as well. There were dogs, rabbits, parrots, and a black cat. I recognized that cat. It was entirely black except for a tiny patch of white on the tip of its tail.

Years ago, I had pulled it out of a dumpster myself. I'd brought it home and nervously asked my parents if we could keep it. They didn't say no at the time, but the very next day, the cat was gone.

I'd assumed they just didn't like pets. But now I realized Suzanne must have wanted it, so they just gave it to her without even bothering to tell me.

Suddenly, an angry shout came from behind me. "Danielle Weston, what are you doing here?"

I turned around and saw Mom, Dad, and Suzanne standing in the doorway.

The moment they saw me standing in front of the family portrait, they rushed over to protect it.

"Did you sneak in here to trash the place?"

Suzanne lunged forward to shove me, but I simply sidestepped, taking a step back.

When she failed to put her hands on me, she lost her balance and almost fell.

Mom immediately caught her and shot me a death glare. "What, you couldn't trash the place, so now you want to get physical?"

I slowly looked up and gave them a calm, placid smile. "Of course not. I've already thought things through. I'm not going to make a fuss. Suzanne's been with you since she was born, so naturally, she's your daughter. You guys are a family."

Mom was absolutely delighted to hear that. "In that case, there's no point in keeping two separate houses! Let's just all live in the same house together. It'll be easier to plan Suzanne's wedding that way as well."

Suzanne snuggled into Mom's arms and flashed me a smug smile. Dad stood off to the side, still looking a bit wary.

I couldn't really blame him. After all, when they brought me home, I had cried, screamed, and even threatened to kill myself just to avoid living under the same roof as Suzanne.

I looked him dead in the eye and nodded again, repeatedly assuring him that I was truly over it. Only then did Dad drop his guard and give me a genuine smile.

Mom was already itching to get started. She grabbed Dad, and they rushed off to start moving their things.

Unable to stomach their suffocating display of affection, I quietly slipped back to my own room. I sat in my room for a long time, but the cheer and celebration I was expecting never came.

I got up and opened my door. The dead silence in the hallway made my heart skip a beat.

As I opened Mom and Dad's bedroom door, I noticed that everything that belonged to them was gone.

The secret door at the back of their closet was wide open. Through it, I could see the warm, cozy glow of lights coming from the house next door.

Once again, I had gotten ahead of myself. That was their home. Not this.