Chapter 3

Diana squeezed my hand tighter in the passenger seat, her thumb rubbing small circles like she used to do back in design school when I stressed over a bad critique. "Talk to me, Jasmine. All of it. Do not hold back this time."

I let out a shaky breath and stared straight ahead at the building. The sky had turned that soft gray color, the kind that comes right before the sun decides to show up. "Where do I even start, Di? I walked into his penthouse with the dress and the champagne, ready to celebrate finishing it. Then I heard him say her name. Ava. My sister… In his bed."

Diana shifted so she could face me better, her leopard print scarf from last night still wrapped around her neck even with the sweats. "Your sister Ava? The twenty-four-year-old who posts those filtered selfies and calls herself the family star? Damn. How long has this been going on?"

"I do not know," I said, my voice cracking on the words. "He tried to tell me it was one stupid moment and stress from the company. But she texted me about the baby. She is pregnant, Di. And she said we need to talk like adults. Like this is some business deal."

Diana cursed under her breath, loud enough that I almost smiled despite everything. "Pregnant? That girl has been the shining star in your mom's eyes since she popped out. Remember when we were at your parents' house for that dinner two months ago? Margaret kept going on about how Ava landed that modeling side gig. While you sat there after designing half of Lancaster's new line."

I nodded slowly, the memories flooding back as I spoke them out loud. "Mom has always done that. Since we were kids. Ava is three years younger but she got treated like the prize. I was the older one, the plus-sized one who took up space. Mom would say things like, 'You would be so pretty if you just lost a little weight, Jasmine. Stop wearing those baggy patterns.' Or 'Ryan is lucky to overlook your size. Men like him do not usually go for girls who do not shrink themselves.'"

"Overlook?" Diana repeated, her eyes wide. "She said that to your face? While you were engaged?"

"More than once," I continued, gripping the steering wheel again even though the car was parked. "At family dinners, she would smile at Ava and say, 'Look how gracefully your sister moves. Jasmine, you could learn from her.' Then she would turn to me with that concerned look. 'Men like Ryan do not usually stay with someone who... stands out so much. Be grateful, honey.' It was always dressed up as concern. Never outright mean, but it chipped away at me every time."

Diana leaned back in the seat, shaking her head. "And you took it. Every time. Because that is who you are. The one who forgives and shrinks to keep the peace. But this? Your own sister sleeping with your man and carrying his kid? That is not something you just forgive."

I turned to look at her finally. Her face showed everything. No big dramatic speech, just that steady presence she always had. The kind that made her the only person who never let me disappear into the background. "I gave up so much for Ryan, Di. When we met, he was nobody. Just a guy with big ideas and no follow-through.”

"You turned down Parsons' full scholarship for him," Diana said, finishing my thought like she had heard this before.

"Exactly," I replied, my words coming faster now. "I believed him. I worked late in that studio he bought me as an engagement gift. Four hundred hours on this wedding dress alone. Last night I redid the neckline because he once complained the old one made me look like I was hiding. I told myself, I am done making myself smaller for anyone. Then I walked in on them and everything shattered."

Diana reached over and brushed a loose curl from my protective style back into place. "You are not small, Jasmine. You never were. Your designs, your talent, the way you see clothes and make them celebrate bodies like yours. That is huge. Ryan and Ava are the small ones here."

We sat quietly for a minute, the only sound coming from the early birds starting to chirp outside. I rubbed my hands together, trying to get some warmth back. "What am I supposed to do now? The wedding is in three days. Mom is going to call any minute. I know it. She will want us all to sit down and be gracious about this mess."

"Let her call," Diana said firmly. "But you do not have to answer right away. You stayed in this car all night because going home felt impossible. That tells me everything. You are hurting, but you are also thinking. That brain of yours that built Lancaster's whole look is still working."

I managed a small laugh through the tightness in my chest. "Thinking about how Ava has been the favorite since birth. Mom dressed her up like a doll and told me to watch and learn. 'Ava has that natural beauty, Jasmine. You have to work at it.' Even Dennis, my dad, would just sit there quietly. He never defended me, and just nodded along."

"Your dad is complicit with his silence," Diana added. "I have seen it at those family things. He lets Margaret run the show. And now this pregnancy changes everything for them. They will probably push you to step aside so Ava can have her perfect little family picture."

The words hit hard. I pictured it already. Mom in the living room, arranging everyone like a photo shoot. "You are the mature one, Jasmine. Think of the baby." I said it out loud, mimicking her tone. "Ryan never really loved you the way you deserved anyway. Deep down you knew that."

Diana snorted. "She would say that. Because admitting Ava did something wrong would crack her perfect image. But you know the truth. You built that man up from nothing. Your patterns, your strategies. So he owes you."

"I know," I whispered. "But it still hurts. Six years. I loved him completely and forgave the late nights, and the small comments about my curves. I thought he saw past all that."

"He did not deserve to see you at all," Diana shot back. "You are brilliant. That capsule collection idea you sketched last month? The one for plus-sized women that celebrates every line? That is your future. Not cleaning up after Ryan and Ava."

My phone buzzed on the dashboard. We both looked at it. Mom's name lit up the screen. Margaret Reed. Right on time.

"Do not pick up yet," Diana said, but I already had it in my hand.

I answered, putting it on speaker so Diana could hear. "Mom."

"Jasmine, where are you?" Margaret's voice came through sharp but controlled, like she was in full planning mode. "Ryan called me. We need to talk as a family this morning. Come home. This does not have to get ugly."

I glanced at Diana, who rolled her eyes hard. "Ugly? Mom, I walked in on my fiancé with my sister last night. She is pregnant. How much uglier does it get?"

Margaret sighed, the sound full of that fake patience she used on me. "You are the older sister. The more mature one. Ava is young. These things happen. Ryan's family connections matter to the company. Think about the bigger picture. You have always been so good at being gracious."

"Gracious," I repeated, my grip tightening on the phone. "Like when you told me Ryan was lucky to overlook my size? Or that men like him do not usually choose girls who take up space? You said that for years, Mom. While pushing Ava forward as the shining star."

"That was a mother's concern," she replied quickly. "I wanted the best for you. Ava has always had that spark. You know it. Now come home so we can discuss this calmly. The baby needs stability. We can work this out without drama."

Diana leaned toward the phone. "Mrs. Reed, this is Diana. Jasmine does not owe anyone calm right now. She owes herself time."

Margaret ignored her completely. "Jasmine, please. Your father agrees. Come to the house. Ryan will be there. Ava too. We are family."

I stared at the phone, the weight of her words pressing down. Family. The same family that made me feel worthless for years. Ava, the golden child at twenty-four, and I, the one who worked twice as hard just to be seen.

"I will think about it," I said finally, keeping my voice even.

"Do not take too long," Mom warned. "This affects everyone."

I hung up without another word. Diana looked at me, waiting.

"She wants me to step aside," I told her, repeating the conversation. "Be the mature one. Let Ava have the spotlight again. Like always."

Diana shook her head. "And you are going to let her pull you into that living room trap?"

I did not answer right away. My hands still shook a little as I set the phone down. The sun was fully up now, light hitting the dashboard and making everything feel too real. I had sat in this car all night, replaying every sacrifice. Every time I made myself smaller for Ryan, for Mom's approval.

But now the shaking would not stop. Not from sadness exactly. I was not okay. Not even close. But for the first time since walking out of that penthouse, I felt decisive. Like something had shifted even if I could not name it yet.

Diana squeezed my hand again. "Whatever you do, I am right here. But that family meeting? It is going to be brutal."

I nodded, staring at the building entrance. Part of me wanted to drive away and never look back. But Mom's call pulled at all the old habits. The need to keep things from exploding.

What would happen when I walked into that house? When I faced Ava with her hand on her stomach and Ryan avoiding my eyes? When Mom laid out her plan for me to disappear quietly?

My phone buzzed once more. A text from Ryan this time. "Family meeting at your parents. Please come. I am sorry, Jas."

I read it out loud to Diana. She cursed again.

The morning stretched ahead, full of decisions I did not want to make. But I knew I had to face them. The question was, how much of myself was I willing to give up this time?