Chapter 2: Their Second-Best Daughter

“How long have you two known about their affair?” Kourtney asked again furiously.

“Calm down, Honey! They started seeing each other about five months ago. We didn't want to believe it either but we had to face the truth. We're so sorry, Kourtney,” her mother, Margaret, replied casually.

Kourtney’s eyes widened in shock as she screamed. “Five months?”

It was around the same time she and Brandon started making preparations for their dream wedding that was supposed to happen in three weeks. ‘No wonder he was always too busy to give me time and attention these days. I was such a fool,’ she thought bitterly.

“Why... How could you keep something like that from me? From your own daughter?"

"We wanted to protect you, darling. We thought it would be better for you to find out when you were ready,” Margaret explained softly.

Kourtney's heart sank further, feeling a pang of betrayal from her parents. Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and hurt. "Ready? How could I ever be ready for this?”

Her whole world had just crumbled. And her dreams of a happily ever after were crushed to the ground. But now, she also had to confront the fact that her own parents had kept this painful secret from her. The betrayal extended beyond Brandon and Kathlyn; it involved her parents too.

"Kourtney, we never condoned what Kathlyn and Brandon did, but there's something else you need to know. Kathlyn is pregnant for him too,” her father finally broke his silence.

The words hung heavy in the air, amplifying the shock that rushed through Kourtney's veins. Her legs grew weak as she held a nearby couch to keep her from falling. She felt as if the ground beneath her had crumbled.

"Pre... Pregnant?" Kourtney's voice quivered in fright. She felt a mix of shock, betrayal, heartbreak, and confusion.

“Wait... So you... You both support this? You're both taking Kathlyn’s side?”

Margaret sighed. “Kourtney dear! As parents, we have to support Kathlyn and consider the well-being of the innocent life growing inside her.”

 “........”

Kourtney felt like she just heard the funniest joke ever. Laughter bubbled up from within her, but it was hollow, devoid of humor. It was rather a laughter filled with pain and disbelief. The room seemed to spin as she struggled to process the enormity of the situation. It had become more surreal than she ever imagined.

The betrayal had now taken on a whole new dimension, with the impending arrival of a child that would forever connect Brandon and Kathlyn. 

As the laughter subsided, Kourtney's face turned pale, her eyes plugged with tears. The weight of the truth pressed down on her, threatening to crush her spirit entirely. And she finally lost her last thread of control.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Why would you take Kathlyn's side? She stole the man I loved!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, gnashing her teeth in fury.

“It's a complicated situation, and we believe it's best if you let them be. The already-planned wedding will go on. But Kathlyn will take your place at the altar.

“What??”

“Yes, she will be a better wife for Brandon than you, Kourtney. She would help us get the full support of the Smiths, something you've not been able to achieve despite dating him for years,” Her father, Luke’s tone was laced with annoyance and disappointment as he spoke.

There wasn't a single ounce of sympathy for her.

Kourtney’s mouth fell as she grasped the harsh reality of her father's words.

Brandon's family, the Smiths, were one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Melbourne. They were ranked sixth after The Woods, The Thompsons, The Stones, The Turners, and The Emersons. And Luke had been trying to increase their family's power and status by getting close to the Smiths for a long time.

He was so happy when Kourtney was able to snag the heart of the Smith’s 3rd young master three years ago, knowing full well he would now be able to leech off them.

He kept making demand after demand, disturbing Kourtney to get more support and connections from the Smiths to solidify their family’s standing in high society. Of course, she refused to oblige to most of his wishes. It had always felt suffocating, but she had convinced herself that her love for Brandon was enough to endure it.

"So... that’s all this is to you? A chance to gain more influence and power? What about my happiness?” Kourtney’s voice cracked as she screamed.

"Kourtney, it's not just about influence and power. It's about securing a better future for our family, for us to finally be among the elites. We've struggled for far too long, and this was an opportunity we couldn't afford to let slip away. You were always too shy to ask Brandon for anything. Your younger sister is way smarter than you. She understands what needs to be done!”

Luke's face hardened as he responded in one breath, his voice filled with determination. It was as if he was blinded to the pain Kourtney was experiencing, and it didn't matter to him.

“So you... You sent her to seduce my fiancé because you feel she‘d do better at fulfilling your greedy and selfish ambitions?” Kourtney asked, clutching her burning chest tightly.

Margaret leaned forward, trying to hug Kourtney in her arms as she sensed her reaching her breaking point.

“Don’t fucking touch me... You all disgust me.” Kourtney angrily avoided her mother’s touch, shoving her away, sending her stumbling straight to the ground.

Slap!

“You insolent girl! How dare you push your mother?” Luke shouted before reaching forward to give Kourtney another dirty slap.

She stood there holding her left cheek in pain. She was stunned and heartbroken, but her father’s double slaps totally killed her already shattered spirit.

“No honey, stop hitting her. It isn't Kourtney’s fault. We could have told her much earlier,” Margaret said while standing up, holding her husband to calm down.

“Get out!!! We don't want to see you right now," Luke thundered furiously.

Kourtney turned away on her heels as she realized that the support she had desperately hoped for from her parents wasn’t forthcoming. The realization cut deep, leaving her feeling abandoned and alone in her pain.

She has always been like a wallpaper while Kathlyn was always noticed and loved by others, even their parents. She knew Kathlyn had always been their favorite daughter, and they took her side in everything.

But somehow, she was hopeful things would be different this time. Instead, she experienced the worst kind of rejection. She was the victim here, yet Kathlyn and her child’s well-being and happiness were all her parents cared about.

Sometimes, she wondered if these people were really her parents. They already knew her sister and fiancé were having an affair all this time, yet they didn't bother to tell her. Did they believe that she deserved to suffer?

Her heart ached with resentment as she ran out of the huge villa. She had always felt like their second-best daughter, but now it seemed that the favoritism had taken a painful turn and became even worse. The knowledge of her parent's awareness of the affair intensified the hurt.

After staggering to the driveway, Kourtney got into her car again and started driving around aimlessly. Her tears flowed hard as she continued twirling in circles around Melbourne. She had nowhere to go or who to talk to right now.

Her best friend, Lilian Powell, was back in her hometown for a family function. Kourtney didn't want to bother Lilian with her problems, knowing she would be busy.

After a few hours, she started to pull herself together. She had always admired herself for being a strong person who never let anyone or anything break her down. The time of crying was over.  She had no intention of shedding any more tears over those horrible people.

She quickly gathered her thoughts and was able to process her next plan of action. She would move away immediately to the USA and start a brand new life. She wanted to leave behind the painful memories and heartbreak.

Kourtney packed her car on the roadside and started wiping her tear-stained face with tissues. She then applied light and delicate makeup to cover her red and puffy cheeks. As a natural beauty with emerald green eyes and thick brown locks, she didn't need to use too much makeup for her beauty to radiate.

Once she saw herself in the mirror and realized she looked fresh and presentable enough, she started driving toward the Melbourne international airport to book her flight. The evening was approaching, so she chose to take a shortcut on a less busy one-way street to get there faster.

As she drove down the streets, she was distracted and lost in her emotions. Her thoughts were consumed by heartbreak and betrayal.

Suddenly, a car approached from the opposite direction, honking its horn loudly. Startled, Kourtney tried to veer out of the way, but it was too late. The two vehicles collided head-on, causing a jolting impact and screeching tires.

“Ahhhhh!” Kourtney cried out as her entire body jerked forward with full force.