Chapter 4

Ethan's expression darkened instantly.

“Claire, how can you still be this cruel?”

He shot to his feet.

“Can't you just give Emily a little leeway? She grew up in the Bennett family. This is her home. Who are you to tell her to leave?”

I looked up at him, expressionless.

“What about me?”

“Isn't this my family too?”

“I only gave you a hypothetical, and you're already this angry. When have things ever been fair between Emily and me?”

I paused.

“And Mr. Bennett, I'll tell you one more time.”

“My name is Morgan. Not Bennett.”

Ethan opened his mouth,

but couldn't find a response.

He looked away sharply and stormed out of my office.

For the next few days,

Ethan didn't come back.

I was perfectly happy to have the peace and spent all my time preparing for the final phase of the project.

On the last morning,

I received an encrypted call.

“Dr. Morgan, the deactivation of your civilian identity is complete, and your records have been transferred.”

“You'll be transported to the classified facility at 8 p.m. tonight. Please take care of any personal matters before then.”

I had just started packing when Ethan appeared at my office again.

His expression was complicated.

“Mom and Dad said they're willing to consider what you asked for.”

“If you come home first, and you and Emily still can't get along,”

“We'll discuss having her move out.”

I knew they had no intention of making Emily leave.

They only wanted me to come home so they could prove I still would.

I glanced at the time.

There were only a few hours left before my transport departed.

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll go home with you one last time.”

Just to say goodbye.

I was silent for a moment.

“Fine. I'll go home with you one last time.”

A flicker of relief crossed Ethan's face.

“Then let's go. The car's downstairs.”

The streets blurred past the window.

Familiar neighborhoods slowly came into view,

until we finally pulled up outside the house that had trapped me for ten years.

The moment I stepped inside,

I heard crying.

Emily was curled up on the living room couch, clutching Mrs. Bennett’s arm.

“I don't want this!”

“I don't want another sister!”

“This is my home! Why should I have to leave just because she came back?”

“Do you not want me anymore?”

Mom rubbed her back, heartbroken.

“Sweetheart, no one's making you leave. It's okay. Stop crying.”

Dad sat nearby, his brow furrowed.

Then Emily spotted me.

She shot to her feet and pointed at me.

“Get out!”

“This is my house! Who said you could come here?”

Ethan frowned.

“Emily, don't talk to her like that.”

Emily froze.

Then she burst into tears again and threw herself into Mrs. Bennett’s arms.

“Mom, Ethan yelled at me!”

“He's taking her side over me!”

“I don't want to live anymore!”

Mrs. Bennett went pale.

“Don't say that. Don't ever say that.”

“I'm right here. No one's going anywhere.”

Ethan stood there, looking miserable.

Neither of them even looked at me.

Finally, Ethan turned toward me and lowered his voice.

“Maybe you should stay at the other house for now.”

“Once Emily calms down, we can talk again.”

“Didn't you say she was going to move out?”

I interrupted him.

Ethan's eyes flickered.

He sighed.

“Look at her right now.”

“What if something happens again?”

“Claire, just give her one last chance.”

I looked at the four people in front of me.

And suddenly, I laughed.

Not because anything was funny.

Not because I had expected them to choose me.

I laughed because, even now, they still believed I had come here to compete with Emily.

They thought asking whether she would move out meant I wanted her room, her name, and her place beside them.

They had never understood that I was only testing whether their idea of fairness applied to both daughters.

Now I had my answer.

“I never asked you to make Emily leave,” I said.

Ethan stared at me.

“You just did.”

“No. I asked what you would do if the same condition were placed on her.”

I looked around the room.

“You offered me another house because you knew you would never ask Emily to give up this one. You called that fair because you assumed I would be grateful for whatever she didn’t need.”

Mrs. Bennett’s face went pale.

“Claire, that isn’t—”

“It is.”

I glanced at the clock.

My transport would leave in a few hours.

They thought I was counting how much they had given Emily and how little they had offered me.

I was counting down the final hours before none of it mattered anymore.

Ethan instinctively stepped forward.

“I'll drive you.”

“No!”

Emily screamed through her tears.

“No one is driving her anywhere!”

Ethan looked at me helplessly.

After a moment, he said quietly,

“Fine. Be careful.”

I opened the door and walked out.

I never looked back.