Bitter Truths

Kate stared at the mansion sprawled before her. She never truly belonged there, not really. Her mother had wanted the finest thing in life so she had gone for the richest man she could find. As she passed through the gates, she recalled as a child, gaping in awe at the riches all around. The beautiful gates they'd just come through, the beautiful lawn and the swing creaking in the wind. 

Little Kate wanted to run off and play with the swing. "What have I told you about unladylike behaviour, Kate! " her mother had snapped. 

"Oh, Margaret," A man with a dust of silver hair interrupted, "let the child play," She would come to know him as John, her stepfather. 

"Evelyn!" Her stepfather had called out. And out came a girl looking to be about the same age as Kate. "Yes Father, I'm sorry I wasn't here to welcome our guests. " Evelyn had said with such quiet grace Kate's mother favoured her with her sweetest smile. "What splendid manners!" 

John had smiled, watching his daughter with love. Then Evelyn had gone to Kate and taken her hands in hers. "Come, let me show you around." Evelyn had said nicely. "We are going to be such good friends."

Kate remembered returning the smile, she remembered how her innocence became the very weapon Evelyn used against her. 

---

The house still looked as she remembered it. Well decorated to her mother's outstanding taste. Not even the cushions were out of place. She heard conversations flowing from the living room into the foyer. Of course, Evelyn was here. Kate's mother doted on Evelyn more than she did her own daughter. 

But Kate had to hear the truth from her mother's mouth, she had to look into her mother's eyes and see for herself. 

"Evie, darling," her mother was saying to Evelyn. "I checked with the seamstress this morning, the gown wouldn't be ready until next week."

"Oh, I can't wait," Evelyn gave a dramatic sigh, "the gala would go as planned."

"I couldn't be more proud of you sweetheart," her mother nodded with pride, then the smile froze on her face when she saw Kate watching them by the door.

"Good gracious," her mother sputtered, placing a hand on her chest. "You nearly scared me to death." 

"Kate!" Evelyn got over her shock quickly, one moment her mask had slipped, and Kate saw her for what she was, a monster masquerading as a sister. "You could have told us you were coming."

"And ruin the surprise," Kate said sweetly, walking into the room. Evelyn blinked like she wasn't sure it was Kate talking. 

"You know mother, I used to ask myself if I could ever be good enough for you." Kate began, keeping her voice clear and sharp. "Was there anything I could do to please you, to make you give me a scrap of affection, tell me, was I that difficult to love?"

"For God's sake, Kate." Her mother snapped, face pinched with impatience. 

"Perhaps we should all calm down." Evelyn immediately stepped in, wearing a picture of cool and reasonable. Making Kate seem like a child throwing a fit. Kate could see it all now, and perhaps she had always known, but now it was so glaringly obvious it felt like a slap in the face. 

"You could have had any man you wanted but you chose to take what belonged to me, just like you've done when we were little, how dare you look me in the eye and tell me to calm down!" 

Evelyn's eyes widened in surprise as if she was hurt, then in a flash, it was replaced by hatred. 

"Don't speak to your sister like that." Kate's mother said without a shred of remorse. 

"Sister? Tell me, mother, did you know about this? Did you protect her again instead of me, your own daughter?" Her mother took away her face. 

"Evelyn is family, and don't go blaming her for what happened to you. She sacrificed more than you could ever know, she saw you loved him and gave him up--

"What did you just say?" Kate's head was starting to spin. 

"You've got it all confused sister," Evelyn said gently. "I didn't take what belonged to you. I swear I told Alex to stay away after your marriage." Her eyes filled with tears, "But he would not listen to me, he said he'd kill himself if..." Evelyn delicately dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. "When I saw you loved him Kate, I let him go."

"You let him go! You mean to tell me you and Alex were together before he married me? You assured me he was your friend and nothing more--"

"That's because we were friends then--"

"You manipulative, lying, bitch!" Kate was seeing clearly now. The web Evelyn had spun so carefully. 

"You watched me marry a man you slept with and said nothing, you smiled at my wedding like nothing happened. You--both of you sat there like I was a fool, like I was borrowing someone's leftovers. And you came into my home, you looked into my eyes and claimed to love me! You got what you wanted, didn't you?"

"I will not hear you insult Evelyn again, Kate." Her mother was glaring at her. "She wanted you to be happy, just like she's always done when you were little. She gave you her favourite dolls, her pretty dresses because she loved you. Always supporting and protecting you despite your inadequacies, you could never be enough."

Kate knew then that she'd never had a family in the first place. And she couldn't lose what she never had. 

"She didn't tell you, did she?" Kate asked her mother, looking at Evelyn. 

"Tell me what?" Her mother said. And for the first time, she saw uncertainty in those hardened eyes. 

Kate's smile was cold. "I expect she didn't see that coming. Must have ruined her perfect little plan." 

Evelyn was finding it hard to keep pretending. The smile on her face was getting stiffer by the second. "Mother, you know, Kate, she makes things up when she's upset."

"Say whatever you want, Evelyn. You two didn't just take away my husband, you've been stealing my life since I was a child, the two of you can keep each other, but know this, you'll never get another piece of me."

And with that, she walked out on them. The blindfold was removed and Kate had finally broken free.