2

At the airport, Ethan handed me an economy-class boarding pass for our flight home.

"There were only four seats left in first class. Sienna's still shaken up. We need to be with her."

I stared at the four tickets in his other hand. I couldn't bring myself to take mine.

He used to book me the seat right next to his.

I asked, "Weren't you always worried I'd get airsick?"

He paused. "It's just a few hours. You'll live."

Sienna held out a box of pills.

"Evelyn, quit being difficult and take your medicine."

It was the medicine I had packed.

When the yacht hit the reef, Sienna had the emergency backpack in her arms.

It had the medicine in it, along with the IDs I had packed for everyone.

I reached out and took the box of pills back.

Ethan sighed in relief. "That's more like it."

But I put the box in my own bag, took out my phone, and started rebooking my ticket.

"I'm changing my flight."

"Evelyn Shaw, everyone's waiting for you!"

I looked up, my eyes stinging. "You left me behind when the yacht sank. So why are you in such a hurry now?"

Sienna's eyes went red.

Ethan grabbed my wrist. "Sienna was just trying to help! She brought you your medicine. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

Pain shot through my wound, making me gasp.

Blood seeped through the gauze, and his grip loosened.

"You're still hurt?"

I looked at him and suddenly laughed.

"I got seven stitches yesterday, and you're only asking now?"

He started to say something, but Sienna pressed a hand to her forehead and said she felt dizzy.

The moment he turned to her, I pulled my hand free.

When I got home late that night, my key wouldn't fit the lock.

I knocked for a long time before my brother opened the door.

"Sienna's using your room. Mom had the locks changed because she knew you'd come back and cause trouble."

My luggage sat in a pile by the door. My wedding dress lay exposed in its open box, a dirty shoe print stamped across the skirt.

I crouched down and wiped at it a couple of times, but the more I wiped, the dirtier it got.

In the living room, my mother was smiling as she looked over Sienna's prenatal checkup results.

"The baby's healthy. That's all that matters. Finally, some good news for this family."

Clutching the skirt, I looked up. "What about my wedding?"

The laughter stopped.

My father set down the report. "It's not like Ethan's calling off the wedding. Sienna has no parents. Someone has to look after her."

"Take care of her in my room?"

My mother frowned. "Are you seriously picking a fight with a pregnant woman?"

Sienna rose from the sofa, leaning on it for support. "I'll leave. Please don't fight over me."

My brother stopped her at once.

"You're not the one who needs to go."

My hand stilled on my suitcase.

He seemed to realize he'd gone too far and looked away. "Go stay at a hotel for a few days. Come back once you've calmed down."

I bent to close my suitcase and realized my jewelry box was gone.

The pearl necklace my grandmother left me was around Sienna's neck.

"Take it off."

My voice was tight.

She covered the necklace with her hand. "Mom said I could borrow it for the engagement party..."

"Grandma left that to me."

My mother held out an arm to stop me. "It's just a necklace. Do you really have to make such a scene?"

In the struggle, the thin strand snapped, and pearls scattered all over the floor.

I froze for a second, then scrambled to pick them up.

"Don't step on them!"

Ethan stopped and looked down at me.

"It's just an old necklace. I'll buy you a new one."

I picked up the pearl beside his shoe, my hand trembling so badly I could barely grasp it.

"At the end, Grandma could hardly get a word out, and she still remembered to tell me to wear it at my wedding."

Tears splashed onto the floor.

"Ethan, how could you ever replace that?"

He crouched down as if he wanted to help.

I gathered the pearls into my palm and pulled away before he could touch them.

As I was leaving, Sienna asked if she could wear my dress.

Owen had already brought her the box.

"Evelyn, let her have it just this once."

I looked at that box and slowly wiped my face dry.

"Take it."

When the elevator doors closed, I extended my hotel stay.

This time, I didn't ask them when I could come home.