Chapter 1

I stood outside the chapel, watching the wedding ceremony. The familiar pain surged through my body, but even that couldn't mask the agony in my heart.

It was all fake. Everything was a big, fat lie.

While I was forced to hide out in an abandoned clinic, afraid to eat even one extra bite of food, all they could think about was how to make sure Eliza Ward had no regrets in life.

I walked home in a daze, as if my soul had left my body.

Once upon a time, my parents and my older brother, Owen Ward, had doted on me, too. However, everything changed ten years ago, when Eliza was taken in as my adopted younger sister.

They said she was an orphan and had suffered enough, so they took it upon themselves to give her everything that belonged to me, from the toys and clothes they bought to the best education money could buy. And now, they had even given her my fiancé, Andrew Harris.

When I returned to the home I knew so well, everything seemed just as it had always been. The living room was spotless, but every trace of me had disappeared.

I glanced at the beautiful wedding cake on the dining table and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Behind me, the front door swung open. Andrew walked in, holding Eliza's hand. She was still wearing a wedding tiara. Mom and Owen followed behind her, holding the train of her wedding gown.

All four of them froze when they saw me standing in the middle of the living room.

Mom was the first to approach. She touched my icy hand and asked, "Sophia, how did you get out?"

Her voice was gentle but laced with surprise, as though I wasn't supposed to be here.

"There was never an apocalypse, was there?"

I looked into her eyes, my voice barely above a whisper.

Owen stepped forward and patted my head, just as he always had. "You saw everything, didn't you, Sophia? I know it wasn't right to keep this from you, but Ellie doesn't have much time left. She's an orphan. Her only dying wish is simply to experience what it's like to have family and a loved one by her side."

His voice was full of sympathy. It was as if even the slightest objection from me would prove that I was being unreasonable and throwing a ridiculous fit.

"So, you lied to me about the apocalypse and hid me in an abandoned clinic? Do you have any idea what kind of life I was living there?" I questioned.

I struggled to keep my voice from trembling while desperately trying to hold back my tears.

Afraid of becoming a burden to them, I'd given the only flask of hot water available to Mom, who claimed that she'd become especially sensitive to the cold after awakening her powers. Then I'd curled into a ball and endured every freezing, agonizing night on my own.

Andrew came over and straightened my slightly disheveled clothes. "Sophia, stop being so immature. We're just fulfilling your sister's dying wish. As her older sister, you should be a little more understanding. She's been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. She's already suffered enough."

His tone was unmistakably impatient, making it seem as if my trembling and hurt feelings were nothing more than a childish temper tantrum.

Eliza's eyes reddened, and she shrank into Andrew's arms.

"I'm sorry, Sophia. This is all my fault. It's my fault I was born into such unfortunate circumstances and wanted so badly to experience familial and romantic love. If you hate me that much, I'll just go. It's not like I have much time left anyway."

Mom immediately pulled her into a comforting embrace, her heart aching for her. "Don't be ridiculous, Ellie! We chose to make you part of this family, and you'll always be our daughter."

Then she turned to me with a frown. "Ellie is dying, and you still want to drive her out of the house? Sophia, I think we've spoiled you so much growing up that you've never learned to consider the suffering of others!"

I watched as the three of them shielded Eliza protectively behind them. All I saw in their eyes were accusations and disapproval.

"I've been spoiled too much, huh?" I wanted to laugh, but my throat tightened painfully, and the taste of blood rose in my mouth. I heard how hoarse and faint my voice was. "Am I not the one who's about to die?"

"Stop lying!" Mom snapped sternly. "Have you forgotten that we raised you ourselves? You think we don't know how healthy you've been all your life? You can't fake a medical condition just because you're jealous of Ellie and see that she's sick, too. How can you be so ridiculous?"

Owen shook his head in disappointment. "Sophia, can you please stop pretending to be sick? I've been so busy with the wedding preparations lately that I haven't even had a chance to rest! I'll take you out for some fun in a few days, okay, so can you just stop making a fuss until then?"

Ever since we were children, whenever Eliza and I got into an argument, everyone in the family always assumed I was the one being unreasonable and that I was just jealous of her.

It was no different this time. Even when I told the truth, they still thought I was lying.

Andrew pulled out his phone and checked the time. "It's almost time. We still have to host the wedding reception.

"Sophia, just stay home and reflect on yourself. No one is going to keep putting up with your lies forever."

They swiftly escorted Eliza back out of the house.

Just before the door closed, she shot me one last look. Gone was the hurt and aggrievedness in her eyes. All that remained was the smugness of triumphant victory.

Standing in the empty house, I let out yet another self-deprecating laugh.

"Who cares if you don't believe me? I'm dying soon enough anyway."