Where We Part

The file was only thirteen pages long, but it was enough to ruin my sister, Zoe Reed's reputation for good.

Now, though, their words were lodged in my mind like needles: birthmark removal, plastic surgery to look like my best friend, Caroline Boyer…

Every punishment Zoe had supposedly endured over the past five years had been fake.

Just yesterday, I'd been leaning against my husband, Simon Terry's shoulder when I'd finally said, "Si, let's bring Zoe home. It's been five years. I'm sure she's learned her lesson."

No wonder he hadn't seemed surprised. They were the ones who had created this elaborate lie in the first place.

A dull ache spread through my chest. I barely managed to hold myself together as I went to the restroom.

When I came out, Zoe rushed toward me anxiously. "Kyla, where did you go? I was terrified something had happened to you!"

My parents, Edward and Marissa Reed, followed behind her, looking helpless.

"Carol couldn't find you and was practically losing her mind! She's closer to you than that heartless sister of yours ever was!"

In the past, whenever they teased us about how close we were, I would've laughed along.

Today, all I felt was a chill that seemed to seep into my bones.

For five years, whenever Caroline came looking for me, Mom and Dad would compare her to Zoe. Somehow, I'd never seen through such a terrible act.

Mom suddenly said with disgust, "Simon told me you want to bring Zoe back?"

Dad snorted. "That disgrace deserves to spend the rest of her life in Vardonia!"

They said all the right things, but they couldn't hide the delight in their eyes.

I looked at them, my fingers curling into my palms. "Then she can stay another three years."

Everyone froze.

Simon had just returned from paying the bill. His brows drew together slightly. "Kyla, didn't you say yesterday..."

"I was kidding." I forced a smile.

Only then did Mom, Dad, and Simon relax.

On the drive home, Zoe chattered nonstop about funny things that had happened at work, making Mom and Dad laugh until they could barely sit straight. Even Simon, who rarely smiled, laughed several times.

Then I suddenly remembered what I'd seen that morning.

When I arrived, Zoe had been editing a video. I'd leaned over to look, and she'd mysteriously pulled up a clip for me.

"This is my new job. Look. All I have to do is make a few changes, and the person starts coughing up blood!"

Right in front of me, she'd edited that familiar figure to make it look like she was writhing in agony.

So all those surveillance videos from Vardonia that Simon had shown me over the past five years had been made by Zoe herself.

My heart sank. I gripped my phone and sent the file to Carter Hanson, the attorney I hadn't contacted in five years.

"Carter, reopen the case from five years ago."

He hesitated for a long time. "Ms. Reed, didn't you say there was no longer any need to pursue legal action against Zoe?"

After I briefly explained what had happened, he understood.

"This still isn't enough. We'll need electronic evidence showing that Simon and your parents deliberately deceived you."

As Zoe launched into another joke, I opened the social media account I'd abandoned five years ago and pulled up her profile.

The moment it loaded, countless polished photos appeared. There were photos of Simon accompanying her to plastic surgery appointments, photos of them traveling abroad, and posts about him investing in her business.

I kept scrolling, my fingertips going numb with cold.

The man who had once stood before me with red-rimmed eyes and sworn he'd make Zoe pay for what she'd done...

He hadn't punished her at all. He'd helped her build a life.

My eyes burned, and it felt as though someone had closed a fist around my heart. Even breathing hurt.

But I needed the evidence, so I forced down my emotions and took screenshot after screenshot. The comments were even more revealing.