All Chapters of My Name Isn't Yours: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

I figured Dad had just blurted it out in a panic.But no one else thought it was crazy.Mom held Emily and rubbed her back, refusing to look at me.Kenneth glanced between us."It could actually work. You're twins. Even our relatives couldn't tell you apart when you were kids."Before I could even process it, they were already debating whether they could pull it off.I stared at Dad. "Do you even hear yourselves?"He didn't flinch. "Yes. We're saving this family."According to him, Emily had always been the high achiever in our relatives' eyes. Everyone in the family expected her to get into Halston.Now that she'd bombed the SAT, they had no way to explain it."What about me?"Dad frowned. "Didn't you get in?"You and Emily are both daughters of this family. Whoever goes to Halston makes the whole family proud."I stared at him. "But I earned it."His voice turned cold. "We're family. Stop keeping score."Mom finally looked at me. "Amelia, Emily's never dealt with failu

Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke to Mom laughing on the phone."That's right. Amelia's applying for Halston."She's always made us proud. After all these years of worrying about her, Fabian and I can finally breathe easy."I stepped into the living room. The second she saw me, her smile vanished.She covered the phone. "Don't say anything."I stared at her. "I'm the one who will get into Halston. So are you talking about me?"Mom frowned. "Do you have to start drama this early?"Dad sat at the table without even looking up. "We made ourselves clear last night. Starting today, you're Emily. Emily is Amelia.""I don't agree."The room went silent.Mom hung up and walked over."Give me your ID, SAT admission ticket, and bank card."I froze. "What are you doing?""I'm keeping them for now. That way, you won't do anything impulsive and make this family regret it."I stepped back. "Those are mine."Her eyes instantly filled with tears. "So you don't trust me now?"You really think I'

Chapter 3

The next day, our relatives showed up with flowers and gifts, already grinning."Where's Amelia? Where's our future Halston student?"Mom lit up and pulled Emily out of her room.She wore my white dress, her hair styled exactly like mine.Mom patted her hand. "Amelia, say hi."Emily ducked her head.But she didn't correct them.Everyone crowded around her."Amelia really made you proud.""Halston? She's putting the Aerstalls on the map.""I always knew Amelia would go far."I stood off to the side like I wasn't even there.Finally, one of my aunts noticed me."So how did Emily do?"Mom's smile froze for half a second."Emily didn't do well this time. She's pretty upset, so let's not bring it up."I opened my mouth, but Dad shot me a look.Cold. Sharp.A warning not to embarrass them.Mom pulled me into the kitchen and shoved a fruit tray into my hands."Take this out and get everyone drinks."I stared at her. "Isn't today supposed to be about me?"Her face darkene

Chapter 4

The next morning, Dad slid a notebook across the table.Inside was a list.My grades. Competition history. Why I chose my major. Why I picked Halston. My hobbies.He tapped the page."Write it all down so Emily can memorize it."I looked at him."So you're really doing this?"He frowned."We've come this far. Stop causing trouble."'We've come this far.'With one careless sentence, he turned my whole life into part of their plan.Emily sat down beside me with the notebook.She spoke carefully."Amelia, what books do you usually read?"If a professor asks why I picked this major, what should I say?"And that last math competition problem... how did you solve it?"I looked at her."You're not Amelia Aerstall. Of course you don't know."Her eyes filled with tears."I just don't want to let Mom and Dad down."Kenneth happened to walk by. The second he heard me, his face hardened."Cut the attitude. We're asking you to write down a few things. It's not going to kill you

Chapter 5

The second I opened the door, Mom's eyes went straight to my bed.She wasn't looking at me.She was looking for my phone."What were you doing?"I forced myself to stay calm."Packing something to wear to the party."She walked into my room and immediately spotted the duffel bag beside my bed.She unzipped it.Her face darkened."You were planning to run away?""I just packed a change of clothes."She stared at me for a long moment, then took the bag."You're coming to the hotel today."But remember, you're Emily in front of everyone."I didn't argue.Because Ms. Parker had just texted me.[Stay calm. I'm coming.]That afternoon, the hotel ballroom was decked out.Emily's photos played on a loop across the huge screen.In the center, gold letters read:[Congratulations to Amelia Aerstall on Her Acceptance to Halston University]I stood at the entrance, staring.The whole thing felt insane.Every word felt like it had been ripped straight out of my life.Emily st

Chapter 6

The ballroom went eerily quiet.Every eye shifted between me......and Emily onstage.She clutched the microphone as the color drained from her face.Mom was the first to recover.She rushed over with a strained smile."Ms. Parker, are you sure there isn't some mistake?"Our daughters are twins. They look so much alike. It's only natural for someone outside the family to mix them up."As she spoke, she nudged Emily forward."This is Amelia. Everyone's just nervous. We accidentally used the wrong name."Dad jumped in."That's right. We mix up their names at home all the time."It was very kind of you to come all this way."Ms. Parker didn't even look at him.She looked down at me."Do you still have your ID and acceptance letter?"I shook my head."They took them."Murmurs instantly swept through the ballroom.Dad's face darkened."Emily, stop talking nonsense."Mom's eyes instantly filled with tears."How could you lie in front of all these people?"Your sister f

Chapter 7

Michael and his colleague asked to see the acceptance letter.Dad said it was still at home.Mom said she couldn't remember where she'd put it.Kenneth said there was no rush. They could find it later.Each excuse sounded more desperate than the last.The ballroom had already turned into a spectator sport.The same guests who'd been praising Emily moments ago quietly backed away.Like they wanted nothing to do with this mess.Michael's expression went cold."We need to verify the acceptance letter, ID, and SAT admission ticket."If you refuse to cooperate, we'll have to contact the proper authorities."Dad's face finally changed.He pulled me aside and lowered his voice."That's enough. Do you really want to destroy this family?"I looked at him."Who tried to destroy me first?"A vein jumped at his temple."You already won. What more do you want?"Won.To him, taking back what was mine counted as winning.Mom ran over, tears streaming down her face, and grabbed my

Chapter 8

The next day, Dad took off work.Mom stayed home too.They sat in the living room like they'd been waiting for me.A document lay on the coffee table.The second I walked out, Dad shoved it toward me."Sign it."I looked down.It was a settlement agreement.According to it, everything had been a family misunderstanding. I was choosing not to pursue it, and Emily had never tried to steal my identity.I looked back at Dad."You stayed up all night writing this?"His face hardened."This isn't up for discussion. It's a decision."Mom's eyes were red."Amelia, Emily can retake the SAT and apply again next year."But if the school and the rest of the family find out what she did... what'll happen to her?"I asked, "What about me?"She frowned."You already got your spot at Halston back. What more do you want?"The same line.Again.Like I had no right to be hurt just because they hadn't managed to take everything from me.Kenneth came downstairs and tossed a pen onto t

Chapter 9

After the State Department of Education investigators left, the whole house changed.Dad stopped pretending.He sat on the couch, his face dark.Mom wouldn't stop crying.Emily locked herself in her room.Kenneth slammed his door hard enough to shake the house.That evening, Dad tossed a bank card onto the table in front of me."There's $1,000 on it."Take it and leave tomorrow."I stared at the card.I didn't move.He sneered. "Weren't you so proud?"Didn't you think you'd been treated so unfairly?"Then go make it on your own."Mom cried even harder.But she didn't defend me.She only said, "Amelia, apologize to your father. Sign the settlement letter, and this will all be over."I looked at her. "What if I don't?"Her voice shook. "Then don't ever come back."I nodded.So that was their answer.I went back to my room and packed.This time, no one stopped me.Ms. Parker was holding onto my ID, bank card, and acceptance letter for safekeeping.All I could take

Chapter 10

My spot at Halston was secure.The State Department of Education had made its decision too.Emily's attempted identity fraud was officially documented by both her high school and Halston.Mom and Dad were called in for questioning.Kenneth's employer found out he'd helped cover it up.Ms. Parker was the one who told me.She spoke gently, like she was afraid I'd be upset.I just nodded.I wasn't as satisfied as I'd imagined.I wasn't as heartbroken as I'd expected either.Maybe once your heart goes cold enough, even justice stops feeling good.Before school started, Ms. Parker helped me replace my bank card, apply for student loans, and contact Halston's financial aid office.Halston called me too.The staff member's voice was warm. "Amelia, don't worry. Just get here."We'll help you finish enrolling."My eyes burned as I held the phone.For the first time, someone had simply called me Amelia.Not someone's older sister.Not someone's replacement.Just me.The day I

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