Stranded For His Fake Sister

ie's

t like an eternity, the heat radiating off the asphalt burning through the sole

ds of dust, forcing me to shield my face. My phone had no signal, just a dead bar and a mockin

e, a beacon of hope in the shimmering wasteland. My legs ached, my h

air felt like a miracle. I grabbed a freezing bottle of water and chu

n case. When it finally came back to life, three bars appeare

Instagram notifica

look. Told myself it didn't matter. But a morbid curiosity, a dee

's story was the first th

l charity event, three hours away.

ectly lit. It showed Lily, Krystle's d

. He lit it, then handed it to Lily, whose face lit up in pure delight. The firew

"My hero," she captioned the video in sparkling white text. "Ma

n my hand felt like a block of

lled through

n is such a

onship

deserve all

olton, his arm casually around her waist, pulling her closer for a photo. His

t was pure, unadulterated joy. Joy that he was s

A bitter laugh esca

elp, knowing the nearest gas station was miles away. He had left me to wal

a beautifully decorated table. Krystle' s arm looped through Colton' s, her head

Krystle had written.

had left me behind t

just the abandonment. It was the blatant disrespect. The pub

given me a sympathetic look and pointed me towards t

Col

elay. Traffic was insane on the wa

ing. Right to my face. Or, rather, right to m

oon. Hope you'r

e word felt too small, too insignificant f

name. Looked at Krystle's smiling face on Insta

point. The moment the la

with a cold, precise certainty. I tappe

e's. Block.

brother, Kamren

at toxic, suffocating cir

ettled over me. The pain was still there, a dull ac

t mad. I

"To the city center," I told the driver, then gave

ank slate, devoid of emotion. I was j

. I walked in, the familiar space suddenly alien. It was fi

by the closet. My wedding dress. Pristine. Unt

the delicate lace, the intricate beading. All those hopes, al

over me. I needed to get

tfully. Just throwing in whatever my hands touched. Clothes, sketchbook

os. Didn't glance at the framed enga

A sudden, cold thought struck me. A fi

sharp blades glinted under the dim light. Without a s

Rip.

beading scattered across the floor like shattered pearls. The sound was surprisingl

a heap of ruins. A symbol of e

future, my hopes, my place in this fami

er than it had in years. I walked out of t

ciliation. No begging for understan

ed behind me, sealing o

ardening my resolve. I had nowhere to go, no one to tu

a beginning. A brutal, unexpec

was going, but I knew