Stolen Opportunities: A Sibling Rivalry

itioner down to 16 degrees Celsius the day before my coll

re exam period i

ed on the admission letter from Quantum Valley Univ

uldn't be

to tell you that I gained admission

.

tting on the couch in the living room, mu

ing, my mom held Phoebe's hand and told her to make something delicious and

e did well enough to get into a top university. Even if she couldn't join Quantum V

pered Phoebe with good food

id, "Aunt Shana, I'll definitely take care of you wh

saying, "Oh, sorry, Jessica. I meant you could spend your meage

"Alright. Then you will take care of my mom, and sh

oze, and just the

it. "Hello? Quantum

ceiling. And my mom excitedly

rogant look, and I y

asked, "Jessica Kirby? Are you sure there's

nfirmed three times that Quantum Valley Un

flower in a storm as she said, "Jessica, the college entrance exa

How could I have raised such an evil daug

gently reminded them, saying, "Why

e back to their senses and hur

choed. She pointed at me in disbelief and shouted,

have that power? Think abou

pulled me away as she saw Phoebe's pained expression.

g to do as my mom expec

.

ith our family when w

sister's daughter

, but she had to stay with my family s

s favoring boys. Phoebe was only allowed to attend

ith us for t

my mom always said that my

a little girl, my aunt clung to th

lingly fulfilled all o

ey occasionally and agreed

ied to my dad, she first

gh over the years, but my mo

pened again when i

wore rustic clothes, a pink jacket, short

ncess dress, clinging to my dad's arm and

the first time, I felt

a, this is your cousin. You'll be

and said, "Hello! I'm Jessica. I'll take good care of you

, so I pushed my dad aside and eagerly helped P

room and opened a war

tantly. I seemed to see something else

ickly dis

with Phoebe, who was seemingl

ap between us to do so. But the

t when my mom walked over with

sages on my phone whi

realized her expression was not as easygoing

ent and whispered in my ea

head. "No! I didn't. I even w

towards Phoebe's small room and was af

ear any sound from Phoebe's room.

plained about me to my mom and felt a bit

t. Phoebe is just sensi

't bully he

essica, you shouldn't wear dresses anymor

incredulously

hen she sighed, "Consider Phoebe's feelings. She doesn't have

ut I looked into her eyes and didn't want

ment, I reluct

ebe was laughing as she ha

ust her fi

it and realized it wasn

she naturally mistook my kindness

naive ba

bought her pretty dresses. My dad didn't have to go on

fe on social media. So I posted

be would be

.

chool s

eautiful clothes, she seemed to wear the same rustic

m wearing her previous clot

nd understood that every

to look after

7. We were separated by several floors, s

riend asked me if Ph

deny it, so I nodde

ents asked me the same questi

and asked about Phoebe. I was a bit impatien

entually said, "Phoebe is

stantly and

d that

e first floor to the upper floors, alm

room, and I heard someone

en flung open. I suddenly had a bad feeling as I walked ov

ong with my eyes. Phoebe seeme

thought aside and sh

ce echoed, "Why are you putting on a sai

asked, c

a flurry of chatte

sica torments Phoe

y clothes, while

ing. I was about to confront whoever was spreadi

m rush over. Tears were streaming down her fac

.

to the hospital, I

me, my mom sternly said to m

gue and sil

oebe? Is this how you do it? You didn't even

know that!" I s

arge, and how could I keep my eyes on Phoebe? If

Plus, school bullying was oft

lained, my mom looked at

excuses for y

ntment pierc

mother's disappointment, questioning myself. "Is it really my fau

thoughts in a strange plac

's disappointed eyes,

eally was

stares bombarded me as so

e too many people gossiping about

alf a day of school and sli

veryone b

d I do

yself to s

wood High School wa

y, where one's family stat

ike me, she could have

t.

hakily. I walked to Phoebe's

beautiful clothes f

oebe plenty of

that way, deliberately sub

ted the rumo

ng, a sudden sound echoed

ratulations, my host, for breaking free from yo

.

I had a system like t

igned to steal others' fortunes, and I w

al trap and kept blaming myself, I'd n

down my back as I

w that you have me, we can work

"You can be shame

it deliberately, I wouldn't

art with her openly ye

eel the most pain when she f

?" I looked at Phoebe's room f

hool again but went to the hospital t

lent. Phoebe, however, gently tugged at my mom and signaled her

a manipulat

hard until tears welled up in my eyes

ouldn't be crying, right?" Phoebe frantically asked her syst

nd asked, "Phoebe

urse n

were bullied? Why did you suffer everything alone, my dear cousin?" After I spoke, I hugged Phoebe tig

clothes. She let out a cry of pain in a low voic

odded in satisfaction after s

d you because you dressed too plainly. You know there are mostly students in Briarwood Hi

ced at my mom in panic and then lowered her head. "I...

... now many people are criticizing me.

y Phoebe at home. You know me. If I make a mistake, I'll admit

ack to Phoebe, she was grinding her teeth.

I tucked Phoebe in and said, "I won't di

while shouting in my min

umors about me, I could

.

f Jessica's cousin!" That evening, a

and posted several pictures from my social media

cipate my move of us

the rumors that I ab

but they were verified as genuine soon after

hool gates, the whispers and stares were directed at her because I had t

turn red with anger an

y to escap

d her waist. I said, "It's okay, Phoebe. This time, I'll p

drew discontent fro

way from that ma

act

e. So I held her in my arms even tighter. "Don't

ay people looked

ed to pretend to be innocent. I

e done it a

ruggling, and I forcibly esc

on the way, but how

er the guise of protection and

ns were reasonable. Phoebe couldn't fall apar

chool's hottest to

n't be fooled by the

hocked and puzzled. "Oh my, how awful!

y words and di