Chapter 2

2

My spirit now stands at the front door of a house.

It's not my home, but it's where my mother is.

I need to know why she didn't answer those calls.

Luxury SUVs and sports cars line the driveway of the villa.

The entrance is draped in fairy lights and colorful balloons.

It looks so lively and warm.

I float through the front door. The house is packed with people.

My ten-year-old brother, Archie, stands in the center of the room.

A massive five-tier designer cake sits in front of him.

He's making a wish with his hands clasped tight.

Mom and my stepfather, Arthur Sterling, stand beside him.

Their eyes are filled with nothing but pride and love.

I feel a pang of jealousy. How long has it been since Mom looked at me like that?

The candles are blown out, and the room erupts in cheers.

Today is Archie's tenth birthday.

It is also my birthday.

I follow Mom as she bustles around the house.

We have a full-time maid, so why is she working so hard?

Is it because she cares that much?

She doesn't want a single thing to go wrong for her golden boy.

Mom has always been this way. Archie and Arthur are her entire world.

When I was nine, Mom married Arthur.

Because she was a divorcee with a daughter, Arthur's family looked down on her.

I knew I was the baggage. I was the reason people whispered about her.

I tried to disappear, acting like a little servant to help around the house.

But the more I shrunk myself, the more they despised me.

Back then, Mom still had a heart. She told me, "I married into this family, so you are a princess here. Don't act like a maid. Keep your head high."

At that time, she still saw me.

But then Archie was born.

By giving Arthur a son, Mom's status plummeted into security.

The family finally accepted her, and I became the only outsider left.

At first, she protected me. But as Archie grew, she went blind to my existence.

I would see her twice a day. Once in the morning, once after school.

In the morning: "Cassidy, hurry up and eat. You'll be late."

"Cassidy, eat more. You need to grow tall and healthy."

In the afternoon: "Cassidy, finish your homework and I'll take you to the park."

"Cassidy, it's time for your bath and bed."

I watched them live their perfect, sweet life while I existed on the sidelines.

Eventually, I realized I was just a guest in their home.