Chapter 2

I put down my phone and started picking up the broken glass. One shard cut my finger.

I went downstairs to look for a Band-Aid and found everyone gathered around Eve, trying to comfort her.

Not one of them looked up.

Then Eve called to me. “Quinn, a lot of people asked if I stole my own sister’s fiancé. Could you tell them you ran off from the wedding?”

I nearly laughed.

“I didn’t run off. You all tricked me into leaving. What people say has nothing to do with me.”

My mom pointed at me, furious. “See? I knew you were heartless. You can’t even do your own family a small favor. I should’ve gotten a dog instead. It would’ve been better than you.”

Soren frowned. “Quinn, don’t be like this. We owe her.”

Eve had been born with a hole in her heart. My parents felt guilty about it, so they expected me to make it up to her, too.

For twenty-four years, anything I liked became Eve’s the second she looked at it twice. My room. My college recommendation. My spot in the summer program.

Now Soren was going to be hers, too.

When I was nine, I was crying in the backyard because I was hungry. Soren was eleven. He spent all the money he had on three pieces of fried chicken and brought them to me.

“Don’t cry. If your family won’t love you, I’ll be your knight.”

But I’d forgotten. I wasn’t the princess.

Eve was.

I looked at Soren for a long time before I finally said, “The day you all lied to me, we stopped being us.”

“From now on, you’re you, and I’m me. We’re over.”

“Quinn—”

He tried to stop me, but I turned and went back to my room.

Half an hour later, Chloe pushed my door open without knocking. Her voice was sharp and impatient.

“I heard what happened. You went too far. Eve is your own sister. How could you let people think she stole your fiancé?”

I stared at her and laughed. “Isn’t that the truth?”

We’d known each other for twelve years. I’d thought we had no secrets.

But she’d known all along and helped them lie to me. Now she was standing in my room, acting like I was the one who’d done something wrong.

What a joke.

Maybe my expression finally reminded her that I was the one who’d been hurt.

Her voice softened.“Fine. If you won’t clear things up for Eve, we’ll figure something else out. Come downstairs and eat. Dinner’s ready, and Soren wants to apologize after we eat.”

“Quinn, don’t ruin Thanksgiving over something this small, okay?”

Just then, a message came in.

“Quinn, I booked your flight. It leaves at six tomorrow morning.”

I turned off my screen. The refusal I’d been about to give her turned into a yes.

Fine.

Let this be my last goodbye.

As always, the table was loaded with food, all of it Eve’s favorites: spicy sausage stuffing, Brussels sprouts with hot honey, cranberry sauce with jalapeños, and more.

I couldn’t eat spicy food, but no one had ever cared.

I looked at the chairs. Each one had a name card: Mom, Dad, Eve, Soren, Chloe.

There wasn’t one for me.

I didn’t complain like I used to. I went to the hall closet, took out a folding chair, and set it in the corner by the door.

My dad carved the meat, and everyone started eating. I sat by myself with my hands in my lap.

“Quinn, are you still mad at me?” Eve asked, her eyes red.

Soren looked annoyed. He scooped a spoonful of stuffing onto my plate. The spoon clinked against the rim.

“Enough. Don’t start this today. Eat like everyone else and let’s have a peaceful Thanksgiving.”

Thanksgiving?

Maybe they were thankful for the family they had without me.

I didn’t argue. I forced the spicy food into my mouth, even as it made me cough and choke.

Soren seemed satisfied and went back to piling Eve’s plate with everything she liked.

My mom tapped her glass with her ring.“Let’s go around the table. Everyone say what they’re thankful for this year.”

My mom said she was grateful her favorite daughter had found happiness. Chloe said she was grateful for the family she’d chosen, looking right at Eve.

When it was Eve’s turn, she put down her fork and smiled at me across the table.

“I’m thankful for my sister, Quinn. Thank you for supporting Soren and me—and our baby.”

The knife and fork in my hands stopped moving. My blood ran cold.

My parents, Soren, and Chloe weren’t surprised. Chloe even held up her phone to record us.

“Send it to me as soon as you can,” my mom said. “I’ll post it in the group chat so everyone can see. Quinn’s happy for them. Eve didn’t steal her sister’s fiancé.”

So this was their idea of an apology.

My family, the man I loved, and my best friend were all using my humiliation to protect Eve.