Chapter 3

I don’t finally drift off until morning.

My sleep is restless, filled with dreams. In them, Ethan is still the same man he was three years ago.

When I wake up again, Mom is dragging a few boxes out of the storage room to throw away.

She sees me and looks a little awkward.

“They’re just things we don’t need anymore. Keeping them would only take up space.”

Inside are my college textbooks, clothes from three years ago, and gifts I bought for them with my own paycheck.

They’re memories from my entire life, proof that I was once part of this family.

And now, they’re nothing but junk taking up space.

A dull ache settles in my chest. Then I see the small urn in Emma’s hand, and I freeze.

Ethan wipes the sweat from her forehead. “You’re pregnant. Don’t handle dirty things. What if something happens to the baby?”

My heart sinks. I stare at him in disbelief.

Three years ago, I went into premature labor when I was seven months pregnant. The baby didn’t survive.

Ethan had the baby cremated and put the ashes into this urn.

He held me and promised we’d have another baby someday.

But now, there’s no future for the two of us.

Even this little urn has been forgotten, treated like some useless piece of trash.

“That’s mine! Give it back!” I scream.

I lunge forward and snatch the urn from her hands.

Emma is startled and falls.

A large hand shoves me to the ground. The urn breaks, and shards cut my palm.

Ignoring the pain, I scramble to gather the ashes from the floor.

Ethan grabs my arm, his jaw tight with anger.

“Are you done? It’s just a broken urn! Emma’s pregnant, and you’re willing to hurt her over this?”

Mom helps Emma to her feet, then immediately turns on me.

“You only think about yourself. Did you ever think about your sister?”

Sophie frowns too, her expression cold.

“Your coma wasn’t our fault. Stop guilt-tripping everyone around you!”

I stare at them in shock. My chest feels hollow, and I’m shaking so badly I can barely stand.

Everything I’ve been holding back finally explodes.

Tears stream down my face as I scream at them.

“My own sister slept with my fiancé. Why did nobody think about what that would do to me?”

“You two got together while I was in a vegetative state. Did any of you ever think about how I’d feel?”

The slap leaves me frozen in place.

My cheek swells instantly, and the corner of my mouth burns.

I clutch my cheek and stare at Mom in disbelief.

She looks at me with nothing but disappointment.

“Emma didn’t do anything wrong! They were already together three years ago. We all knew!”

“The day you got hurt, Ethan was going to tell you everything!”

Emma quickly grabs Mom’s hand and shakes her head.

“Mom, didn’t we agree not to tell Claire?”

Sophie sighs, pulls out her laptop, and opens a folder of videos.

“Here. These are videos from the year they got together, three years ago.”

“You thought Emma stole your happiness, but you were the one who didn’t belong.”

I stare at the dates on the videos, my whole body trembling.

The first was from Valentine’s Day. Ethan and Emma were at Mount Fuji.

He told me he had a work trip and sent roses.

The second was from New Year’s Eve. They were setting off fireworks on a beach in Miami.

He told me he was going home with his parents and sent me a two-second voice message wishing me a happy New Year.

The third video showed Ethan on one knee in a sea of roses, proposing to Emma with Mom and Sophie watching.

He carefully slipped a diamond ring onto her finger, and she happily said yes.

I stare at the date, my nails digging hard into my palm.

It’s the day I went into premature labor.

I called Ethan more than ten times, but he never answered. In the end, someone at the scene had to call 911.

He didn’t show up until I was being loaded into the ambulance.

He held me, tears streaming down his face, begging me to hold on.

I was barely conscious. I never noticed the rose petal on his shoulder.

How ridiculous.

I wish I could ask Ethan one thing.

Was he thinking about how to save me and our baby? Or was he thinking about where to hold his wedding to Emma?

I cover my mouth and watch the videos, feeling like every ounce of strength has been drained from me.

So even the happiness I remembered from three years ago had been a lie.

Sophie looks at me with pity.

“We’ve wanted to tell you for a long time. We were afraid you couldn’t handle it.”

Mom sighs and shakes her head.

“Emma is your own sister. Do you really want to destroy her happiness?”

I look at the people who used to be closest to me.

Now they’re all standing against me, telling me to let go.

I give a bitter little laugh.

“Fine. I’ll let go. I hope you’re all happy.”

Ethan freezes, about to say something.

But I turn and rush away.