I stepped into the elevator and watched the doors seal shut.
My vision blurred. I blinked the tears back.
Outside, the hotel's LED screen blazed:
[Congratulations to the Whitmore Family's Daughter: Top Scorer & Newest Executive!]
The Whitmore family's daughter.
I stared at the words until a rushing waiter collided with me.
"Sorry! The guest in 606 needs another cake—the father wants it twice as grand."
Room 606. Vanessa's party.
"Why another one?" I asked.
"Family dispute ruined the first." He lowered his voice. "The father's restarting the celebration. Very proud. His daughter got into a Fortune 500 company."
I smiled bitterly.
I had ranked first in the provincial civil service exams. Secured a position at the IRS.
No one in my family had asked. No one cared.
I walked back to my apartment and spent the day in a daze.
That night, Vanessa updated her feed. A video: Richard, Margaret, and Vanessa surrounded by relatives, posing before a towering cake. Vanessa flashed a peace sign.
The caption: 【Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always being my shelter.】
I turned off my phone.
That weekend, I didn't go home. Instead, I drove to the University District.
I found myself at the bistro Leo Mason and I used to frequent. Three years of planning our lives over these scratched tables—house, children, retirement.
I never calculated that my father would block my interview to secure Vanessa's spot. Or that Leo would take the job Richard offered him.
A month later, Leo broke up with me. "Long-distance" was his excuse.
Now, sitting in a quiet corner, a familiar voice drifted from the booth across from me.
"I used to eat here in college. The fish is excellent."
"Used to?" A female voice purred. "Who did you come here with?"
He chuckled.
I froze.
"Leo?" The name slipped out.
He turned slowly. Our eyes locked.
Beside him, Vanessa stared at me, fork frozen mid-air.
"Rena?"
Leo Mason paused, his expression shifting as he turned to Vanessa. "Give me a second, okay? Be good."
He offered her a gentle, reassuring smile. The moment he turned back to me, the warmth vanished. He gripped my arm and dragged me away from the crowd.
"Don't get the wrong idea," he said, voice low. "I didn't meet her until after we split."
"Liar." The word scraped my throat. "I know the timeline. She started seeing someone around this time last year. We were still together."
The color drained from his face.