"I'm warning you—don't you dare bully my sister. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"
I immediately ducked behind my best friend, clutching her sleeve with trembling hands, speaking in timid voice.
"Carmela, why is your brother so biased? If he'd protected you like this back then, you wouldn't have suffered in the orphanage all these years..."
The implication was clear—you lost your real sister, made her live like an orphan, and now you're acting high and mighty defending the fake one?
Sure enough, Uncle John and Aunt Laura's faces darkened instantly.
Kian opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, I pinched my friend's waist sharply.
She got the message right away and burst into tears, covering her face dramatically.
"Since Brother doesn't like me, I'll just go back to the orphanage! Come on, Yanna, let's go!"
Uncle John panicked. His hand came down hard and smacked Kian right across his cheek. "Idiot! Is this how you welcome your sister? Get out of my sight!"
Kian glared at us, clutching his face, too humiliated to talk back.
My friend and I exchanged a victorious look.
We won the first battle!
But just as we stepped through the door, we froze.
There she was—the fake daughter, Trisha—standing on a stool, rope tied to the chandelier, crying as she prepared to hang herself.
Oh, please. A pity act already?
Before anyone else could react, I charged forward and shouted, "How dare you! Who told you it's okay to swing indoors?!"
My best friend slid in with a perfect tackle, kicking both the stool and the girl off balance.
Before Trisha could even loop the rope around her neck, she tumbled to the floor in a most ungraceful heap.
"Ah!" she screamed, clutching her arm as everyone rushed toward her.
When the family saw the rope and stool, their faces turned ashen with alarm.
"Trisha, what on earth were you doing?" Aunt Laura cried.
Trisha looked up through her tears, trembling and pitiful. "Big Sister, it's all my fault... I've stolen your place for so many years and made you suffer. I just wanted to repay you with my life!"
She sobbed harder, gazing at Aunt Laura and Uncle John. "Please don't blame Mom, Dad, or Brother. From now on, take good care of them for me, okay?"
Aunt Laura's eyes reddened as she pulled the girl into her arms.
"Don't be silly, child. In our hearts, you'll always be our daughter too."