They stood before a six-tier cake, surrounded by a wall of wrapped gifts. Valerie's face glowed with triumph.
She clasped her hands together, closing her eyes to make a wish loud enough for the crowd. "I hope to be Jonathan's only sister in this life, and to remain his little princess forever."
Jonathan smiled warmly and pulled a velvet box from his pocket.
The moment the lid snapped open, the blood in my veins turned to ice.
The Jade Pendant.
When Jonathan and I were born, our parents commissioned an eminent monk to consecrate two matching jade pendants. They were chanted over for a full year, carved with our names, and placed around our necks as infants. A blessing from Mom and Dad. A symbol of our lineage. The only tangible connection I had left to them after they died.
Even in my darkest, most desperate moments, I had refused to sell mine.
But now, Jonathan held the matching piece—the one that belonged to the James bloodline.
He had erased the original engraving.
It now bore the name Valerie James.
In front of the cheering crowd, he solemnly fastened the clasp around her neck—stripping me of my history and handing my birthright to the woman who destroyed me.
"My little princess, congratulations. Your wish has come true."
I don't remember how I made it out of there.
My phone buzzed relentlessly—a constant, stinging reminder.
"Actually, I recognized you that day at the Starlight Club."
"You saw everything clearly, didn't you?"
"The jade pendant is mine, and Jonathan is mine. You look like a mangy dog that no one wants."
"Living such a pathetic life... why don't you just die, Big Sister? Hehe."
When I didn't respond, Valerie sent one final message:
"Big Sister, I asked Jonathan to bring you a birthday gift. Enjoy it."
I wandered the streets like a hollow shell until nightfall. When I finally returned to our rental apartment, I understood exactly what Valerie meant by her "gift."
The front door hung open.
Inside, the room had been ransacked. Debris littered the floor. Jonathan was pinned to the ground by a group of men, struggling like a dying animal.
The scene was so familiar that a tremor ran through my body. My ribs—bones snapped years ago—throbbed with phantom agony.
"Long time no see, sweetheart. When are you paying up for this month?"
My face drained of color. "I paid off the entire debt. I don't owe you anything."