One day I stumbled upon Nial’s diary and read it. I’ll rise to the top and one day, Leta will have to look up at me, begging for mercy. I’ll make her love me completely, with no way out. I could feel his determination through the pages.
Then there were my biological parents. I had overheard my mother sobbing quietly in her bedroom, her voice laced with bitterness as she lamented, “Why isn’t Leta my real daughter?” She had always hated my dark skin, despised the way I kept my head down while eating and resented my timid nature that made me seem unworthy of being their child. My father would often sigh when he looked at me, muttering, “It’s just how things are. There's nothing we can do about it.”
I felt like a burden to them, a constant reminder of a mistake they could never erase. It was as if my existence had become their greatest source of suffering.
I clung to the last threads of delusion, staring at my reflection in the mirror, pulling at the corners of my lips to force a smile, practicing the etiquette and grace I thought would make me enough. I absorbed Shawn's cold stares and Nial's expectations, stretching myself to fit into the roles they wanted me to play. But no matter how hard I tried, I was always the invisible girl—overlooked, forgotten, drifting through life without purpose or direction.
As the night deepened, I found myself swallowed by an abyss of hopelessness, unable to struggle against the dark current that threatened to drown me. Just as my emotions began to calm, my phone rang. It was my father. Since returning to the Larsens, he had hardly made an effort to reach out, but now his voice was heavy with urgency.
“Who said you could leave? You walked out as soon as Leta arrived. Do you want her to feel sad again? Stupid brat, do you have any idea how this looks for her? Get yourself here, right now.” His words came tumbling out, sharp and accusatory, slicing through my already fragile state. “If you hadn’t insisted on calling Shawn, Leta wouldn’t be blaming herself! She’s unstable right now and keeps talking about apologizing to you. You have to apologize and explain yourself to her.”
“You have five minutes. Don’t let me down,” he added, his tone leaving no room for defiance.