Chapter 2

Liam left, dazed and angry, and I knew the first thing he would do. He would call my mother.

Ten minutes later, my phone rang. I let it go to voicemail. Five minutes after that, I heard a car pull into the driveway, the doors slamming with unnecessary force.

My mother, Brenda, stormed into the house, my stepfather, Richard, trailing behind her like a thundercloud. Scarlett was with them, her face a mask of perfectly crafted distress, her eyes already red-rimmed.

"Chloe Davis, what is the meaning of this?" Brenda demanded, her voice shrill. She didn't even say hello. "Liam just called me, utterly distraught. He said you were cruel to him and refused his proposal! And you won't give Scarlett the internship? How could you be so selfish?"

Richard folded his arms, his expression a familiar mix of disapproval and disdain. "Your sister has been through so much. This opportunity means the world to her. A little family sacrifice is expected."

"She's not my sister," I said flatly, my voice devoid of emotion. "And it's my internship. I earned it."

Scarlett let out a small sob, burying her face in her hands. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I told Liam not to ask. I knew Chloe would hate me for it. I just... I wanted it so badly."

It was a masterful performance. I had fallen for it a thousand times before.

My mother rushed to Scarlett's side, wrapping an arm around her. "Oh, sweetie, it's not your fault. Chloe is just being difficult." She shot me a venomous glare. "I don't know what's gotten into you."

What's gotten into me is a lifetime of your neglect, I wanted to scream. I remembered my dad, my real dad, who died when I was twelve. Before he got sick, our house was full of love. He was an architect too, and he'd spend hours with me, teaching me to draw, encouraging my dreams. He believed in me.

After he died, Brenda remarried within a year. Richard and his daughter, Scarlett, moved in, and everything changed. Suddenly, I was the outsider in my own home. Brenda, desperate to please her new husband, poured all her affection onto Scarlett. Scarlett got new clothes; I wore hand-me-downs. Scarlett's grades were celebrated; my straight A's were ignored. Richard treated me like a piece of furniture he was forced to inherit.

The favoritism was a slow-acting poison that had rotted my self-worth for years.

"Mom," I said, my voice shaking despite my resolve. "Please. Just this once, can you be on my side? This was Dad's dream for me, too. Don't you remember?"

Brenda's face hardened. "Don't you dare bring your father into this. He's gone. We have to think about the family we have now. Richard has done so much for us, and this is important to Scarlett. Liam is a wonderful boy, a good match for you. Giving up this one little thing to secure your future and help your sister is not too much to ask."

"It is my entire future!" I cried out, the desperation I felt in my past life bubbling up. "It's not a 'little thing'!"

"Then you will sign a letter relinquishing the spot," Richard said, his voice cold and final. He pulled a pre-written document from his jacket pocket. Liam must have prepared it. "You will do it for the good of this family."

"No," I whispered.

"You will," Brenda said, her voice dropping to a dangerous hiss. "Or you can get out of this house. Don't think for a second we will support you in New York if you defy us."

The threat hung in the air. In my first life, it had broken me. The thought of being all alone, with no family, no money, was terrifying.

But I had already lived that life. I had been alone even when surrounded by them.

My heart felt like it was cracking, but this time, it was the sound of chains breaking. The last dregs of love I held for my mother evaporated, leaving behind a cold, empty space.

"Fine," I said, my voice flat. I walked over to the desk, but instead of picking up the pen, I grabbed a duffel bag from the closet and started throwing my clothes into it.

"What are you doing?" Brenda shrieked.

"I'm leaving," I said, not looking at them. "I'll take the internship. I'll find a way to support myself."

The stress of the confrontation, the echoes of past trauma, and the adrenaline of my new reality crashed down on me all at once. My chest tightened painfully. My breath caught in my throat, and black spots danced in my vision. My heart was beating too fast, a frantic, panicked rhythm.

"I... I don't feel good," I gasped, stumbling and grabbing the back of a chair for support. My legs felt like jelly.

Scarlett, seeing my distress, immediately started to cry louder. "Oh, look what you've done! You've upset Chloe so much!" she wailed, a perfect piece of misdirection.

Brenda and Richard rushed to her side, cooing and comforting her. "It's okay, sweetie, she's just throwing a tantrum."

"Mom... please," I choked out, my vision tunneling. "Help me."

But they didn't even look at me. They were leading a 'distraught' Scarlett into the living room.

As I slid to the floor, the world going dark, the last thing I heard was my mother's voice, full of excitement. "Don't you worry, Scarlett. Once she's gone, that internship is yours. Liam is already making the calls. We should celebrate!"

The darkness that took me was a mercy.