"Linda, Alston, I'm here," I announced.
They both froze as if they had heard death itself. They turned at the same time, and my sister scanned me with her eyes.
"What are you doing dressed like that? Where's your dress?" she said with a bitter tone.
"It's a long story..."
Linda let go of my boyfriend's hand, walked toward me, taking long strides, and opened her arms.
A hug is exactly what I need, even if it comes from her, I thought.
She stopped a step away. I was ready for her hug, but she changed her happy expression to one of sternness. Her eyes turned cold, and she threw a hard slap at me. "I told you; she was with another man."
My boyfriend glared at me and shook his head. "You were right, after all."
My face felt numb from the hard slap as I tasted my own blood.
"What's the meaning of this?" I asked.
"Can't you see?" Linda demanded. "I came to show Alston you are a cheap whore."
The blow hurt, but I was more hurt by how my boyfriend looked at me as if he didn't recognize me. "It's a misunderstanding," I said.
"You're telling me that if I go into that room, I won't find Sam?" She raised her eyebrow and looked at the half-open door as if expecting someone to come out. "I have to do everything myself?"
My half-sister took a step forward, and I stood in her way.
"You won't take another step!" I challenged her.
"I'm not receiving orders from you," she replied with a tick in hernose and her teeth clenched. "Get out of my way, or I’ll move you myself."
"I dare you."
"Cathy, do as your sister says, or I will get you out of the way myself," Alston warned me without a hint of doubt.
"Are you on her side?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.
"Linda and I have been seeing each other for some time…" he confessed. "She's my mate now, the one I really want to be with."
Linda laughed with an air of victory. Her face was lit up, and pride overflowed from every pore of her body. "That's right; he deserves to be with someone on his level and not some bastard."
My heart broke into pieces. I tried to process what was happening, but it was too much for me, especially at the moment.
"You did this. You set me up," I said.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Linda had always been a born liar and had the ability to play with people's minds to such an extent that they began to doubt themselves. She got her way one way or another.
"Don't blame your sister for your insolence." Alston stepped to her side and took her hand. "You're nothing but a liar."
My sister looked at me, drew a smile of victory, and then hugged Alston and buried her face in his chest.
"She hates me. She's always trying to make me look bad," she said, faking sadness.
"That's not true. You know that's not true." I turned to my boyfriend. "Alston, you know everything about me. You know the hell I've been through."
"Not really. Everything you've told me has been lies. You did it to make me feel sorry for you," he stated.
