When I pulled into the driveway of my parents’ house and saw Sienna’s white Mercedes already parked there, a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. I didn’t dislike my older sister, but she had always possessed the effortless ability to make me feel smaller without even trying.
Older than me by five years, she’d been the golden child I was compared to growing up. Then she went to med school and ultimately became a plastic surgeon. She was the one who had followed the path our parents had expected since Dad was also a doctor. I was the makeup artist who, my mother liked to say, “played with brushes for famous people.”
I wiped my face quickly before getting out, but it was pointless. The tears started again as soon as I reached the front door and rang the bell.
Mom opened it, and her expression shifted from surprise to immediate concern. “Lila, what happened?”
“I…um…”
Gripping my elbow, my mother led me into the living room. “The poor girl is so upset, she can’t even speak.”
Dad stood so quickly from his chair that it slid against the hardwood floor. His gaze swept over me from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”
Sienna set down the wineglass she’d been holding and stood too. “You look awful, Lila.”
Fresh tears spilled over before I could stop them. My mother pulled me into her arms, smoothing a hand over my hair while Dad rubbed my shoulder awkwardly.
“Oh, honey,” Mom murmured.
“Come sit down,” he urged. “Tell us what happened.”
I sat on the couch between Mom and Dad while Sienna moved over to the nearest armchair. In a trembling voice, I explained about Kaylee’s post, the fight with Reid, and how I had called off the engagement. I kept the details brief at first because the pain still felt too fresh to relive fully.
Mom gently tugged me against her side, rubbing my back in slow circles, and I thought I made the right decision coming here. That they’d give me the comfort I so desperately needed.
Then she spoke and shattered that hope. “Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand the situation? Maybe it was just a silly joke that got taken out of context.”
“What?” I shook my head, wiping at my eyes. “Maybe I didn’t explain enough, but it definitely wasn’t a joke, Mom. She called him her work hubby in a public post, tagged me to make sure I’d see it, and then removed the tag so I couldn’t prove it was there in the first place. And this isn’t the first time she’s crossed boundaries, but Reid still defended her. Again. Even knowing how hurt I was.”
Dad crossed his arms over his chest, his expression thoughtful. “Calling off a wedding is a big step, Lila. Theinvitations have already gone out. You need to be absolutely certain before you tell everyone it’s not going to happen.”
Sienna leaned forward with a frown. “That’s it? A caption on social media, and you ended your engagement?”
I stared at her, blinking to try to stop more tears from falling. “That’s not what happened.”
Mom’s voice stayed soft, but her words provided no comfort. “Reid adores you, honey. He’s a successful lawyer with a very bright future. It’s not like he actually cheated on you.”
“Men like him provide security,” Dad agreed.
“I don’t care about his career or bank account.” I looked between all of them desperately. “I was marrying Reid because I love him, but how can I possibly do that when he keeps completely disregarding my feelings?”
Mom sighed. “Relationships require compromise, sweetheart.”
“Marriage isn’t about feeling validated every minute,” my father added.
“This isn’t just about the post,” I insisted. “I tried to be understanding. Over and over again, but it didn’t do any good.”
“Come on, Lil.” Sienna let out a condescending laugh. “You can’t possibly be serious about this.”
“You’re not listening,” I whispered.
“We’re trying to help,” Dad cut in.
I shook my head as I wrapped my arms around my torso. “No, you’re not.”
“Sweetheart—”
“No.” My voice cracked as I interrupted him. “You’re doing the same thing he did. Ignoring what I’m saying because it doesn’t fit your narrative.”
