Chapter 4
Maris was sipping her tea when a shadow by the door caught her eye. She turned and ham–locked eyes with Brynn
Her face went stiff, a quick flash of panir in her eyes
“B–Brynn“” It came out like a speak, totally caught off guard
The noise made the two tangled up on the conch jump apart like they’d been zapped.
Brynn knew nobody really gave a crap about her feelings–shed figured that our years ago–but this Seeing it still hit her hand, like a punch to the chest she couldn’t shake off.
Maris caught Brynn’s look and shrank a little, feeling guilty.
Sure, Brynn wasn’t her real kid, but after all this time living together, you don’t just share a house with someone that long and feel zilch. Blood or not, they got attached.
Still.
every time she thought about her actual daughter–the one swapped at birth, the one who’d had it rough while Brynn got the easy life–resentment bubbled up, cold and sharp.
Love and hate duked it out in her head, leaving her tongue–tied and clueless about what to say
to Brynin.
Especially now. Because there was Chase, Brynn’s fiance, all cozy with Maris’s real daughter, caught in the act.
Chase squirmed, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced at Brynn. It slammed into him–today was their wedding day.
Before Maris or Chase could sputter out some lame excuse, a super sweet voice cut through the room.
“Brynn!” Kylie popped up from the couch, her face all innocent with a little pout as she shuffled toward Brynn.
“Oh, don’t get it twisted! Chase and me–it’s not what you think, promise!” Her words spilled out fast.
Brynn just stared at her, blank–faced.
She was so done with Kylie’s fake–nice routine–her ears were practically numb to it by now.
Same old crap, over and over.
“Hang on…” Kylie tilted her head, eyes going wide like she’d just noticed something. “Brynn, why’s your dress so… extra. today?”
She blinked at Brynn’s getup, playing dumb like a pro.
Brynn’s lip twitched. She almost bit her tongue, then said. “It’s a wedding dress.
Kylie had to be the champ of acting clueless–like she’d never seen a bride before.
“Oh! A wedding dress!” Kylie slapped a hand over her mouth, gasping. Then, like she’d just had a lightbulb moment, she went, “Duh, right! It’s your big day, isn’t it? So… why’re you here, sis?”
Brynn stared, too stunned to speak. She was dying to smack that smug look off her face.
“Ol” Kylie yelped again, glancing between Brynn and Chase like she’d just solved a mystery. “Wait, I totally forg the groom, right? But he’s been chilling with me.
And there it was–Kylie flipping the whole thing around, digging the knife in with a grin.
hase is
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Chapter 4
The worst part? Neither her mom nor h
her fiancé clocked it. They just sat there, quiet as
as rocks.
Brynn let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Kylie, cut the act. You’ve trashed my wedding day–pretty happy with yourself, huh?”
If she hadn’t caught that video Kylie sent–then pulled back real quick–Brynn would’ve whipped out her phone and shoved it in her face right then.
“What? I’m not acting!” Kylie’s lip wobbled, her eyes tearing up like she was about to lose it.
She went on. “You know how tough it’s been for me growing up–always sick, always struggling. I passed out earlier, and Chase was just bring sweet, taking me to the hospital. I didn’t mean for any of this…”
Her voice broke, and she sniffled, dropping her head as the tears rolled.
Chase stood there, a few feet off, totally losing it over Kylie’s tears.
His heart went soft, and without even tossing Brynn a word, he bolted over and pulled Kylie into a hug
“Shh, it’s alright,” he mumbled, rubbing her back.
Then he spun around, shooting Brynn a death stare. “Brynn, knock it off. You know Kylie’s not doing great-she passed out earlier, and I had to take care of her. Why’re you being such a jerk about it!”
Kylie sniffled into his chest, her voice all weak. “Chase, don’t argue with her because of me. I’ll be okay…”
That just made Chase scowl harder, his eyes sparking as he glared at Brynn. “See? Kylie’s got a heart of gold–sick as she is, and she’s still defending you. And you? Some big sister you are.”
Brynn stared back, jaw locked, one eyebrow twitching like she was watching a total freak show.
How did I miss what a complete idiot this guy is?’ she thought, shaking her head to herself.
“Yeah, Brynn, Maris piped up from the side, unable to keep quiet. “Kylie’s in rough shape–can’t you just chill out for once?”
Maris had been battling her own guilt, but seeing her real daughter–so shaky, sa teary–hit her hard.
All those years Kylie struggled while Brynn had it easy? It flipped something in her.
To Maris, Brynn owed her sister some slack–it was only right. Time to even the score.
Brynn let out a short, dry laugh. “Oh, I see how it is,” she said, her voice cold as ice.
Fed up–totally over it–with both Maris and Chase, she turned and stomped over to the living room TV stand.
She yanked the bottom drawer open and grabbed a fat manila envelope.
Inside? Kylie’s medical records, from way back to now. Solid proof she’d tracked down after Kylie tried to too many times.
Brynn had sent someone to dig, and boom–there it was, the real deal.
Screw
her over on
She smirked, gripping the envelope. Weak as a kitten, huh? This woman’s tougher than a tank–every test screaming she’s in top shape.
“Here,” Brynn said, voice flat as she dumped the papers onto the coffee table.
They hit with a thump, scattering everywhere.
She scoffed. ‘Check it out yourselves. Let’s see if Kylie’s really the fragile little thing she says she is.”
12.12 Tue, 8 Apr
Chapter 4
Kylie, still tucked against Chase, bore up. Her face went pale,
She never knew Brynn had checked on her. Panic flashed as she chewed her lip.
Maris and Chase blinked at the pile, thrown off
Maris snatched a sheet, flipping thigh, her face getting stormier by the second.
Chase leaned over her shoulder, eyes popping like he’d seen a ghost.
The reports didn’t mess around–kylie was healthy as heck. No anemia, no blood sugar crashes, no nothing. She was fitter than anyone there.
Kylie’s face went white as a sheet. “Chase, Mom, 1-“she stuttered, voice shaky.
“Slap” Maris chucked the papers back on the table, the sound loud enough to make Kylie jumps
She locked eyes with her daughter, all steel and stone.
“Kylie,” she said, slow and sharp, “Tell me straight. Are these legit? Have you been lying this whole time? Faking it?”
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