The room fell silent, Nigel still dialing.

None of them wanted to involve Jessica in this.

"I’ll go find her."

After yet another ‘no answer,’ Nigel finally lost his patience. He stood up and put on his coat.

"Do you know where she is?" Mrs. Jenning frowned, her worried gaze on her son. "Don’t end up missing Jes’s wedding."

She didn’t care what might have happened to me. All that mattered was whether her beloved daughter would be upset.

If searching for me caused Nigel to miss Jessica’s wedding, their dislike for me would surely grow even stronger.

"I know where she might be." He responded calmly. "If I can’t find her, I’ll come back. Don’t worry."

After all, he wouldn’t dare miss his beloved sister’s wedding.

I followed him into the car, quietly sharing the space with him for the first time in ages.

In the beginning, my relationship with my family wasn’t this bad. It could even be described as good.

Nigel wasn’t always so cold toward me.

Back then, he was the best brother in the world, admired by everyone—the kind of brother others envied.

When Jessica’s biological mother swapped us, they all wanted to make up for it at first.

Even Mrs. Jenning used to spoil me.

I still remember how she would cautiously ask what food I liked and remind Nigel to take care of me, his little sister.

Mr. Jenning wasn’t so strict either. He would even smile at me occasionally.

But that didn’t last long.

Though Jessica wasn’t their child, they had raised her for over a decade.

Compared to their quiet biological daughter, they naturally favored the sweet, affectionate girl they had raised.

And then came the accusations.

That I was jealous of their love for her and tried to push her into the pool.

That I stole her necklace, or that I hung out with troublemakers at school.

She always positioned herself as the innocent, virtuous one, while tarnishing my reputation, and no one believed my side.

They didn’t care about my thoughts. Every time Jessica pretended to forgive me, they would come to me and say:

"Jes is kind. She doesn’t want to hold a grudge, but as her older sister, you should set a good example."

"How did I not realize you were so vile? It disgusts me."

"Samantha, you’ve really let me down..."

Every word, filled with disappointment and disgust, pierced my heart like needles.

I never wanted to take anything from her. I only wanted what was rightfully mine, but no one was willing to give me that.

Jessica wasn’t going to let me be.

As long as I stayed in that house, I would be a constant reminder that I was the real child of that family.

So, she took everything from me.

Including everyone I would meet thereafter.