Chapter 2

Behind me, my mother's furious voice went on and on.

"I broke my back raising her, and this is how she thanks me. An ungrateful wretch who'll never come to heel!"

Jocelyn's voice came soft and coaxing.

"Mom, she's just in a mood. She'd never actually cut ties with you."

My mother let out a scornful little laugh.

"The way she disobeys me, I'd honestly be better off pretending I never had a daughter like her…"

I didn't stay to hear the rest.

That afternoon I went to the wedding venue for the final walk-through.

Only the setup wasn't being done from my plans at all.

The manager handed me the design sheet in his hand.

"This is the layout we've been working from."

I looked at the drawing, and I couldn't help the anger rising in me.

"This isn't my design at all!"

At that, the manager hurried off to make a call and check.

When he came back, his face was pained.

"Ms. Morrison, this venue has already been reserved by your mother."

"And this design came from her too. We assumed you'd simply switched the layout…"

He kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

Just then Jocelyn walked in on my mother's arm.

She saw me and put on a face of surprise.

"Sis, this is the fanciest venue there is. Mom booked it just for me."

I couldn't help clenching the fingers hanging at my side.

"But I'm the one who reserved this place first!"

My mother looked at me with pure contempt.

"You never paid for it, so it isn't yours!"

"And your sister's engagement needs a better hall. The man you found comes from an ordinary family. It makes no difference where your wedding is held!"

But I'd told her more than once that my husband's family was well off.

She never took it to heart. Jocelyn always came first.

Just like when I was little and ate peanuts by mistake and went into an allergic reaction, collapsing on the floor, my throat swelling shut.

And all my mother cared about was getting Jocelyn to eat one more bite, dreaming up new tricks to coax her.

She never even noticed the state I was in.

Afterward there was no guilt from her, only blame.

"Serena, you knew perfectly well your sister had no appetite. I finally got her to eat one more bite, and you had to pull this act!"

My allergy, in her eyes, was a stunt to steal attention from Jocelyn.

I should have been used to her favoritism by now, and yet sometimes I still let myself imagine she loved me.

Just then a card sliced across my cheek, opening a thin line of blood.

My mother looked at me, chin high.

"There's ten thousand on this card. Consider it your compensation."

"Take it and go book another venue. Don't embarrass me."

I lifted my head, met her eyes, and said flatly,

"My wedding is next week. There's no time to book a venue now."

"And ten thousand won't get me anywhere decent!"

But she paid me no mind at all, taking Jocelyn along to keep touring the venue.

Jocelyn just looked back at me, smug.

In that moment, my heart went cold, once and for all.