Chapter 1

In our town, every family that welcomed a daughter planted a cherry tree the year she was born.

When she got married, the tree would be cut down and crafted into two matching hope chests, filled with her dowry as a blessing that husband and wife would stay together for life.

Half a month before my sister's wedding and mine, my brother, Ace Bates, came home with the finished chests. He struggled to carry them through the front door. Rianne's eyes lit up the moment she saw them.

My mother, Martha Bates, gently stroked Rianne's hair. "My precious girl is getting married already. It feels like just yesterday you were still my little baby."

My father, Ira Bates, frowned, his voice firm. "If that boy ever treats Rianne badly, I'll skin him alive."

No one seemed to notice anything was wrong.

My gaze drifted behind Ace. There was nothing.

No second chest.

I looked at him and asked, "Ace, where's mine?"

He froze for a second, as though he'd only just remembered that I was getting married that day too.

Chapter 1

"After we finished Rianne's, we realized we didn't have enough cherry wood left. We didn't have a choice, so we used your tree too."

Martha Bates, my mother, sounded impatient. "Enough already. What's done is done. Just buy a couple of trunks when the time comes. Who are you making that face for?"

As I watched them gathered around my sister, Rianne Bates, I remembered what my parents had once told my brother, Ace Bates.

"Make sure you build your sisters' hope chests well. They carry a daughter's happiness for the rest of her life."

Turns out, when they said "daughter," they didn't mean me.

If that was how they felt, then I didn't want them anymore.

...

"Mom, look! There are cherry blossoms carved on all four sides of the chest!"

Mom gently traced the carvings with her fingers, her voice thick with emotion. "My precious girl deserves the very best hope chests. That's the only way she'll look respectable. Otherwise people will gossip."

So Mom knew. She knew a poorly made bridal hope chest would be laughed at.

Yet I didn't even have one, and she didn't think there was anything wrong with that because the one people would laugh at was me. She simply didn't care.

My father, Ira Bates, stepped over and ruffled Rianne's hair. "Your mom and I have prepared everything you'll need. Hold your head high in your husband's home. If anyone gives you even the slightest bit of trouble, come straight back home."

Just a week ago, he'd told me something completely different.

"Once you're married, you belong to your husband's family. If you're wronged, learn to put up with it."

I stood against the living room wall, staring at the intricate floral carvings on the brass latches. My fists tightened, then slowly relaxed.

I swallowed the words, "Aren't I your daughter too?"

What was the point?

I'd asked that question countless times growing up. Every time, the answer was the same: "Do you really have to compete over this too?"

Then came the same excuses, over and over.

"Your sister's been frail ever since she was little."

"You're the older sister. Let her have it."

Rianne and I were twins. I weighed 6 ounces more than she did when we were born.

From that day on, our parents decided I was the one who should always give in.

When we were kids, and the family could only afford to send one child to summer camp, Mom told me to let Rianne go.

In college, I worked part-time for three months to buy myself a camera. Rianne liked it, and Mom told me to give it to her.

When I finally set my wedding date, I quietly thought that, at last, I could be the main character for once.

After all, there was only one bride at my wedding. Surely no one could take that from me.

But after Rianne found out, she insisted on getting married on the very same day.

And just like that, my hope chest was gone too.

Not far away, Rianne was still clinging to Mom's arm. "Mom, can you make spicy chicken cacciatore tonight?"

Mom smiled and tapped her lightly on the forehead. "You little foodie."

For the past two weeks, Rianne had been picking every dinner because she said she wouldn't be able to eat Mom's cooking after she got married.

She loved spicy food, so every meal for the past two weeks had been loaded with chilies. On the other hand, I had stomach problems and couldn't eat spicy food.

The very first day Rianne picked the menu, I said to Mom, "My stomach's been acting up. Could you make one dish without chilies? Anything is fine."

Mom slammed her cutlery onto the table. She said evenly, "I guess this is just my lot in life. No matter how hard I work taking care of this family, somehow I'm still the wrong one."

With that single sentence, I became the family's villain. The looks Dad and Ace gave me hurt more than being yelled at ever could.

After that, I stopped saying anything. I simply ate what I could.

Ace suddenly looked at me and frowned. "Rory, what are you standing there for? Go buy the groceries."

In this family, the only time they ever seemed to remember I existed was when someone needed groceries bought, floors mopped, or trash taken out.

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something.

In the end, all I managed was a quiet, "Okay."

That night, Mom made three dishes: spicy chicken cacciatore, cajun shrimp, and chili. The whole family ate with gusto.

As Rianne gobbled a shrimp, she suddenly looked at me. "Rory, why are you eating plain pasta? Aren't you going to eat any of the food?"

Mom added another scoop of chili to the mountain already piled in Rianne's bowl before shooting me a glare. "Don't mind her. Every day she acts like somebody owes her something."

Ace looked at me with the same disgust. "If you've got something to say, then say it. Can you stop walking around with that miserable look on your face?"

But I had spoken. No one had listened.

After dinner, I washed the dishes as usual, scrubbing away the thick layer of spicy oil.

Laughter drifted in from the living room. They were flipping through the family photo album.

Suddenly Dad suggested, "Before Rianne gets married, let's take another family portrait tomorrow."

I had just walked out of the kitchen. My footsteps came to an abrupt stop.

"Dad, I have my wedding dress fitting tomorrow."

He didn't even bother looking up. "Then go."

He said it so naturally that my chest tightened because he truly believed it could still be called a family portrait, even without me.

I turned and went back to my bedroom, closing the door behind me.

A message from my fiance, Diego Dougherty, popped up.

[The wedding's been moved up by a day. Have your parents agreed?]

[Yeah. Go ahead and sign the paperwork for your international assignment. I'll go with you.]

Chapter 2

The next day, I came home after my wedding dress fitting to find the living room buzzing with conversation.

Rianne's fiance, Evan Brooks, was there too.

Five kinds of fruit were arranged on the coffee table, and Dad had even brought out the expensive tea set he usually refused to use.

My parents had always treated Evan well—not because they were afraid of him, but because they hoped he'd treat Rianne well after they were married.

As for my fiance, my parents only knew his name was Diego Dougherty. They'd seen a picture of him, but they'd never even met him in person.

Every time I suggested the two families get together, Mom always said, "You're getting married anyway. There'll be plenty of chances to meet later. As long as you like him, that's all that matters."

It wasn't that they were busy. They just didn't care.

And because they didn't care about me, they didn't care about the man I was marrying either.

Even Evan only spared me a glance when I walked in. He couldn't even be bothered to say hello. Even the man who wasn't officially part of the family yet knew exactly who in this house could be treated like an afterthought.

Rianne's eyes lit up when she saw me. "Rory, you're back! Mom and Dad have something they want to tell us."

I stopped halfway through changing my shoes and looked over.

Dad cleared his throat. "Good, you're here. So is Evan. Let's settle the wedding gifts today."

As he spoke, he took out a property deed and slid it across the table to Rianne. "Rianne, this house is your wedding gift from your mother and me."

Ace set a car key beside it. "This is your gift from me."

Rianne froze. Then she grabbed the deed and the keys before throwing herself into Evan's arms with a squeal. "See? This is what my family gives me. Let's see you dare treat me badly now!"

Evan laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Of course not. You'll always be everyone's little princess."

I walked over to the coffee table.

Only then did Mom look at me. "Rory, you're the older sister. What are you planning to give Rianne as a wedding gift?"

My hand trembled around my glass. "Mom, before I answer that, can I ask what you're giving me?"

The living room fell silent.

Mom looked away without saying a word.

Dad finally spoke, "Rory, your mother and I can only do so much. There's nothing left for us to give you.

"Rianne can't even support herself. You have a better job than she does, and you've always been the more sensible one. Don't compare yourself to her."

So because I could support myself, I got nothing.

When I stayed silent, Ace's patience wore thin.

"Come on, Rory. Don't embarrass us in front of your future brother-in-law. You've been working for years. Surely you can come up with fifty grand."

They'd already given Rianne everything they had, and somehow that still wasn't enough. Now they expected me to add to it.

I let out a humorless laugh. "Rianne's been working for years too. What's she giving me as a wedding gift?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Rianne's face turned red. Her eyes filled with tears. "I know I'm not as capable as you. Isn't it enough that I don't expect a wedding gift from you..."

Mom immediately exploded. "You're the older sister, and you're asking your younger sister for a wedding gift? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

"How about this? You don't have to give much. $50,000 will do."

I looked at the hand she'd thrust in front of my face and lowered my eyes. "What if I don't?"

Maybe because it was the first time I'd ever refused them, Mom froze for a second. Then her face darkened.

"Then don't expect us to show up at your wedding! We'll see who's the one humiliated then!"

It was the middle of summer, yet I felt cold from head to toe.

Suddenly I thought of the screenshot Diego had sent me the night before. It was a message from his mother.

[Does Rory like beef? I learned a new recipe today. I keep texting her. Do you think she'll find me annoying?]

I'd saved that screenshot. I looked at it over and over, not because I expected someone else to be kind to me, but because I wanted proof that I was worthy of being loved too.

"What are you staring at?" Mom waved her hand impatiently. "Did you hear me?"

"Fine. I'll give it to her."

$50,000 to buy my freedom from this family… That wasn't a bad deal.

Chapter 3

A week before the wedding, Mom suddenly said she wanted to meet Diego.

I was surprised, but beneath it all, a tiny spark of hope flickered to life.

I booked a table for lunch the next day and asked Diego to dress nicely. I arrived at the restaurant at eleven-thirty, ordered a full table of dishes, and waited.

One o'clock.

Two.

Three.

The lunch crowd came and went. Eventually, the restaurant switched on its warm evening lights.

But they never showed up.

My phone lit up.

Mom had finally replied: [Rory, something urgent came up today. We'll meet another time.]

At that exact moment, a new message popped up in the family group chat. It was from Rianne.

[Look! Mom took me to get my wedding nails done. Aren't they gorgeous?]

The photo showed her fingers covered in glittering rhinestones. Under the lights, they sparkled so brightly they made my eyes sting.

Ace immediately replied: [Beautiful! They suit Rianne perfectly.]

Dad followed: [They look great. Thanks for all your hard work, sweetheart.]

My hand trembled as I lowered my phone. So Mom's "urgent matter" was taking Rianne to get her nails done.

'Rory, oh, Rory, what are you still hoping for? The more you hope, the more of a joke you become.'

I swallowed every emotion and shook my head at Diego, who was watching me with concern.

"I'm okay. Let's have them bring out the food."

His eyes were full of heartache. "The day after the wedding, we'll fly to Switzerland, and we're not coming back."

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah. We're not coming back."

When I got home, the living room was in complete chaos. Everyone was busy.

Dad was trying to squeeze more things into Rianne's hope chests, pressing down as hard as he could, but they were already too full. Both chests were packed to the brim, yet several bedding sets were still piled on the floor.

Summer sets and winter sets, all in bright colors.

"Rianne, we'll bring the rest separately," Dad said.

Mom turned to me, and there was even a hint of reproach in her eyes. "What took you so long? You're getting married soon, yet you've done nothing to prepare."

My throat tightened. "I waited for you until four o'clock today."

Mom's expression darkened. "I already told you something urgent came up. I've been running around nonstop getting everything ready for your weddings. Not once have I heard you say thank you. Instead, I have to put up with your attitude every day."

"Getting a manicure was your emergency?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Ace shot to his feet. "Rory! Mom spent the entire afternoon shopping for things for your weddings! She didn't get a chance to sit down once! She already packed your things and put them in your room.

"Do you really have to make such a big deal over one meal? What, is your fiance dying? Couldn't he wait until after the wedding?"

I stared at him in disbelief, unable to believe my own brother could say something so vicious about the man I was about to marry.

The living room fell silent. The only sound left was Mom quietly crying.

I'd seen this scene countless times before.

Once again, I was the villain.

In the past, I would've apologized immediately. I would've admitted everything was my fault.

But now, I was just tired—exhausted to the core.

Without another word, I turned and went back to my room.

Two sets of brand-new bedding lay beside the bed. I looked around the rest of the room. There was nothing else.

So this was the dowry Mom had been "running around all day" to prepare for me.

In the otherwise empty room, the two gift envelopes stood out like a silent mockery.

Chapter 4

Three days before the wedding, the whole family was busy.

Dad was making the final calls to relatives and friends, proudly telling everyone that his Rianne was getting married.

Mom went through Rianne's dowry over and over again, terrified she'd forgotten something and shortchanged her little princess.

Ace was at Rianne's beck and call, picking up her friends, running errands, never once complaining.

The whole family was bustling with excitement, yet not one person asked whether I was ready or if there was anything I still needed.

My eyes fell on the entryway. My wedding invitation was sitting there in plain sight. It had been there for an entire week.

No one had bothered to open it.

No one had noticed that my wedding date had already been moved and no longer fell on the same day as Rianne's.

They simply didn't care about my wedding. They didn't care whether the rest of my life would be happy. To them, I was just the extra daughter who happened to be getting married too, a backdrop for Rianne to shine.

I quietly changed my shoes and left the house.

There were only three days left until the wedding.

Diego had already told me he didn't care about any of the formalities. All he wanted was me.

Even so, I wanted to give him something in return. I decided to buy him a watch as my gift in exchange for our wedding band.

But when I went to pay, the sales associate handed my card back. "I'm sorry, ma'am. There aren't enough funds on this card."

I froze. Then it hit me.

A suffocating sense of dread washed over me.

I put the card away and rushed home.

The moment I walked through the door, I swept the wedding candy out of Mom's hands.

"Mom, were you the one who spent the $96,000 in my account?"

Every head in the room turned toward me.

Mom calmly continued packing candy as if I'd willingly handed her the money myself. "I was. I bought Rianne some extra gold jewelry so she'd have more security after she gets married. We didn't have enough money, so I used yours."

She said it so casually.

My throat tightened with pain. "That was everything I'd saved after two years of working."

"We're family. Why are you making everything yours and mine?" Mom frowned. "Besides, didn't you already agree to give your sister some money?"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. My voice rose. "Are you trying to ruin me? Am I supposed to get married with nothing but the clothes on my back? She already has a house and a car! Isn't that enough?"

My voice broke. "Mom, you can't do this. It's not fair."

Mom stood there in stunned silence.

Ace immediately rushed over and shoved me. "Rory, what the hell is wrong with you now? It's only $96,000. Is it really worth making such a scene? Rianne only gets married once. Of course we shouldn't make her settle for less."

Mom quickly recovered. "You make good money. You can earn it back. It's not like you can't afford it. That's enough. Go back to your room and stop making trouble."

I didn't answer. Instead, I walked straight toward the jewelry box holding Rianne's wedding jewelry.

Just as I reached for it, someone grabbed my wrist. It was Dad. "What do you think you're doing?"

I struggled to pull free.

More than twenty years of hurt and resentment finally erupted.

"I'm taking it back. It's my money!"

Rianne spoke timidly, "Rory, don't be mad. You can have them. I don't want them anymore."

Seeing that, Ace grabbed me and pinned my arms even harder. "Rory, haven't you made enough of a scene? Do you have to tear this family apart?"

I shouted back, "I'm only taking back what belongs to me!"

The instant the words left my mouth—

Smack.

The blow sent my head snapping to the side.

The left side of my face burned with pain. Tears spilled down before I even realized it.

Mom had slapped me. She was breathing hard, her eyes filled with disappointment and disgust. "I raised you all these years so you'd turn against your own family? You keep blowing every little thing out of proportion. How can you be so selfish?"

I covered my burning cheek and looked at the accusing faces surrounding me.

For Rianne, they could cut down my cherry tree. They could empty my savings.

But the moment I tried to take back what was mine, I became the ungrateful, selfish daughter.

Dad stepped forward, his face grim. "Enough. The money is no longer up for discussion. No one is to mention it again."

Just one casual sentence, and that was the final word.

I withdrew my hand from the jewelry box. It wasn't that I didn't want it. I knew I wasn't going to get it back.

Without another glance at them, I left the house empty-handed. I checked into the hotel I'd already booked.

For the next two days, I never went home.

No one called me or asked where I was. No one cared about my wedding. They were still busy fussing over Rianne, acting as though I'd never existed.

Finally, the wedding day arrived with clear skies.

Right on time, a line of black SUVs pulled up outside the hotel. Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, Diego stepped out and walked toward me with quiet confidence.

"Rory," he said with a smile. "I'm here to take you home."

He reached for my hand, and together we walked to the car.

From this day forward, that family was no longer mine.