The first thing I noticed was how the sunset reflected off my apartment window, casting warm streaks of orange and pink across the glass.
It had been one of those exhausting days where the city felt like it had drained every ounce of energy from me. My laptop sat open on the counter, an unfinished email staring back like a reminder I didn’t have the strength to face. I stood by the window, phone pressed to my ear, watching the skyline cut sharply against the fading light.
Then, in that quiet moment, the last voice I wanted to hear broke through—sharp, almost satisfied.
“You’re banned from the family beach house. Forever.”
Victoria’s words snapped through the line like a whip.
My grip tightened. “What?”
“I’ve changed the locks,” she continued, savoring every second. “Don’t even think about coming here. This is what you get for ruining Lily’s graduation party.”
I stared at my reflection—messy hair tied up, oversized sweater slipping off my shoulder, dark circles under my eyes from too many sleepless nights.
“The party,” I said slowly, “the one you didn’t even invite me to?”
She scoffed.
“The one where you told everyone I was too busy to attend?” I added, keeping my voice calm, as I’d learned to do long ago. Showing emotion only fed her.
Victoria laughed—a brittle, cutting sound. “Stop acting like a victim, Alexandra. Everyone knows you’re jealous of Lily. And now, you’re never stepping foot in that beach house again.”
