Right from high school, my greatest fear had always been that life would toss me around like a rag doll, throwing me into a cycle of struggle with nothing to show for it. Running helter-skelter, working tirelessly, yet gaining nothing. Part-time jobs in the morning, a lunch break of just a sandwich and coffee in the afternoon, cleaning and tidying up my house at night. Rinse and repeat.
Back in highschool, I used to look at my mother's life and swear, No. This will never be me.
I still remember buying a small notepad with my lunch money back then, just so I could write down my dream future. Now, I was watching everything I wrote in that notebook play out in my sister's life. Life was unfair. But somehow, I told myself I deserved it.
One look at my sister's life—the luxury she basked in, the effortless grace she carried—and tears would roll down my cheeks.
She had everything I'd ever wished for, including a wealthy, happy home. But this right here…
"Babe," Killian's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, "the landlady dropped by to inform us we're short on the water bill. She said they'll cut off the water supply tomorrow if we don't pay. I assured her you'd handle it."
I jerked my head up at him. "I paid the last time."
He eyed me, running a hand through his rough chestnut-brown hair that made him look like he'd just walked out of a fight. "I know. And I don't have money. Take care of it. I'll pay the next one."
I sat up from our worn-out couch. "But that's what you said last time!" I protested.
"Don't worry, I'll really pay it next time."
"You said that last time too and the time before that! I've been paying the water bills for six months despite you promising we'd take turns."
"But I don't have the money! What do you expect me to do?"
I scoffed. "You're not being fair, Killian."
"Oh, here we go again." He rolled his eyes.
"Yes, here we go again!" I shot to my feet, my chest tight with built-up rage. "Here we go again because you keep doing this!"
"Doing what? It's just a water bill! Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"
"This is exactly what you do!" I snapped. "You keep dumping responsibilities on me and acting like it's nothing. If it's really nothing, then why don't you handle it?"
"You think if I could, I wouldn't? What am I supposed to do if I don't have money?"
"Get a job! Get a fucking job, Killian!" Sweat beaded on my forehead. "That's what everyone else does, they find a way to help!"
"I had one! You think it's easy to just pick myself up again? Why are you so selfish?"
"You lost your job five months ago, Killian! Five months is a long time to just sit and do nothing."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady it. "Look around," I said, throwing my hands out. "Does this place not look tacky to you? We need new couches, we need new bulbs, we need to restock the fridge. We need a hand. I need a hand."
"So why not ask for help?" he shot back.
"What help? What are you talking about?" But deep down, I already knew what he meant.
"Your stepsister, Ruby." He moved closer, lowering his voice. "I saw her at that event last week—the one Olivia invited me to. She was the star of the moment. I'm sure everything she had on was worth over a million dollars. She wouldn't have a problem giving you half a million if you just asked."
"No." I bit the word out hard. "Over my dead body. I've told you time and time again, I can never do that."
"See?" He backed away from me, shaking his head. "See what I mean? You're selfish. Just because of your pride, you'd rather let us rot in this miserable state."
I scoffed. "You're sick," I bit out.
"I don't know what I was thinking when I let you slip that cheap ring on my finger and agreed to marry you, you lazy bastard," I fumed.
"Yeah, me too!" he shot back. "I must've been out of my damn mind to think you were a worthy wife, turns out you're just a selfish bitch!"
My eyes welled with tears.
He started to walk away, but just as he was about to slip into the room, he turned around and said, "My mom's getting discharged again tomorrow, and she'll be staying with us until Tessa gets the money to rent her an apartment."
Fuck me...
At that exact moment, a notification pinged on my phone.
Ruby Castiglione had uploaded a story on her private hime account.
I clicked on it. A video began to play—Ruby and Arman sitting on a couch. It looked like their living room. Ruby turned the camera toward Arman, and as soon as he noticed it, his face lit up with that grin I once adored.
My heart sank.
The last time I saw that smile was at his wedding with my sister. I didn't attend, of course. Ruby never sent me an invitation. She only sent pictures later, asking me to show Mom when she woke up.
"If your husband has never bought you a pre-wedding anniversary gift worth two million dollars, don't talk to me," Ruby said in the video, grinning as she swept her fingers over her diamond necklace.
She turned the camera back to Arman.
Then came his voice—soft, husky, and smooth, kissing my speaker for the first time.
He said, "You deserve the world, baby."
When I closed the app and locked my phone, I broke down. My face sank into the couch as I cried bitterly, cursing life for dumping such a cruel fate on my lap.