CHAPTER 2 THE JEALOUSY SHE COULDN'T HIDE ANYMORE
Selene tossed the clippers onto the table and crossed her arms.
"Oh, stop looking at me like that."
The room felt ice cold.
I held Elara tighter.
My daughter was shaking so hard I could feel it through her small body.
"What did you do?" I asked.
Selene rolled her eyes.
"For God's sake, Rowan. It's hair."
The casual cruelty in her voice stunned me.
"It's not hair," I said quietly.
"It's my daughter."
Aurora and Nova stopped laughing.
For the first time, they seemed to realize something was wrong.
Selene pointed at Elara.
"She needed to learn that life isn't fair."
I stared at her.
"What?"
Her face twisted with bitterness.
"Everything comes easy for her."
The words poured out.
The dress.
The birthday parties.
The vacations.
The attention.
The love.
Years of jealousy spilled into the room.
"You treat her like she's some kind of princess."
I looked around the house.
The mortgage I paid.
The furniture I bought.
The refrigerator stocked with groceries I paid for.
And suddenly I understood.
This had never been about Elara.
It was about resentment.
Years of resentment.
Then Elara whispered something into my chest.
"Daddy..."
I looked down.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Aunt Selene said Mommy only loves me because I'm pretty."
The room went silent.
Even Aurora and Nova looked horrified.
I felt something inside me break.
Not anger.
Trust.
The last bit of trust I had left in my sister.
Without another word, I picked up Elara and walked toward the door.
"Rowan, don't be dramatic."
I stopped.
Then I turned around.
"What happened here is over."
Selene smirked.
"Good."
"No."
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
May you like
"What happened to our relationship is over."
For the first time, her confidence cracked.
