Chapter 4 - THE GOLDEN DAUGHTER’S SECRET.
At first, Claire tried to hide her tears.
She wiped quickly beneath her eyes and turned away.
My mother immediately moved toward her.
“Sweetheart, what is wrong?”
Claire looked at her with an expression I had never seen before.
It was not sadness.
It was exhaustion.
“Please stop calling me that.”
My mother froze.
Claire pushed her chair back.
Her hands trembled as she removed the diamond bracelet from her wrist.
She placed it on the table.
“This is not mine.”
David closed his eyes.
My mother stared at the bracelet.
“What are you talking about?”
“It is rented,” Claire said.
A murmur passed among the relatives.
Claire pointed toward her designer dress.
“This is rented too.”
“The car outside is leased.”
“The furniture in our house was purchased on credit.”
“Our vacations were paid for with loans.”
My mother shook her head violently.
“No.”
“You and David are successful.”
David sat down slowly.
“My private practice has been losing money for eighteen months.”
My father stared at him.
“You are a surgeon.”
“And surgeons have expenses,” David replied.
“Malpractice insurance.”
“Staff salaries.”
“Medical equipment.”
“Office rent.”
“Debt from training.”
“My income looks impressive until every obligation is paid.”
Claire covered her face.
“We are almost bankrupt.”
My mother stepped backward as if someone had pushed her.
“But your house.”
“We cannot afford it,” Claire said.
“We have missed two mortgage payments.”
“We were going to sell it after Thanksgiving.”
My mother’s face twisted with disbelief.
“Why did you not tell us?”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Because you built your entire identity around my perfect life.”
“You introduced me as the daughter who married a surgeon.”
“You displayed me like a trophy.”
“I knew that if I admitted the truth, you would look at me the way you look at Emily.”
The words silenced the room.
For years, I had believed Claire enjoyed being the favorite.
Now I understood that the golden cage had been hurting her too.
My mother reached for her.
Claire pulled away.
“I am tired of pretending for you.”
Then Claire turned toward me.
“I am sorry.”
Her voice broke.
“I let her humiliate you because being better than you was the only thing that made me feel safe.”
I looked at my sister.
Before I could answer, my phone vibrated inside my purse.
The message on the screen came from Apex’s chief legal officer.
May you like
EMERGENCY.
SOMEONE HAS LEAKED YOUR IDENTITY TO THE PRESS.
