Elena's P.O.V
“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”
My voice echoed through the empty living room.
Ash—my boyfriend of five years—was pinning my sister Taylor beneath him. One hand groped her breast, the other roughly yanking at her panties. Their mouths crashed together, the wet, obscene sound of their kissing filling the air.
I blinked. No. I’m hallucinating. This can’t be real.
They didn’t stop at the sound of my voice. If anything, they grew more brazen, only breaking apart with a pair of satisfied moans. Taylor pushed Ash off with deliberate slowness, smoothing her dress down from where it had ridden up her waist. She frowned at me, annoyed, as if I were the one intruding on something sacred.
White-hot rage surged through me. My fists clenched as I turned to Ash. He rose leisurely, shrugging without an ounce of remorse, his lips curled in a taunting smirk.
That smirk shattered the last of my restraint.
I snatched the nearest object—a wrought-iron candleholder and strode toward him, forcing a hollow smile. “Tell me this is a joke. Say it’s just some fucked-up prank.”
If he didn’t, I swore my grip would "slip"—right onto his smug, traitorous skull.
“God, Elena, don’t be so dramatic,” Taylor drawled, rolling her eyes with practiced disdain. "We all know everything you have will end up mine. Really, you should be used to this by now."
She gestured between us, her manicured nails glinting. "Look at you. Then look at me. Any man with eyes would make the same choice."
Ash threw his head back and laughed, gazing at her like she'd hung the fucking moon.
"Damn right, Taylor. You're my queen. But..." He shot me a mock-pitying glance. "Shouldn't we go easy on her? She is your sister."
"Fine," Taylor sighed, flicking her golden hair over one shoulder. Her smirk was razor-sharp. "Since she’s so desperate for affection, let’s set her up. How about that homeless guy on 5th Street? Bless his heart—I bet he’d adore Elena’s... vintage charm."
They burst into laughter again, loud and cruel, like my heart wasn’t splattered across the floor between them. Taylor’s malice was expected—but Ash’s betrayal? Each chuckle was a scalpel, flaying me open.
Five years. We’d been together since high school. I held him through his father’s funeral, when he sobbed into my hoodie for hours. I sold my car to pay his hospital bills after the accident. I gave up Stanford to stay when he begged me not to leave him. And now—
My breath came in jagged gasps. Tears burned, but I forced them back, locking my glare on Ash.
"You forgot?" My voice was Arctic. "I carved out a fucking kidney to save your life. You got on your knees and swore you’d love me forever. And now you stand here laughing at me?"
My grip on the candleholder trembled violently.
“I am grateful, Elena. Truly.” Ash spread his hands, oozing faux sincerity. “But I won’t lie anymore. Staying with you while loving someone else? That would make me the real asshole.”
He paused, grinning wider. “You wanted honesty? Fine. I love Taylor. Everyone loves Taylor. She’s everyone’s weakness—including mine. You can’t hate me for that, can you?”
My vision tunneled. His words blurred into static. Once, I’d adored even his flaws—his terrible haircut, his selfish jokes. I wasn’t some saint, but I’d at least expected respect.
Not this.
Not him siding with the person I hated most, shredding me without remorse.
What happened to him? The question clawed up my throat. Or was he always this rotten, and I was just too blind to see it? Bile rose as their laughter twisted into something grotesque—grinning jackals circling prey.
So I swung the candlestick.
It cracked against Ash’s skull with a sickening thud. Blood gushed from his forehead as he shrieked. Taylor scrambled to his side, screaming, “Call an ambulance!”
Footsteps pounded from upstairs. The door flew open.
Mom in her robe, Dad in faded boxers and an old tee—both squinting, disoriented.
“What’s going on?” Mom demanded, scanning the room. Then her eyes landed on Ash. “Oh my God! Ash, why are you bleeding?”
"Mom! It's all Elena's fault!" Taylor shrieked, pointing at me with theatrical outrage. "She came home drunk after God-knows-where, and just started swinging a candleholder at us! I barely dodged in time!"
She clutched her chest, the picture of wounded innocence—except for that triumphant glint in her eyes.
My fists clenched tighter. Of course. Of course they'd believe her. My parents gave her an allowance triple mine—forcing me to work night shifts just to afford textbooks. That's why I came home late. But none of that mattered now.
"Elena! What in heaven's name is wrong with you?" Mom didn’t even check before rounding on me. "Why must you always cause drama?"
A bitter laugh crawled up my throat. Typical.
"I came home tonight," I said slowly, locking eyes with Mom, "and found my boyfriend—" I jabbed a finger at Ash, "—with his hand down Taylor's panties."
"That's ENOUGH!" Dad’s roar shook the walls. He loomed over me, his expression carved from stone. "You will not spew filth in this house."
"Dad—" My voice cracked. "You're seriously taking her side? Taylor knew he was with me!"
Taylor gasped, pressing a hand to her heart. "How could I? You never talk to us! You’re always so cold—who’d even believe someone would date you?"
Dad’s jaw tightened. "Elena, Taylor didn’t know. So—"
"So what?" I snarled.
"So you can’t blame her for your failure to keep Ash’s interest." His words landed like a guillotine. "She’s a victim here, too."
Something inside me snapped. Twenty years of swallowing their poison, and this was my reward? I turned to leave—
"Elena, wait." Mom caught my wrist. Her voice softened to that saccharine, let’s-pretend-we’re-a-family tone. "We’re a family. We stick together."
I stared at her. Family? They’d spent my life proving I wasn’t part of theirs. "Get to the point."
Mom glanced at Dad. He exhaled heavily. "Ash and Taylor are getting married next month."
I froze, staring at Ash in disbelief. He promised to marry me after graduation. Now he was betraying me—for Taylor?
Every ounce of my love for him curdled into ice.
"Perfect. Two trash bags finally belong together."
"Elena!" Mom snapped. "You will not speak like that. They're in love."
A hysterical laugh tore from my throat. "Oh, please. The whole town knows Taylor's the local mattress—"
"ENOUGH!" Mom's slap cracked across the table. "The world doesn't revolve around your jealousy! Just because you couldn't keep him doesn't mean you get to slander your sister!"
"Are you hearing yourself?!" Rage exploded through me. "She slept with my boyfriend! And you're okay with that?!"
Silence.
"You're disgusting," I whispered. The fury was a living thing now, scalding my veins. I couldn't stay here another second.
"Elena. Watch your mouth." Dad's voice was steel. "You will attend that wedding. And you will be civil."
"What?"
Mom stepped forward, eyes blazing. "You're the maid of honor. That's final. You owe this family."
"No. Never." My voice shook. "I've obeyed you my whole life—but I won't be your punching bag anymore!"
"Elena!" Dad's roar shook the walls. "You will be there!"
Taylor smirked, draping herself over Ash like a trophy. "Oh, she'll come," she purred. "She always does what Mommy says."
Mom grabbed my arm, nails digging in. "You will stand by your sister. And you'll smile. "
"Over my dead body—"
The slap came hard enough to snap my head sideways. Pain bloomed across my cheek.
"You will not embarrass this family," Mom hissed. "Do you understand me?"
I touched my stinging face. Looked at each of them—Ash's smugness, Taylor's glee, Dad's cold approval, Mom's certainty that I'd obey.
"Then I guess I'm dead to you."
I wrenched free and ran—out the door, into the night. I would not let them win this time.
