3: 3

3

I hung up and walked back into the private room, and Scarlett suddenly turned to me.

"Fliss, what present did you get me?"

Every eye in the room settled on me.

I stood there, my throat dry and tight.

Locked out all night, then running around all day.

I hadn't even had a sip of water. Where would I have found the energy to buy a gift?

When I said nothing, Scarlett's eyes filmed over with tears.

"Fliss, is it that you don't want me back home?"

Then came the reproaches from my parents, one after another.

"Felicity Sullivan, how can you be so thoughtless? Your sister finally comes home and you don't have a single kind gesture for her?"

"So selfish. How can you be this petty?"

"We raised you for nothing. Not an ounce of sisterly feeling. Cold-blooded and heartless."

Fergus lifted his eyes to me, distant and indifferent.

"Fliss, what you did really was wrong."

I kept my head down and bit down hard on my lip.

Scalding tears fell, one drop at a time, onto the white rice in front of me.

They had welcomed my sister home with full, happy hearts.

They'd remembered to lay out a table of fine food for her, expensive gifts, a house paid in full, they'd even remembered a special feast for the dogs.

The only thing they'd forgotten was that today was my birthday too.

After the meal, Fergus did something rare and came to talk to me.

"Fliss, there's something I want to say to you."

Something stirred in me.

I thought he was going to explain why he'd ignored my messages last night.

I thought he still remembered that today was my birthday.

But he hesitated a long while before he raised his eyes to me.

"Scarlett just got back, and she can't keep up with the pace here yet. I'm worried she won't find a decent job."

"I want to refer her into our company."

I froze where I stood.

The company Fergus worked at was the leading firm in the area.

The bar to get in was sky-high. Ordinary people fought tooth and nail and still never made it.

Even I, with a degree from a top university, had to wear him down for a long time just to land a referral for an internship spot.

A translator position on the overseas projects. The time zones were flipped, days and nights blurred into one.

I often stayed up proofreading drafts until two or three in the morning.

I didn't dare take time off, didn't dare make a mistake, didn't dare ease up for a second.

I ground through a full six months of it.

Now the internship was almost over, and my coworkers all said that with how hard I worked, being made permanent wouldn't be a problem.

But the company also had an unwritten rule: each employee could only refer one person.

"Fergus, what exactly are you saying?"

He lowered his eyes, but his tone left no room for argument.

"Fliss, resign on your own and give the position to her."

I'd already decided to join the Antarctic expedition.

But resigning on my own and being forced out to make room for someone else were two very different things.

"Fergus, you know how hard I fought to be made permanent, how much I put into it."

"And now, with one word from you, I'm supposed to just hand it all over?"

"And if I don't agree to resign?"

He flushed, embarrassed and angry.

"Felicity Sullivan, Scarlett is your sister, not a stranger."

"If you won't resign, I'll have the company fire you outright. Scarlett studied abroad, her English is better, she's a better fit for the position anyway."

"Think it over carefully. Don't make everyone lose face."

With that he left me standing there and strode off to catch up with Scarlett ahead.

The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder, talking and laughing.

My phone buzzed. A message from the project lead of the Antarctic expedition.

"Miss Sullivan, we depart in three days. We've prepared a welcome package for you here, a full set of daily supplies, cold-weather gear, and a food kit, everything covered. You don't need to bring a thing, just show up."

Those few short lines, I read them over ten times.

It was the only kindness, the only bit of warmth I received on my birthday today.

I lifted my hand and quietly wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

It's all right. I'll be gone soon.

4: 4

4

The next morning I got to the office early, the way I always did.

After the morning meeting, Fergus walked Scarlett into the work area.

"Everyone, let me introduce you. Scarlett is going to be our new colleague, taking over Felicity's position. Please look after her."

The sympathetic glances came at me, sideways, like they weren't quite meant to land.

I lowered my eyes. I'd stopped hoping for anything, and still I hadn't expected him to be this cold.

Once, I'd begged him more times than I could count just to get a single internship spot.

To avoid suspicion, Fergus always acted like he didn't know me at the office.

No one knew we were together.

I'd worked myself to the bone to prove I was good enough for him.

And to prove to my parents that I wasn't any less than anyone.

But now I understood. No matter how good I was, they would never see it.

Fergus came over with Scarlett beside him.

"Felicity, get your work organized. You're handing it over to Scarlett today."

I clenched my fists, said nothing, and gave them every file I'd already put in order.

At the door, I glanced back. Fergus was leaning over the screen, pointing things out, guiding Scarlett's hand through it step by step.

It was treatment I'd never once received.

I turned and walked out with nothing left to hold on to.

After that, Fergus drove Scarlett to and from work every day, all attention.

When he saw me, he didn't say a word.

The night before I was to leave, Fergus called me, which he rarely did, and said he was waiting for me at home.

When I got there, everyone was gathered in the living room.

Scarlett's eyes were red, and she was crying softly.

Mom sat beside her, murmuring comfort. Dad kept sighing.

"Felicity, you're finally back. Hurry and help Scarlett."

It turned out Scarlett, so sure of her study-abroad polish and her flawless English, had done the work carelessly. On an outgoing quote, she'd recorded the dollar amounts as if they were another currency.

The company had lost nearly ten million.

"I don't have money. I can't fix that."

Fergus took my hand, his voice earnest.

"You won't have to pay anything. You just have to admit you wrote the proposal wrong."

"You were only an intern anyway, and you've already resigned. Even if the company pursues it, the worst you'd get is a year in prison."

A chill ran through me. I looked at my parents.

"Scarlett just got back from overseas. We can't ruin such a bright future."

"You've been with us all these years. Don't be so selfish. Think of it as making it up to Scarlett, and just go confess."

"And have you thought about what happens to me? If I go to prison, my whole life is over."

Dad's brows drew together.

"It's not the same. Scarlett studied abroad, she's much smarter than you."

"You're going to marry and have kids anyway. Fergus doesn't mind your record, so what does one year in prison matter?"

So in their eyes, my future was worth nothing, my good name could be trampled at will, my life could be sacrificed whenever it was convenient.

I pulled my hand out of Fergus's grip, my mind made up.

"No. I didn't do it, and I won't admit to it."

Scarlett burst into tears.

"Mom, Dad, don't put Felicity in a hard spot. If it comes to it, I'll just go to prison myself."

"It's my bad luck. I only wish I could stay by your side and take care of you in your old age…"

Mom held her tight, aching for her, then turned and glared at me.

"Felicity Sullivan, are you determined to drive this whole family to death? If you won't take the blame, I'll die right here in front of you."

Fergus set his jaw, as if he'd made up his mind.

"Felicity, I'm begging you. Help Scarlett, and I'll agree to anything you want."

I watched Mom sway at the edge of the balcony, on the verge of tipping over.

The whole thing struck me as absurd, almost laughable.

If I didn't agree, there was no telling what other dirty trick they'd pull.

"Fine. I'll go first thing in the morning."

They finally let out a breath.

The four of them chatted and laughed, already deciding where to go for the weekend.

Early the next morning, I shouldered my backpack and got ready to leave.

Mom was in the kitchen making Scarlett a loving breakfast.

She saw me and didn't lift her head.

"Confess like a good girl. In a year we'll come pick you up from prison."

The car sent to get me was waiting downstairs.

Fergus passed me on his way in.

"Go to the office and confess first. I'll come once I've calmed Scarlett down."

"Felicity, I owe you for this. When you get out, we'll get married."

I watched his hurried back disappear, and there was no more pain in me.

He wanted to trade my good name, my life, and my freedom for a marriage handed to me like charity.

I had no use for it. I didn't want it.

I left the group chats, pulled the SIM card out of my phone, and dropped it into the trash can beside me.

Then I bent down and got into the car.

From here on, the world was wide open, and there was no day set for my return.