Zoey looked at our parents, took a deep breath, and said, “Mom, Dad, his family’s finances are a mess. They’re getting slammed by competitors and might go under.”

“Edward’s different,” she added. “I’ve heard he’s getting a promotion soon because of his brilliant business plan. If I married Charles, I don’t know how hard it’d be. And... Edward’s been in love with me for over ten years. He’ll treat me right.”

She spoke through her tears in my dad’s arms. My mom, looking heartbroken, said, “Oh, sweetie, you’ve finally grown up and started thinking about what’s best for you. It’s okay, it’s okay. Mom and Dad will handle everything.”

What? I was totally surprised. It felt like my mom was trying to make Zoey’s taking my fiancé seem like a noble act.

Watching their warm family moment, I felt like a stranger on the outside, unable to fit in. A bitter smile spread across my face.

When I first graduated from college and hadn’t landed a job yet, my mom told me I was an adult now and needed to move out. She said I shouldn’t rely on them because they were getting older and couldn’t support me much.

During my first Christmas Eve after starting work, I came home to find that my room and Zoey’s room had been combined into one big room for her.

At that time, Zoey pretended to be sorry and said, “Oh, I’m really sorry, Celina. Mom and Dad thought my room was too small, and since you don’t come home much, they merged our rooms. Why don’t we share a bed tonight?”

It was common for sisters to share a room, but I knew it wasn’t going to work with Zoey. When we were kids, she’d beg to sleep with me, only to complain to our parents that I took her blanket or kicked her in my sleep. I could see the smugness in her eyes whenever Mom and Dad scolded me.

So, on Christmas Eve, I went to a hotel alone.

Outside the window, thousands of lights glittered, but none of them were meant for me.

“You say Edward’s been secretly in love with you for years? That’s impossible! He’s been with me for three years,” I interrupted the warm scene, pretending to show concern.

“Don’t believe me?” Zoey shot me a disdainful look after hearing my doubts.

She pulled out her phone, logged into her rarely-used WhatsApp account, and handed it to me. “See for yourself.”

I took the phone and immediately recognized the familiar number. It was Edward’s account.

Scrolling through the chat history, I came across messages from a few years ago.

[Zoey, I saw you at the park today. You were wearing a red dress, standing out in the crowd, so vibrant and dazzling.]

[Zoey, if we could go to the same high school, our time there would be so much more exciting. I’d definitely stand in front of you and tell you how I feel.]

...

[Zoey, today someone was watching me who looks a lot like you. I found out she’s your sister. Since I can’t be by your side, I’ll protect you in my own way, as if I were family.]

What a beautiful, enviable love! But it’s a love built on the pain it causes me.

But wait, this can’t be right! Something is off!

While I was reading those messages, my heart twisted in pain. I even found it hard to breathe.

Zoey looked at our parents, took a deep breath, and said, “Mom, Dad, his family’s finances are a mess. They’re getting slammed by competitors and might go under.”

“Edward’s different,” she added. “I’ve heard he’s getting a promotion soon because of his brilliant business plan. If I married Charles, I don’t know how hard it’d be. And... Edward’s been in love with me for over ten years. He’ll treat me right.”

She spoke through her tears in my dad’s arms. My mom, looking heartbroken, said, “Oh, sweetie, you’ve finally grown up and started thinking about what’s best for you. It’s okay, it’s okay. Mom and Dad will handle everything.”

But how could Zoey and Edward have gone to the same high school?

This doesn’t make any sense.

I shook my head and turned to walk out the door, an idea suddenly exploding in my mind.

In my memory, the first time I met Edward was in my second year of junior high school, back in 2012.

At that time, I was introverted and withdrawn. My parents always favored my sister, making me feel like an outsider at home. Because of this, I often stayed at school late to avoid going back.

I remember that night being very cold. I was walking home alone, and a strong sense of unease heightened my senses. When I realized someone was following me, I panicked and started running.

Tears streamed down my face as I ran, and in my panic, I tripped and fell.

Just when I thought it was all over, Edward appeared.

He was wearing a blue uniform, standing in front of me like a hero from a movie. He gently helped me up and told me not to be afraid. He explained that the strange noise was just a plastic bag caught on my shoe. He also mentioned that the area hadn’t been very safe lately and advised me not to stay out too late.

Edward took off his coat and wrapped it around me. I noticed his school uniform underneath.

That day, he bundled me up and told me not to be afraid. He was about to call my parents to come get me, but they hung up as soon as they heard my name.

As he was about to call again, I stopped him and whispered, "Don't bother. They won't answer. My parents... they don’t like me causing trouble."

Edward gently patted my head, and I looked up at him, confused. He said, "Even if they don’t like you, you have to like yourself. If you don’t stand up for yourself, the people who bully you will just get worse..."

That night, he shared a lot about himself. I found out he went to the neighboring high school and that his dad was a cop. In his spare time, he helped out at the police station.

Edward was such a good man. He pulled me out of my darkest moments. He was my beacon of hope.

For my entire third year of junior high, Edward would quietly walk me home, making me feel safe.

Edward once told me that a butterfly dancing in the air was a worm that had broken free from its cocoon.

"No matter how tough your past or how your family treats you, those are just the cocoons holding you back, Celina. When you become a butterfly and fly high, those things will be in the past and won't be able to hurt you anymore."

I told him my sister’s name is Zoey. She was their perfect gem, carrying all their hopes and dreams. As for me, it seemed like my parents never really paid attention to me, like they never had any expectations for my future."

Edward gently tapped my head. "Celina, you bring so much joy to others, don't you realize that? Just knowing you has been a great joy.

"You have to live a great life and become an amazing person. Let those people see you thriving, and that will be the best revenge on those who don’t love you.

"When the little stream winds through all the twists and turns and finally flows into the sea, that’s when you see its true worth. What I mean is, you need to recognize your own value."

However, after working hard for an entire year, I still couldn’t get into Starlight High School.

On the day of the entrance exam, Zoey insisted on having mango jam and even spread a layer on my toast.

I had never eaten mangoes before, so I had no idea I was allergic. But I wasn’t feeling great and only had a little bit before heading to the exam.

In the exam room, my hands broke out in rashes. Even as clueless as I was, I figured out where Zoey’s evil smile that morning had come from.

Though I quickly went to the hospital for allergy meds at noon, they made me dizzy. The language exam in the morning was already over and couldn’t be changed, and I wasn’t clear-headed for the math exam in the afternoon. In the end, I missed getting into Starlight High School by two points.

And after that, I never saw Edward again.

After college, I landed a job at a well-known company, just as I’d always hoped.

But on September 21st, while I was meeting with a client, I saw Edward’s name on the list.

When I realized he was from the same small town as me and lived near Starlight High School, I was over the moon. It felt like fate was finally bringing that spark of hope back into my life.

But when I asked about his father, Edward’s expression changed.

He told me his father had passed away. I stupidly assumed that losing his dad had pushed him away from a police career and shaped him into who he had become.

What I missed was that his appearance had changed from what I remembered, and he had once been so determined to become a police officer, no matter how hard it was.

When I told him Zoey was my sister and showed him a photo of us, Edward was so excited, like he’d found something he thought he’d lost. I thought he was remembering our past together.

So, everything seemed to fall into place. We became a couple, dated for three years, introduced our families, and started planning our wedding.

But then, the twist. Edward turned out to be Zoey’s secret admirer.

Zoey told me they had been classmates since middle school and were still in the same class in high school. Edward had been in love with her for over ten years. My sister, who struggled with her grades, went to a private high school, which meant this Edward was not the one I thought I knew.

I realized then that I had mistaken someone for Edward.

I had always thought people change over time, so I made excuses for Edward's neglect and coldness towards me over the past three years. I told myself people's personalities could shift. When he pressured me to work on projects for him, I figured it wasn't his strength. Even when he showed me disdain and dislike, I chose to ignore it.