“Let me be honest with you,” Finn’s mother said, her tone devoid of any remorse. “Finn has always loved your sister. Taking your acceptance letter and letting Sage take your place—that was his idea.”

“Sage is different from you. She’s been frail since childhood. Just let her have this. You can always take the entrance exam again next year.”

That was my achievement. My hard work. How could they expect me to just hand it over so easily?

And on top of that, Sage had already stolen my fiancé!

I tried to fight back, but the Calloways weren’t going to let me ruin their perfect little arrangement. They tied me up and threw me into the woodshed, locking the door behind me.

Afraid I’d cause trouble, they even cut off my food supply.

I was left there for seven days. Seven days of starvation, of sheer agony. My body grew weak, feverish. Rats swarmed the tiny room, biting at my skin. Before long, I caught an infection, my body burning up as I hovered on the brink of death.

Just when I thought I would die alone in that wretched place, the door creaked open. A shadow loomed over me and then a warm hand lifted my head. It was Ryder Calloway—Finn’s older brother—holding a bowl of porridge.

“Hang in there, Amber. You can’t give up now. You have dreams to chase,” he said, his voice urgent.

Determined to save me, Ryder defied his family, carrying me on his back all the way to the town clinic. When I was too weak to swallow my medicine, he pressed it to his lips and fed it to me himself, mouthful by mouthful.

Thanks to his care, I survive.

One night, as I lay weakly on the cot, Ryder get down on his knees. 

“Amber, I’ve always loved you,” he confessed. “I never said anything because of Finn, but I can’t hide it anymore.”

Then he took my hand in his, his eyes pleading.

“Will you marry me? I’ll make up for everything Finn did to you.”

His words brought tears to my eyes.

I had lost a fiancé and a sister, shattered by their betrayal. But in the wreckage of what they destroyed, I still had Ryder—steady, unwavering and willing to give me everything.

And so, I said yes.

And we got married.

For three years, Ryder kept his word. He never let me work, insisting I focus on preparing for the entrance exam. And I, grateful for his devotion, helped out at his school, supporting his efforts.

Everyone said I was lucky to have such a devoted husband—one with a stable career, a good heart. And for a while, I believed it too.

Until today.

Everyone said I was lucky to have such a devoted husband—a man with a stable career, a good heart. And for a while, I believed it too.

Until today.

It hit me all at once—the source of my suffering had always been Ryder.

The sharp crash of ceramic against the floor jolted me from my thoughts. Ryder’s hand froze midair, the letter he had been holding slipping from his grasp. I watched as he quickly turned toward the door, his hurried steps echoing in the silence.

And then, as the door swung open and our eyes met, he didn’t look surprised. No. Instead, his gaze turned cold, piercing.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was sharp, accusatory, as though I were the one who had done something wrong. “And how long have you been there?”

Two short questions, but each one cut deep.

I held his gaze, my chest tightening with the weight of unspoken words. After all the times he had destroyed my acceptance letters, crushed every dream I dared to hold—had he ever felt guilty?

But I already knew the answer.

He felt nothing.

Just like Finn, his heart had always belonged to Sage.

I swallowed back the words I longed to say and forced a smile, pretending as if nothing had happened.

“I just got here,” I said lightly. I heard your parents were coming over, so I made some chicken soup for them. But…I spilled it.”

Ryder’s eyes flickered down to my reddened hand and for a brief moment, concern crossed his face. He took my hand gently and pulled me inside.

“You,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Didn’t I tell you to leave these things to me? You’re always so careless,” he scolded lightly, leading me to the kitchen. “Let me put some oil on the burn and later, I’ll take you to the city to have it checked.”

His touch was gentle as he rubbed the ointment over my skin. My gaze flickered past him to the Calloways, standing in the corner with their usual saccharine smiles—only today, there was something different. A hint of guilt, barely concealed.

The acceptance letter was no longer on the table. They must’ve hidden it. But I still couldn’t help but test Ryder.

“Ryder,” I began cautiously, “I heard everyone’s acceptance letters have arrived. Did mine–”

“I already checked,” he cut off, “yours wasn’t there.”

“Don’t be too upset,” he looked at me in the eyes. “Besides, it’s not like you have to worry about the future. I will take care of you for the rest of your life.”

Ryder lied so effortlessly, his voice steady, his expression sincere—like he actually believed the nonsense coming out of his mouth. And as if that weren’t enough, he even had the audacity to try and comfort me.

My stomach twisted, my heart sinking lower than I thought possible. But despite the cold, hard truth staring me in the face, three years of marriage made me hesitate. I wanted to give Ryder one last chance.

“But I heard my name is on the admission list,” I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You heard wrong.” Ryder cut me off without missing a beat, his brows knitting together as he looked at me like I was a child refusing to accept reality.

“Amber, I know this is hard for you to accept, but if this is your fate, then no matter how much you fight it, you won’t win.”  Ryder exhaled, as if he were the one suffering. “Some people are meant for college. Others aren’t. From now on, you’re not allowed to apply again.”

Fate? Is that what he called this?

Ryder knew better than anyone that I had the grades to get into university. He knew I was capable. Yet he was the one who tore up every single acceptance letters.The one who ripped away my wings before I could even take flight.

Tears burned in my eyes, threatening to spill, but I refused to let them fall. I forced myself to stay composed. But the Calloway elders weren’t blind; they noticed my silence, the stiffness in my posture. Ryder’s mother shot him a disapproving glare before stepping in to smooth things over.

“Ryder! Is that a way to talk to your wife?” Mr. Calloway snapped. 

“Amber, sweetheart, don’t take it to heart.” Mrs. Calloway added with a forced smile. 

What Ryder meant was that even if you don’t go to college, you’ll still have a good life. He will always take care of you.” She shot Ryder a warning glance and he took the cue, pulling me into his arms in what I could only assume was supposed to be a reassuring embrace.

“They’re right,” he murmured. “You don’t have to worry about anything. I’m a principal. I can take care of you and give you a decent life.”

Before I could respond, a voice called out from outside the house.

“Principal Calloway! Miss Sage just called! She’s already on the train and asked you to pick her up!”

Ryder barely let the words register before his whole demeanor shifted. His eyes lit up, his entire body tensed with urgency.

“She’s already on her way? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He snatched his coat, practically bolting toward the door. “It’s too hot outside—if she gets heatstroke, it’ll be a disaster.”

And just like that, he dropped everything and rushed out the door.

The Calloway elders looked visibly uncomfortable but quickly scrambled for an excuse to justify his actions.

“Finn called earlier,” Ryder’s father explained. “He asked Ryder to take care of Sage, while she visits. You understand, don’t you?”

“Yes,” his mother chimed in. “After all, Sage is his sister-in-law, right?” 

I could still remember them sobbing, kneeling at my feet on the day of my wedding. They had sworn they would cut all ties between Ryder and Sage, begged me to forgive them, to trust that they wouldn’t interfere in our lives anymore.

Liars. Every last one of them.

But instead of calling them out, I simply smiled and nodded.

“You’re right,” I said smoothly. “Sage is my sister. Ryder’s sister-in-law. Of course, it makes sense for him to pick her up.”

The Calloway elders beamed at my ‘understanding’ nature, but they still lingered, watching me too closely, clearly unsure whether I knew about the admission letters.

I needed to get out of there.

Feigning indifference, I grabbed my things and made an excuse about needing to buy medicine in town.

At the pharmacy, I reached into my pockets, feeling around for some spare change—but all I found was emptiness. Not even enough to buy a simple burn ointment.

Just as I turned to leave, a familiar voice floated through the thin partition separating me from the next room.

“Ryder, it’s just a little low blood sugar. You really didn’t have to bring me all the way to clinic,” Sage’s voice was as soft and delicate as ever, like she was afraid she might shatter if she spoke too loudly.

“Besides,” she continued, a teasing lilt in her tone, “you’ve already spent so much money on me. Won’t my sister mind?”

Ryder scoffed, completely unfazed. “She? What’s she going to do? She lives off me. It’s not like she gets a say in how I spend my money.”

My breath caught in my throat.

“Your health is more important,” Ryder went on, his voice gentle in a way it had never been with me. “Doctor, I’ll take everything you recommended for her. And some candied plums, too—she hates bitter medicine.”

A pause. Then, Sage spoke again, hesitant.

“Thanks, Ryder. But…don’t you think we should get some for my sister too? What if she gets jealous? ”

Ryder laughed, completely dismissive. “Why waste the money? She can handle bitter medicine. She always has.”

Last year, the school raised two pigs, but they got sick. I wanted to take them to the vet in town, but Ryder refused to help. So, I dragged them there myself, struggling every step of the way. Honestly, I must have looked ridiculous, but I had no other choice.

Ryder barely spared me a glance and scoffed. “She insisted on taking those pigs to the vet even though I told her not to. Wasted all that effort for nothing.”

“If the pigs were sick, she should’ve just slaughtered them and eaten the meat. What’s the point of going through all that trouble?”

Sage let out a giggle, linking her arm with Ryder’s as they strolled out of the store, their bags full of expensive supplements.

“Those pigs must have been at least two hundred pounds each, right? Guess my sister isn’t as weak as she looks," Sage said, amused. "But still, I’m glad she took them to the vet. I wouldn’t have eaten sick pork anyway.”

A shiver ran through me, but not from the cold. Ryder had a respectable job as the principal of the elementary school, earning a decent salary. But what no one knew was that most of his income went to helping the students, many of whom couldn’t even afford to eat.

We lived in near poverty. Some months, we didn’t even have a proper meal with meat.

I cared about him, so I found a way to buy two piglets for cheap—weak, underdeveloped ones that needed extra care. I spent months raising them, making sure they grew strong and healthy. When they got sick, I panicked. I loaded them onto a cart and pulled them all the way to town, my feet blistered and bleeding, just to save them. I thought if I could nurse them back to health, we’d finally have something decent to eat.

But in the end, they didn’t survive. Or at least, that’s what Ryder told me.

I still remember the day he made me return home for the weekend. When I got back, he told me both pigs had died and he had thrown them away. I blamed myself for weeks, thinking I had given them the wrong medicine, that my inexperience had cost us the only good meal we could have had in months.

But now, standing here, watching Ryder and Sage with their expensive bags of supplements, realization struck me like a punch to the gut.

He had lied.

Those pigs never ‘died.’ Ryder had given them to Sage, using them as a way to please her.

Tears welled up in my eyes—not just for his deception, but for my own stupidity. How could I have been so blind?

Ryder noticed me and, in a pathetic attempt to hide the evidence, shifted the bags behind his back. But Sage held onto his arm tightly, her expression smug.

“Oh, hi, Sis,” she said sweetly, “I haven’t been feeling well, so Ryder bought me some supplements. You don’t mind, do you?”

Her voice was dripping with mock innocence, but I wasn’t naive enough to fall for it.

Ryder, emboldened by her words, frowned at me. “Amber! Sage is your sister! She fainted at the train station because of low blood sugar. What’s wrong with me buying her some supplements?”

I didn’t respond, but before I could turn away, the pharmacist behind the counter spoke up.

“Miss, do you still want the burn ointment? It’s only eighty cents a bottle and it’ll last you a long time.”

I glanced down at the crumpled five-cent coin in my hand, then back up at the expensive bags Ryder was holding.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

“No, thank you,” I said quietly. “I can’t afford it.”

Then, I walked out of the pharmacy.

Ryder’s expression darkened, but before he could say anything, Sage let out a dramatic sigh, playing the victim as always.

“Ryder,” she whined, “you make thirty or forty dollars a month, right? How could Amber not afford a simple bottle of ointment?”

Then, with a sly smile, she added, “Looks like Amber still holds a grudge over what happened back then. She just wanted to embarrass me.”

She wiped at her fake tears. “Fine, if that’s how it is, I’ll leave.”

She turned as if to go, her performance flawless. Ryder’s face hardened. He strode forward, grabbing my arm to stop me in my tracks. “Amber, apologize to Sage!”

I almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

“Why should I apologize?” I asked coldly.

Ryder squared his shoulders, his voice full of self-righteousness. “Because—”