On the day my twin sister, Alexia Cavanaugh, and I turn 22, I collapse and find out that I have late-stage cancer.

Ignoring the doctor's advice to be admitted, I walk out of the hospital. All I want is to spend one final birthday with my family without a single worry.

But when I arrive at the party, a server stops me at the door and tells me the venue has been reserved exclusively for Alexia. Outsiders aren't allowed in.

Through the glass, I watch as my brother holds a cake and my father places a birthday hat on Alexia's head. Even my boyfriend is there, smiling as Alexia makes a wish.

I stand there for half an hour, gripping my phone, before my boyfriend finally answers my call.

"I was just at the hospital. I—"

He cuts me off. "Ophelia, you've always been healthy. It's Lexi's birthday today. We should talk later."

Isn't today my birthday too?

My mother died giving birth to me. The doctor later explained that I deprived Alexia of nutrients before birth, which left her frail from the start.

And just like that, everyone decided I should always step aside for my twin, who was born five minutes before me.

I ball up the report with my cancer diagnosis and toss it in the trash. I'm done letting their favoritism hurt me.

I've never received their love anyway, so I choose to leave for good.

Although I was born only five minutes after my twin, Alexia Cavanaugh, my family treated me like I was the curse that caused mother’s death.

I grew up surrounded by my family's favoritism and Alexia's quiet jealousy—until the day I was diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

I decided I wouldn't keep begging for their affection or settling for scraps of their attention. I was done, and I would walk away on my own terms.

Yet the very people who'd once ignored me were starting to unravel.

...

"I'm right outside."

When my boyfriend, Marcus Shaw, heard my hoarse voice, he paused for a couple of seconds but said nothing. He caught a server's attention and had him let me in.

My brother, Sean Cavanaugh, spotted me first. His smile vanished instantly. "Ophelia, where did you go? Don't you know it's Lexi's birthday? You couldn't have picked a worse time to show up!"

The clatter of forks and plates filled the air.

My father, Wesley Cavanaugh, snorted. "You're only five minutes younger than Lexi, but you're still acting like this. How could you show up at a place like this without even dressing appropriately?"

I pulled out a chair and sat down silently.

So they did remember. They remembered Alexia and I shared the same birthday but just didn't want to celebrate mine.

I forced a small smile and said calmly, "I went to buy Alexia a birthday gift and didn't have time to change."

Noticing that I didn't argue back like I normally would, everyone froze for a moment. The room fell silent, and the atmosphere grew tense and awkward—nothing like the cozy picture I'd glimpsed through the window.

Dad turned away, muttering, "Always making excuses."

Sean cleared his throat, trying to smooth things over. "Ophie, don't mind Dad's words. When you're not around, you're actually the one he mentions the most."

I kept my expression neutral, thinking bitterly, "He's probably scolding me most of the time."

Sean placed a piece of lobster on my plate. "Have some of this. It's imported lobster, and it's really fresh. Dad even told us to save some for you. I remember you used to like it the most."

As I stared at the lobster on my plate, I had a hard time breathing. My chest tightened, and my stomach churned.

I was allergic to shellfish.

Alexia was always the one who loved lobster.

I sneered. "You sure have a good memory, don't you?"

Dad slammed his hand on the table. "Who do you think you're sulking for? Everything we do is for your sake, and this is how you act? You've been the most troublesome out of the three of you since day one. After what you did to your mother, are you trying to make me and Sean lose our minds too?"

Every word pierced straight through me, sinking into my bones and blood, leaving only a deep ache that spread through every limb.

I picked up the piece of lobster and bit down, swallowing the sweet meat.

It tasted perfect.

For me, even the best things always came at a cost.

"I miss Mom too. I never meant to upset you. I didn't want the lobster because I'm allergic. And none of you even remembered," I said flatly, as though I were recounting someone else's story.

Dad's expression flickered with discomfort, but he still refused to back down. "Well, maybe if you didn't have so many issues all the time, people would remember. If no one knew, why didn't you say something yourself?"

Sean's face shifted. He reached for my hand, gripping it tightly. "Ophie, we're your family. You don't need to put on a brave face or fight us. Come on, spit it out now."

Marcus shot to his feet and hurried over. "Allergies aren't a joke. Ophie, spit it out immediately!"

The concern in his eyes was genuine. For a moment, it threw me off.

I was just about to reach for him when a sharp gasp sounded beside us.

Marcus brushed past me as if I weren't there and hurried forward, catching Alexia just as she collapsed. He had one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in a way that was unmistakably intimate.

"Lexi, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

Marcus was always calm and restrained. I'd never seen him look this anxious.

I slowly lowered the hand I'd instinctively reached out with. The absurdity of it all almost made me laugh.

Alexia leaned weakly against his chest and pointed toward the table. "Ophelia said she prepared a birthday gift for me, so I thought of opening it and taking a look. But there was blood on it. Marcus, Sean, Dad, I'm so scared…"

I looked over. There really was a faint smear of blood on the jewelry box.

It must have gotten there when I collapsed earlier and scraped my arm.

Dad snatched it and threw it across the room. "Don't you know Lexi faints at the sight of blood? Ophelia, do you want your sister dead?"

That necklace was the latest design. I'd saved for a whole year to buy it.

Sean looked at me, disappointment written across his face.

"Ophie, everyone knows this store never messes up the packaging. No matter how upset you are, you can't deliberately leave blood on a gift just to frighten Lexi."

Marcus, who'd just ended a call to his personal doctor, turned sharply. "Ophelia, don't use the fact that you're the younger sister as an excuse for this. Apologize to Lexi."

Alexia looked at me, her eyes full of smug satisfaction.

Anyone who saw us together knew we were twins, but people always said I was the better-looking one. I picked things up faster and always stood out.

Alexia had been jealous of me for a long time. She seemed calm and gentle, but she used Dad and Sean's favoritism to push me aside.

And now, even my own boyfriend had chosen her side.

I clutched the cut on my arm, shivering. I said softly and obediently, "I'm sorry, Lexi. I didn't mean to upset you. It won't happen again."

And just like that, the disgust and irritation in everyone's eyes froze.

"If you'd been a little more sensible, you wouldn't have gotten Dad so worked up." Sean seemed genuinely relieved, even a little surprised that I didn't snap back. "Ophie, just try to listen from now on. Dad and I are your family. Everything we do is for your own good."

I clenched my jaw and nodded slightly, though I thought to myself, "As if there's still a future for me."

Marcus stepped forward, carrying a birthday cake. "Ophie, don't be upset. Happy birthday."

He looked calm, and I could tell he truly meant it.

"Thanks…"

The bitterness I'd been suppressing surged all at once, spreading through my chest.

This was the guy I'd loved for five years, the one who'd pulled me out of countless dark moments when my family left me gasping for air. And now…

Marcus' face lit up a little. "There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about. Lexi's going on her graduation trip. She'll be by herself, and she's never been as healthy as you.

"I don't feel right letting her go alone, so I'm going with her. Let's put the engagement on hold for now. We'll talk about it after we get back. You can come if you want to. We're leaving early tomorrow."

His words hit me like a punch. I froze, stunned, barely registering anything. I just stared at him, unable to find my voice.

Alexia spoke up. "I remember Ophelia hates traveling. This trip involves hiking and going out to sea for whale watching. It'll be exhausting. She should stay home and rest instead."

She coughed lightly, pretending she was looking out for me, but I knew she just didn't want me to interfere with her and Marcus' private time.

I should've realized it sooner.

From the first time I brought Marcus home, Alexia had always been unusually friendly toward him, and she'd deliberately tried to make me look bad.

At first, he didn't pay her any attention and always stuck by me. But somewhere along the way, his focus had shifted.

Growing up, Alexia couldn't bear to see me happy. If I liked a toy, it would vanish the next day or get destroyed. If a dance instructor praised me in class, I'd find needles hidden in my shoes the following lesson. Any friend who got close to me would cut me off entirely after spending just one recess with her.

So how could Alexia have resisted trying to win over my boyfriend, who everyone admired for his intelligence and good looks?

I should have expected this by now. Whether Marcus had really changed or not, it didn't matter anymore.

Marcus nudged me lightly, a hint of impatience on his face. "Ophie, say something! It's just a postponement, not a cancellation—"

"Fine."

I cut him off, keeping my voice calm. "I'm not going on the graduation trip. The engagement doesn't need to be postponed either. Marcus, we're done."

He froze, then panicked. "Ophie, I'm just going on the trip with Lexi. You can come as well! After all these years, does it matter if the engagement is delayed by a couple of weeks? Why are you making a big deal out of this?"

Dad slammed his hand on the table. "You let a few nice words go straight to your head. We're family, yet all you think about is yourself. Marcus just wants to go with Lexi, and you're threatening to break up with him over that? Honestly, someone like him is way out of your league."

I turned on my heel and started walking away.

Sean called after me, "Ophie! Lexi has never gone anywhere alone. Marcus has friends abroad, and he's just being helpful. Don't you care about Lexi at all?"

Marcus' frustrated voice followed. "Ophelia, why are you being so stubborn? You think I'd go this far if it weren't for you?"

I whirled around, facing the four people before me. Some of them were on their feet, while the others were seated. Yet they all wore expressions of anger and disappointment.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. Bursting into tears, I grabbed the table and flipped it over in a fit of anger.

"Then go ahead! Marcus, I hope you and Alexia will be happy together! Till death do you part!"

I bolted for the door, desperate to get as far away from them as possible.

But I hadn't even taken two steps when Sean grabbed me, and a loud slap landed across my face.

Sean raised his voice. "Ophelia! Mom died because of you, and now you're even cursing Lexi to die? You're heartless. How could you be this vicious?"

He usually seemed calm, but the moment Alexia was involved, all restraint vanished. He'd hit me with full force. For a moment, the world went dark, and I reeled, barely able to stay upright.

The taste of blood filled my mouth. I swallowed hard, forcing it down, until my vision slowly cleared again.

Lexi.

Ophelia.

Her name was always said with warmth.

Mine was spoken flat, without feeling.

Why was I even struggling?

I let out a bitter laugh and watched Alexia run toward me, tears streaming down her face.

"Sean, don't hit her," she said, feigning concern as she brushed a hand across my cheek. "Does it hurt? Ophie, I never meant to come between you and Marcus. If you don't want him to go with me, he won't. Don't get mad…"

She spoke sweetly, but her hand pressed hard against my swollen cheek, her eyes shining with clear satisfaction.

The pain drove me to shove her away. I hadn't even used much force, yet she suddenly staggered backward and fell hard.

Sean and Marcus cried out at the same time and rushed forward. The shards of porcelain on the floor sliced into her calf.

Dad stormed over, fury etched across his face. "You ungrateful brat! I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like you! It's because we've been too soft on you that you've gotten completely out of control, even going so far as to hurt your own sister!"

Marcus looked at me with disappointment and called his private doctor immediately.

Sean chimed in, backing Dad up. "Dad, Ophelia has gone too far. If we don't punish her, she'll never learn!"

Then he added, "The doctor's here. Marcus, take Lexi out and make sure that cut doesn't get infected."

Marcus nodded, scooped Alexia into his arms, and left without so much as a glance at me.

Dad glared at me one last time before following them. As Sean reached the door, he suddenly turned and called for a few servers.

"Extend our reservation for another day. After we leave, lock the doors. Don't worry about her."

The servers exchanged uneasy glances. "Sir… what if something happens?"

Sean snapped impatiently, "Nothing's going to happen! Unlock the doors tomorrow morning. She needs to learn a lesson tonight. I'll pay double, so don't bother about anything else."

Left with no choice, the servers complied.

The heavy doors of the banquet hall shut with a dull, final thud.

Dragging my aching body, I staggered to the door, just in time to hear Sean's cold voice. "Stay put and think about what you've done. When you've learned your lesson, we'll let you out."

"No…"

The word barely made it past my throat. I couldn't force out anything more.

The allergic reaction spread through me, making my body swell. The cancer spread unchecked. It felt like thousands of ants crawling beneath my skin.

Suffocation… Pain… Relentless itching and numbness…

I regretted everything.

My deepest regret was ever becoming part of this family.

My senses slowly faded, one by one, until the last tear slid down my cheek.

I didn't know how much time had passed before my eyes finally closed.