I set the half-empty bowl aside and said curtly, "I don't have any appetite. This is the best I can do. Are you happy now?"

This displeased Zach. "Can't you finish the whole thing? You're such a picky eater. Thank goodness Thalia isn't like this."

I could not resist a scoff. "Have you forgotten that I'm allergic to chicken?"

I could tell Zach was already gearing up to scold me, but he stopped dead in his tracks as realization struck him. "No… Of course I didn't forget! It was a mistake. I'll call a doctor right now. I'll go downstairs and buy you something else!"

I shook my head. "Never mind."

I could feel my face tingling, and a red rash was beginning to develop over my bare arms. Zach saw this too and said with a frown, "How come you didn't mention it? Why can't you be more careful? Give me a few minutes. I'll go find a doctor right now. I'll be back in a jiffy."

All of a sudden, his phone rang, and when he picked up, Thalia's whiny voice rang out, "Zach… My period has come, and my tummy hurts!"

This sent Zach flying into a panic. Alarmed, he replied, "Don't be scared, darling. I'll come home right now and give you a massage to make it better. Stop crying, okay? I'll be home before you know it."

He hung up hastily and looked at me sheepishly. "Sorry, Sydney. Thalia's period cramps are always the worst. She needs someone to take care of her. I need to massage her and make her some soup so that she can feel better. I'm sure you understand, don't you?"

Of course I understood; he used to dote on me in the exact same way. I replied icily, "Go on then."

Zach shot me a guilty look. "Sydney, you should call a doctor to check on you. Thalia really needs my company. It's just an allergic reaction, and I'm sure you'll be fine. It's not like you can die from an allergy, right?"

I nodded stiffly. "I understand, Zach."

Zach flinched upon hearing this. I could see a brief expression of sadness flash across his face as he said gloomily, "You never used to say my name like that. Never mind. I know you're just still angry at me. You'll come around sooner or later."

After Zach left, I summoned a doctor, and while I waited, I decided to scroll on my phone.

The first thing that popped up on my screen was a status update from Thalia Lewis, Zach's girlfriend.

[I'm the luckiest girl in the world! I had an intense craving for chicken soup last night, and Zach spent hours trying to perfect it for me! It's the best thing I've ever had!]

This was the caption for a photo of a bowl of soup, garnished and seasoned to perfection. The next photo showed a massive pot of less-than-appealing chicken soup, clearly belonging to Zach's failed attempts.

Oddly enough, the failed ones looked exactly like the bowl of soup Zach had brought me earlier.

Either way, this was none of my business. Not anymore.

The day I got discharged from the hospital, I returned home only to catch Zach and Thalia making out on my living room couch. They jumped when they heard me opening the door.

Zach seemed embarrassed to be caught. He explained hastily, "Sorry, Sydney. I didn't mean to forget that you were getting discharged today. Thalia got into an argument with her roommate, and I was just comforting her. She's my girlfriend after all, whereas you're my sister.

"Partners should always come first, don't you agree, Sydney? Surely you can understand?

"This also reminds me… You don't mind Thalia living here for a while, do you? She's my girlfriend, after all."

There did not seem to be any room for dispute at all. I glanced at him and shook my head. "It's fine."

It was fine, truly. Once Connor returned, I would sell the house and buy a new one. It did not concern me where Zach and Thalia would be living, since this was my house, after all.

I entered my room, but to my horror, I realized that everything, down to the wallpaper and the furniture, had been changed. My previous bare walls were now painted a sickening shade of pink, and one glance around the room showed me that my belongings had been replaced by another woman's—Thalia's, of course.

Zach explained, "Thalia is very particular about her surroundings. Your bed is more comfortable, and the lighting in your room is better, so I let her have this room instead.

"Thalia didn't like the way your room looked, so I let her change the layout and refurnish it as she liked. After all, she and I will be getting married in the future, and she's going to end up moving in anyway. You can have my room instead, Sydney."

Thalia did not like the idea of this. She pouted and whimpered, "Zach, have you forgotten that Sydney fancies you? What will she think of that?"

This seemed to snap some sense into Zach. He glared at me and snapped, "Screw that! You're to sleep in the broom closet, Sydney! This is your fault! If you hadn't developed these sick feelings toward me, I wouldn't have to resort to this!

"Your belongings are already in the broom closet, anyway. Go buy yourself a mattress. That'll be your bedroom from now on!"

The broom closet was just big enough to fit a single-sized mattress, but it was too late to go out and buy one at this hour. This meant I would have to spend the night on the floor. Not only that, but the broom closet was musty and barely even habitable.

Years ago, to save Zach, I got into a terrible accident that resulted in a serious leg injury. My leg would hurt for months after that, and I could not sleep a wink from the pain. Zach felt sorry for me and spent countless days researching ways to help me sleep better. He spent a fortune on a new bed for me and picked out the most expensive mattress, duvet, and pillow just for my comfort.

Who would have thought the man who used to worry himself sick over my sleep would one day force me to sleep on the cold, hard floor?

People could change, Sydney. That was the cold, harsh truth.

I nodded and replied coolly, "Alright."

Zach was rather surprised by the lack of resistance I put up. He wanted to say something in response but ultimately changed his mind.

Something else occurred to me. Connor and I were going to get married soon, and I would be selling the house after that. I decided that as cruel as Zach had been acting toward me, he deserved to know this.

"Zach, I'm getting married soon, to someone you might remember. It's Connor Grey. He's a few years your senior."

Zach froze upon hearing this. The next moment, however, he and Thalia burst into laughter. "Sydney, you must be out of your mind! Who are you kidding? You're getting married? And to Connor Grey, the tech prodigy, no less? That's impossible! You'd never marry, Sydney! You love me too much to leave me!"

He was right. For a long time, I would willingly put my happiness on the back burner for him. To take care of him, I promised him that I would not marry until he did, because I feared that no one would look after him once I left him. This explained why he was so confident that I was lying about my engagement.

Unbeknownst to him, I meant it this time.

I retreated to the broom closet, where my clothes and belongings were haphazardly stacked in a corner, clearly tossed in there as an afterthought.

I picked up an old photo album. My face had been scribbled over in all the photos, with pig noses and devil's horns added. Zach's photos, on the other hand, were decorated exquisitely with colorful markers. I did not have to be a rocket scientist to guess who was behind this.

This photo album contained all the pictures Zach and I had taken over the years. I had bought this album not long after Zach came into my life, and every year we would fill it up with photographs of memorable trips. Zach had sworn he would cherish this photo album until the end of his days, because it was a tangible representation of our shared memories together.

Alas, he allowed Thalia to defile it like a child's art project. Perhaps he himself had taken part in the vandalization.

I tossed the album aside in disgust.

All of a sudden, someone knocked on my door. Thalia stepped in, clutching a jewelry box. She was smirking. "Sydney, I bought you a present as a token of appreciation for letting me stay here."

I took the box from her and opened it. Inside lay an old and rather tacky-looking pearl necklace. It was hardly a present for someone my age.

Thalia crossed her arms in front of her chest and said, looking at me in disdain, "Sydney, I think this necklace suits you very much! Don't old ladies like you love pearl necklaces? Even Zach agrees that you'll love it."

I knew Thalia was trying to get on my nerves, but I would not let her succeed. I snapped the box shut and handed it back to her. "Thank you for your generosity, Thalia, but truth be told, I don't like it at all."

Thalia replied frostily, "Some people need to learn some gratitude! Why don't you go look in a mirror and see what you're worth?

"Let me show you what it means to cross me!"

Thalia snapped the necklace in half, spilling pearls everywhere, then slapped herself across the cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she gazed at me, clutching her swollen cheek as she whimpered, "Sydney, I know you don't like me, but you didn't have to attack me! I know you're in love with Zach. You must hate me for getting in the way of you and Zach!

"I got the message! I'll leave right now, and I won't disturb you ever again. I hope you and Zach will be happy together!"

She turned and ran out the door but bumped right into Zach, who had heard the commotion. He pulled her into his arms and said tenderly, "You mustn't leave, Thalia! She should be the one leaving!"

Then, he strode over to me, raised his arm, and smacked my cheek. "This is for picking on Thalia! You should be ashamed of yourself! She felt so bad for intruding that she bought you a present to thank you, but you took her kindness for granted! How can you destroy her present and even attack her? I've never met anyone more ungrateful!"

A searing pain was spreading through my cheek where Zach had struck it. I clutched it and glanced behind Zach, where Thalia was grinning wickedly at me.

I did not even attempt to defend myself; I knew Zach would not believe a single word I said.

Zach glared at me and hissed, "Why aren't you saying anything? You admit it, don't you? Apologize to Thalia right now, or you and I are done!"

I sneered at this. "You and I are already done, Zach. Besides, would you even believe me if I told you I didn't hit her?"

Zach scoffed at this. "How is that possible? Are you saying Thalia slapped herself to frame you? I've never heard anything more ludicrous! She's such a kind person! How can you even suggest something so outrageous? You're a sick, brother-loving wretch, and you don't even hold a candle up to her!"

A wretch?

My blood had gone cold. Who would have thought that the only time I had ever been called a slur, would be from the mouth of Zach Lawson?

Zach seemed to realize his mistake. His tone softened, and he said, "Sydney, get on your knees and apologize to Thalia, and I'll forget this. Don't make me say this twice."

I stared defiantly at him. "I won't."

The next moment, Zach kicked me so hard across my shins that my knees buckled beneath me. I fell to the ground, and a searing pain shot through my knees.

Years ago, Zach and I were involved in a car accident. I lunged in front of Zach to protect him, and as a result, I sustained a fracture in my left leg. The fracture healed, but left me with serious complications.

When Zach fooled me with his proposal a few days ago, I had fallen on my bad leg and wound up in the hospital once more. The doctors told me that if I injured my leg another time, I would not get so lucky. I would likely end up with an amputation.

Zach knew this, and had chosen to strike me in my weakest point.

Tears streamed down my face, but Zach ignored it and stepped on my left leg. "Sydney, you leave me no choice. Apologize to Thalia right now!"

Beads of cold sweat had collected on my forehead, so intense was the pain in my leg. My lip trembled as I stammered, "I…I'm sorry, Thalia."

Zach finally released me. He and Thalia swept out of the room without so much as a second glance. As they left, he closed the door behind him and locked it.

I crawled to the door and knocked on it like a madman. The pain in my left leg was excruciating. I knew that if I did not get to the hospital soon, it would be too late. I begged Zach to let me out.

Zach cast me a look of utmost disgust through the crack in the door. "You must be delusional to think an apology will make up for what you did to Thalia. Stay in there and think about what you did! You're absolutely vile! I'm disgusted by you and your dirty thoughts!

"Thalia and I are going to the airport soon, but tomorrow someone will stop by to let you out. Use this time to reflect on yourself!"

My vision was turning blurry. All of a sudden, my phone rang. I did not care to check who was calling. I pressed the accept button and croaked for help.

The next thing I knew, I had woken up to find myself in a hospital bed.

The moment I opened my eyes, Connor's face loomed over me. He clutched my hand and exclaimed, "Sydney, you're awake! I'm sorry… I'm sorry that it took me so long."

It turned out Connor had been the one who had called and saved my life. Tears streamed down my face as I replied, "It's alright. Thank you, Connor."

All of a sudden, he got on one knee and fished out a ring from his pocket. Gazing at me, he said, "Sydney, I know this is far from the dream proposal you deserve, but I've waited for ten years, and I can't bear to wait even another second longer. Sydney Morrigan, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

I smiled. "Yes, I will."

Aside from being engaged, I received another piece of good news that day: Connor had called for help, and I had gotten sent to the hospital just in time. If I had waited even a few minutes more, my leg would have been beyond saving.

As soon as I recovered, I sprang to work. I did not want to wait even a second longer. I sold the house and blocked both Zach's and Thalia's numbers. Connor and I swiftly decided on a date for the wedding.

On the day of my wedding, however, I received a call from an unnamed number.