Real Heiress Sister Stole My Fiancé

Mom was shaking so hard she could barely stand. She lunged for Vivien, hand raised."You viper! This family raised you for twenty-six years — is this how you pay us back?"Vivien ducked the slap and gave my mother a cold, steady smile."Raised me?""You raised me because I'm your actual daughter.""But every ounce of love you had was always for her.""She placed first in class? 'So smart.' I placed first? 'Well, you should.'""She studied abroad? You sold property to send her. I wanted to travel for the summer? I was being frivolous.""Mom, put your hand on your heart and tell me. Did you ever actually treat me like a daughter?"Mom went still. She opened her mouth to argue. Nothing came out.Because every word Vivien had said was true.The Thornes had favored me. I knew it. Vivien was rebellious and sharp-edged; I was sweet and easy.But what had read as affection to the rest of us had been favoritism to Vivien."Juliet," Vivien said, stepping in close. "I'm not here to compete with y

Dad was in the ICU for a week.Vivien came every day.She poured tea. She asked how he was feeling. She was more attentive than anyone.Mom started softening. She started thinking maybe Vivien had just lost her head for a moment.But I knew she hadn't.Vivien was putting on a show.For my mother. For Nathan. For anyone watching.Once, on my way back from the cafeteria with a bowl of oatmeal for Dad, I came around a corner and heard her on the phone."Yeah — she's moving out any day now. I already had Nathan quietly pack up her stuff.""Relax. She won't bounce back from this.""Everything the Thornes have is going to be mine — it was always just a matter of time."Whoever was on the other end said something. She laughed. Light.I stood just around the corner, holding the bowl, and didn't step out.When her footsteps receded, I walked out slowly.The oatmeal had gone cold.Later, the day Dad finally came fully back to himself, Vivien dropped to her knees at his bedside again. Sobbing."D

A month later, Vivien and Nathan got married.The wedding was lavish. More lavish than the one I'd almost had.I saw the video on social media.Vivien in a white wedding dress, radiant.Nathan beside her, smiling too.The officiant said, "Vivien Thorne, do you take Nathan Kingsley to be your lawfully wedded husband?"She said, "I do."At that moment I was sitting in my rented studio apartment, eating instant noodles.A TV was playing in the background. I wasn't really watching.I stared at my phone for a long time.Then I turned it off.I didn't feel pain. I felt hollow.Like something had been scooped out of me. Or maybe nothing had — maybe there'd been nothing left to scoop in the first place.Mom had sent me an invitation. I didn't go.Not because I wasn't brave enough. Because I didn't want to.I didn't want to see them happy. It would have made those three years of my life worthless.But some people don't want to let you rest.The afternoon of the wedding, I got a text.From Vivie

Nathan went down on his knees."Juliet. I know I was wrong.""I shouldn't have listened to her. I shouldn't have hurt you.""Give me one more chance. I swear, from now on, it's only you."I looked down at him, and all I felt was pity.This man had never known what he wanted.Vivien told him to chase me, he chased. Told him to take, he took. Now that Vivien had lied to him, he was coming back to me.He wasn't in love with anyone. He was in love with being needed.My hand trembled at my side. I closed it into a fist."Get out.""Juliet —""Out."Nathan got up. His eyes were red."You really won't give me a chance?""I already gave you chances.""At my wedding, I waited for you to explain yourself.""In that hospital, I waited for you to tell me the truth.""You didn't. You chose her.""You regret it now — how is that my problem?"Nathan left. On his way out, he said one more thing."I'll wait for you, Juliet. As long as it takes."I closed the door and leaned on it and laughed.Wait? You

I flew back to my own city. I kept working.Six months later, I quit. I opened my own studio.My startup capital was the money I'd saved plus what I'd had banked from before. About fifteen thousand dollars, total.I leased a small office. I bought three computers. I hired two people.The first month, we took two small jobs. Didn't cover the rent.I couldn't sleep at night. Hair was coming out in clumps.At one point I pulled three days straight and collapsed in the office.I woke up in the hospital with Chloe — my assistant — beside me."Juliet. You scared the hell out of me.""I'm fine. Low blood sugar."Her eyes went red."Juliet. You're running yourself into the ground, aren't you?"I thought about it."I am.""But it's worth it."Because I couldn't afford to fall over again.I didn't have a family to catch me anymore.My father was gone.Nobody was going to pick me up off the floor.I had me. That was it.Three months later, we turned a profit.The first big contract was a full-sco