All Chapters of Always Second to My Sister, until Today: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

When I shoved the group photo into the shredder at the studio's front desk, Clifton Cooper was bent over, adjusting Jenna Shaw's shawl.Upon hearing the noise, he glanced up at me and said indifferently, "Heidi Shaw, it's just a photo. Don't make a scene in public—it's embarrassing."Jenna sat stiffly on the couch and said apologetically, "Is Heidi upset? Maybe we should use her photo for the welcome board instead. I really don't mind."Mom immediately took hold of Jenna's hand and frowned at me. "Jenna has a congenital heart condition. She rarely gets to be this happy, so must you put on that sour face?"Clifton handed the payment slip to the shop assistant."We'll go with Jenna's photo for the welcome area. Pick two more of Heidi's for the digital screen so she won't feel left out."I stared at the strips of shredded photo curled up inside the machine and said nothing.After we left the studio, Clifton drove us to a five-star hotel for the food tasting.The table in the priva

Chapter 2

Clifton swiped the message away. Then, as if nothing had happened, he said evenly, "Jenna just likes to joke around. Stop reading into every little thing she does."I dumped the pasta into the trash.Clifton's expression darkened. "Heidi, are you going to sulk at me over food now?"I didn't answer, but the doorbell rang just then.The wedding planner, Claire Pearson, came in carrying two boxes of invitations."Ms. Shaw, the magnolia invitations you painted have arrived. My boss said the finished product is absolutely beautiful," she said with a sweet smile.I crouched down to open the boxes. But when my fingers touched the paper, I paused—half of the invitations were missing.Every single one had a small magnolia branch I had painted at the seal, the petals pressed over a faint, subtle pattern. I'd spent over two months working late into the night to finish them.I looked up at Clifton. "Where's the rest of the invitations?"He loosened his cufflinks and said matter-of-factly,

Chapter 3

When I unplugged the shredder, Clifton was already on his way to the second bedroom, phone in hand.The door wasn't shut tight, and his voice leaked through."Jenna, stop writing nonsense like that. Heidi might see it and get the wrong idea."…The next day marked seven years since Clifton and I had gotten together. Before heading out in the morning, Clifton left a restaurant reservation card on the dining table."The Revolving Restaurant, 7:00 pm. I'll make it up to you with a proper date. Let's put everything that happened yesterday behind us."I looked at that card, and for a pathetic second, I actually hesitated about walking away.At 7:00 pm, I put on the white dress Clifton loved to see me wear and waited for him at the table by the window.Half an hour later, my phone rang.In the background on Clifton's end, I could hear the beeping of machines and the sound of footsteps. It was very noisy, to say the least."Jenna had a sudden heart palpitation. I'm outside the emerg

Chapter 4

Claire handed me the tablet. On the homepage design, the main welcome photo had already been swapped from the one of me and Clifton together to a solo shot of Jenna.The line "Clifton's Bride" had not been used. Instead, it was replaced with a short inscription—"May all regrets be gently cherished.""Who chose those words?" I asked.Claire glanced toward the door. "Mr. Cooper just signed off on it."Clifton pushed the door open. In his hand was a glass of warm water.He handed it to Jenna before looking at me. "Heidi, you're here. Perfect timing. A bunch of Jenna's friends from her support group are coming, and I've gone ahead and added more tables.""What about my colleagues and friends?" I asked calmly.He spoke as if it were the most trivial matter, saying, "Just move them further back for now. Jenna's friends are all in poor health, so it's more convenient for them to sit closer to the door."I looked at the names that had been pushed into the corner of the tablet. Among th

Chapter 5

Clifton's expression darkened. "Heidi is just throwing a tantrum. Send someone to wait at the entrance."David handed him the tablet, his voice trembling. "Look at the main screen. Ms. Shaw left a scheduled playback before she left. All the guests have seen it now."Clifton snapped his head up and looked at the main screen in the ballroom. Frozen on the big screen was a photo of the wedding program sheet that Clifton himself had signed off on.Written on it, clear as day, were the words, "The groom shall first wheel the bride's sister down the red carpet to open the ceremony, after which the bride will enter".Clifton's hand froze in midair, and under the lights, Jenna's face turned paler by the second.The next second, the doors to the ballroom were pushed open, and Claire rushed in holding a wedding dress."Mr. Cooper, the marital home has been cleared out. This was the only thing left on the bed."The wedding dress in Claire's arm fell to the floor, its hem stained with dust.

Chapter 6

When I took the calico cat from the man, her claws caught on my cuff.The man lowered his eyes and freed me, his movements steady. "She's called Fluffball. She's shy around strangers, but she loves drawing paper."I looked down. Fluffball had already jumped onto my box of sketches and was dozing off.The man handed me a name card—Old Times Bookstore, Tyler Tanner."There's a restoration bench for old books next door. If you're short on tools, you can come borrow some," Tyler said.I nodded. "Thanks."…After I settled in Mannorworth, I began working on a picture book called "Waiting for Spring".On the first page, I painted a little girl standing in a very long shadow. In her hands was a magnolia wood paintbrush. She waited and waited until the paper was covered in dust.After Ms. Hardy read the first draft, all she said was, "Don't rush to heal. First, get the pain exactly right."I sat in the yard revising my drawings, Fluffball sprawled out under the easel like always.

Chapter 7

Mom tried to break free from Tyler's grasp but to no avail."I'm Heidi's mother—it's only natural for me to discipline my own daughter," she said, her face flushed.Tyler let go of her and stepped halfway in front of me, shielding me behind him."Heidi's a grown woman, not your property."Clifton stared at his hand, his face turning cold. "This is a family matter, Mr. Tanner. You have no right to interfere."Tyler looked at him. "As long as she's unwilling to go back, you don't get to call this a family matter."I stepped out from behind Tyler.I had actually thought seeing them again would make me tremble, ache, and break down in tears. But looking at the three of them, I only felt how unfamiliar they'd become.I said to Mom, "When I came first in my exams in elementary school, you told me not to tell Jenna because you were afraid it would upset her. In middle school, you swapped out my birthday cake for the sugar-free kind she could eat."When I wanted to apply to art school

Chapter 8

I looked at Clifton and suddenly felt like he was a stranger.In the past, he had always been so certain that I would give in, that I would wait, and that I would come back on my own after every time he froze me out.Now, he stood in my yard, where even his attempt to demand answers seemed laughable."Clifton, what right do you have to ask me that?"His lips were pale. "Heidi, I just can't accept that you've moved on so quickly."I nodded. "Of course you can't. You swapped my wedding photo for Jenna's, gave away my invitations for her to squander, and even expected me to watch you walk her down the aisle first at my own wedding."Clifton's shoulders stiffened.I continued, "You didn't love either of us. What you loved was me standing at your back while Jenna rested against your chest, because it made you feel important."Tyler paused while clearing the bowls and cutlery, but he didn't interrupt."That's not how it was," Clifton argued.I looked at him. "Then, how was it? You

Chapter 9

I looked down at the ring, and tears suddenly fell.Tyler lifted his gaze to look at me. "With me, you don't have to give in to anyone. You are my first and only priority."I placed my hand in his.As he slipped the ring onto my ring finger, the faint sound of something dropping came from outside the gate.Clifton stood in the shadows. The art book had fallen from his hand onto the stone slabs, now covered in muddy water.…One year later, Tyler and I held our wedding on the lawn outside the bookstore. All around us hung the postcards I had painted.Tyler, in a light-colored suit, bowed his head to adjust my veil."Mrs. Tanner, are you nervous?"I shook my head. "No. I'm a little hungry, though."He smiled and pressed a piece of candy into my palm. "Something to tide you over. After the ceremony, I'll take you out for tacos."My phone buzzed just then.An unknown number had sent a photo.Clifton sat in a wheelchair, his pant legs hanging empty. He was so thin he looked lik

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP