Chapter 2

I sat in my room for ages, staring into space, until I heard my brother Damian and Gillian laughing together outside.

"Dad, Mom, we're back!" Damian called out.

Trix's voice instantly turned warm and cheerful, a complete 180 from how she'd sounded moments ago.

"Oh, my precious son and daughter-in-law are home. Come. Sit down. Are you tired?" Trix said.

I heard Gillian giggle sweetly. "Not at all, Trix. Damian looked after me the whole time."

"Of course he did. We're all family now!" Trix replied.

The living room was alive with laughter and warmth, the whole family basking in happiness together.

That world was a door away from me, yet it felt like I was so far away from them.

I reached under my bed and pulled out the wedding gift I'd been saving for them.

It was a pair of tiny, hand-woven love knot bracelets, red cords threaded with two little silver beads.

They weren't worth much.

I'd scraped together my allowance for ages to buy the materials, and spent an entire week glued to tutorial videos, trying to figure out how to make them.

My hands were clumsy. The red cords left deep grooves on my fingertips. I managed to poke myself more than a few times.

I wondered if they would like it.

Probably not.

Trix would definitely think it was too cheap to give as a gift.

But this was the best I could do.

I took a deep breath, opened my door, and stepped out.

In the living room, Gillian was handing my parents a beautifully wrapped gift box.

"Trix, Sterling, my parents asked me to bring you this gift. It's a small token, nothing fancy," Gillian said.

Trix put her hand to her mouth in exaggerated surprise. "Oh my, you really shouldn't have. It's so expensive!"

Sterling grinned from ear to ear. "Gillian's parents are way too thoughtful!"

Damian, looking proud, added, "Dad, Mom, this is premium coffee. It's so rare that even money can't buy it."

The whole family crowded around that fancy gift, gushing over it nonstop.

I stood there, clutching the little love knot bracelets in my hand, feeling like a clown that should't be there.

Gillian was the first to notice me. She smiled and said, "You must be Prunella, Damian's little sister, right? Hi!"

Damian finally glanced my way, sounding a bit impatient. "Why are you coming out now? Aren't you going to say hi to Gillian?"

I lowered my head and quietly said, "Congrats on your wedding, Damian, Gillian."

I stepped forward and handed over the bracelets I'd been keeping hidden behind my back.

"This is a little something I made for you," I said quietly.

The room went dead silent.

Everyone's eyes locked onto the red love knot bracelets in my palm.

Trix's smile vanished.

She shoved my hand aside, and the bracelets tumbled to the floor.

Trix screeched, "Prunella, what's wrong with you?Do you even know what day it is?

"You show up with something so cheap, like you picked it up at a flea market. Are you trying to make your brother look bad in front of Gillian's family?"

My heart sank hard, like someone was crushing it in their fist.

"I..." I stammered.

Trix barked, jabbing her finger right at my face, "Don't give me that. Look at what Gillian brought, then look at your pathetic gift.

"How did I end up with a daughter who's such an embarrassment?"

Gillian looked embarrassed. She crouched down, picked up the bracelets, and managed a weak smile. "Trix, please don't say that. Prunella really put her heart into this..."

"She's trying to make everyone uncomfortable!" Trix snapped, snatching the bracelets from Gillian and tossing them into the trash, not even bothering to look at them.

"Wearing this piece of junk would be embarrassing!" Trix scoffed.

In that moment, it felt like my whole body went numb, like my heart froze.

I stared at that glaring red in the trash, feeling like I'd been tossed away, heartlessly, like those bracelets, like I was nothing.

Damian didn't say a single word the whole time.

He frowned at me, looking disappointed and like he couldn't figure me out.

It was like he was accusing me of being so clueless.

Sterling cleared his throat loudly, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Enough. It's some worthless string. Why are you all making such a scene? Gillian's right here!" Sterling snapped.

He turned to me, his voice harsh. "Go back to your room. Stop making a fool of yourself out here!"

I didn't move.

I kept my eyes glued to the trash bin.

It turned out that the gift I poured my heart into was just trash to them.

None of my hopes and efforts mattered to them. It was worthless.

I guessed that I didn't belong here.

Moving slowly, I bent down under everyone's stunned gazes and fished the bracelets out of the trash bin.

I brushed the dust off the bracelets and gently tucked them back into my pocket.

Slowly, I lifted my head and looked at them.

I didn't cry or throw a fit. I stared at each of them, completely calm.

Trix, Sterling, Damian, Gillian.

I wanted to etch their faces into my soul, so I'd remember them forever.

In the end, I turned and went back to my room.

This time, I never came out again.

They were the ones who cut off my last cry for help with their own hands.

That was fine by me.

This way, when I finally left, I could walk away for good.