The Earthquake and the Fortune

The earth had just stopped shaking, and my sister, Tiffany, and I joined the rescue efforts. Last time, she'd dragged her feet, like she couldn't care less while digging through the rubble. This time, though? She was practically vibrating with excitement, her face all twisted up with it. She shoved me aside, even whacking my legs with a rock to get me out of her way. Then, she bolted towards the spot where the rich woman, Mrs. Vanderlyn, was trapped, muttering, “This time, I’m gonna be the heiress. It’s my turn to be rich!”

I knew it – she remembered too. We were both foster kids, practically raised in the same group home. We'd sworn we'd change our lives through college. Then, bam, the earthquake happened, throwing everything into chaos.

Last time, I was the one who pulled Mrs. Vanderlyn out. As soon as she came to, she grabbed my hand like I was a lifeline. Everyone figured she was just grateful. And sure enough, right then and there, she declared me her adopted daughter and the sole inheritor of her fortune. One minute, I was just another foster kid; the next, I was living in a mansion on the water and about to become a billionaire.

My sister, Tiffany, on the other hand, had saved some regular Joe, who gave her a few hundred bucks as thanks. She was beyond bitter. “How is this fair?” she’d screamed at me, “We both saved people. Why do you get everything, and I get nothing? This whole thing is rigged!” And then she tried to drown me in the lake, holding me down till I was gone.

Now, Tiffany’s got her second chance, thinking it’s her turn to be on top. She’s obsessed with snatching the Mrs. Vanderlyn rescue, dreaming about a life of luxury. But she has no clue what’s actually coming. This ain't some rags-to-riches fairytale. It's a real-life "farmer and the snake" situation. And it's a nightmare I'm itching to wake up from.

I tried to stop her, but Tiffany was already hauling off the last piece of concrete and dragging Mrs. Vanderlyn out. She looked down at her, all concerned and eager: “It was me, I saved you. I’m your savior!” She pulled out all the stops, acting all teary-eyed and pitiful about being an orphan, trying to get Mrs. Vanderlyn to take her in.

And just like last time, Mrs. Vanderlyn said the same line: “Would you like to come with me and be my daughter?”

Tiffany could barely contain her joy. She nodded like a bobblehead, tears streaming down her face: “Yes! I’ve always dreamed of a mom, and now I finally have a family!” She threw her arms around Mrs. Vanderlyn, totally missing the cold, empty look in the woman’s eyes.

Before she left, Tiffany strutted over to me, a smirk on her face: "Looks like my luck is finally coming around."

"From now on, there's no more 'Lily Thompson.' It's 'Tiffany Vanderlyn,' the heiress," she said, her eyes sparkling with visions of her future wealth. "I’ll be living in the lap of luxury, while you’re stuck in the gutter, a poor, pitiful orphan. I won’t even give you a second glance, just anothe...