Betrayal

The day of my wedding, my mom got down on her knees, begging me to give my fiancé to my younger sister.

My brother, all exasperated, said, "Can't you be understanding for once? Brittany's got depression, she can't handle this stress."

My dad just slapped me across the face. "What are you crying about, you little jinx? Should have been you that died, not the other one."

It's okay. I will die.

But when news of my actual death finally came, my brother's cold face briefly flashed panic. "That’s not real, they’re lying!"

Dad clutched his chest, a look of agony on his face. “How? She was so capable!”

And my mom, heartbroken, kept repeating, "I'm so sorry," over and over again.

But I was already gone.

It was all too late!

Thanksgiving Day

That Thanksgiving, Mom cooked a huge feast.

The whole family was gathered around the table, all cozy and festive.

At the stroke of midnight, fireworks burst outside.

My family raised their glasses for toasts.

Wishing my brother, Kevin, success at work.

Wishing Dad a windfall of money.

Wishing Mom good health.

And wishing my sister, Brittany, a happy and fulfilling marriage.

Not a single word of blessing was spoken for me.

And no one remembered that I was missing from our family.

That is until Mom's cell phone started ringing.

It was frantic, urgent!

It was me calling.

She coldly rejected the call with a roll of her eyes, annoyed.

Meanwhile, I lay on the cold, hard earth, all hope gone.

I was dead.

I died on Thanksgiving night, while my family was celebrating.

The Ghost Returns

My soul floated back home.

They had finished dinner and were watching a movie, casually discussing Brittany’s wedding plans.

Suddenly, Brittany’s eyes glistened with tears.

“I’d really like to invite Mandy to the wedding, but I’m afraid she’s still mad at me. What should I do?”

Dad snorted. “Don’t worry about that. We'll drag her there if we have to!”

“Yeah, it's just one guy. Does she have to make such a big deal out of it?” My brother, Kevin, said, not understanding.

Mom sighed, looking genuinely sad.

"She always gives me such a headache, you know? When she was born, she was a twin, but the doctor said she stole all the nutrients from her sister in the womb. It's like she was born defective…”

There it was. That same old story.

I had heard it so many times.

It was my original sin since birth.

Every time they brought it up, it filled my parents and brother with resentment toward me.

They automatically ostracized me, looking at me as if I was some murderer.

Even though I was just a kid!

I was always scared, crying, and helpless because of that scorn and hatred.

I yearned for their love, but all I could do was watch them shower it all on my adopted sister.

They called her "Baby."

They lavished her with the preferential treatment I never got.

And they demanded that I atone for my existence by giving her everything.

Anything Brittany wanted, I had to give her.

From a pen, a doll.

To scholarships, compe...