His Fair Love Was Never for Me

My fiancé always prided himself on being fair. If he bought me a box of berries, he’d buy my long-lost sister the latest Apple ecosystem. If he brought me an umbrella, he’d drive her to work right on time whenever it poured. Even for our pre-wedding getaway, he booked the tropical island she had been dying to visit. He always said, "Sierra suffered so much out there all those years. Why do you have to compete with her?" "You both get something. That’s called being fair." I was naive enough to think he was just helping me make it up to her. Until the hurricane hit, and there were only two seats left on the evacuation flight. Without a second thought, he wrote Sierra’s name on the manifest. "Cece has a weak heart. She can't handle this." I couldn't help asking, "Before we flew here, you made me give up my first-class seat to her." "Shouldn't she give this seat to me now? Isn't that the fairness you preach?" His face instantly darkened. He scooped Sierra into his arms and walked toward the gate. "Stop throwing a tantrum!" "Just wait here. I'll come back for you." But I didn't want this twisted fairness wrapped in favoritism anymore. I opened SnapChat and tapped a contact I hadn't messaged in years: "Come get me, and I'll marry you." My hair was plastered to my skin, and I was shivering from the cold. Julian acted like he didn't even notice. He took off his trench coat and wrapped it securely around Sierra. Only after making sure Sierra was warm did he look up at me. "Serena, when did you become so petty?" "Cece went through hell growing up. What’s the big deal if you let her have this?" Always the same excuse. I lowered my eyes. This trip was supposed to be our pre-wedding vacation. I had begged Julian for months because I wanted to see the snowy mountains. He finally agreed. Then Sierra casually chimed in on our group chat: "What's so great about snowy mountains? They’re just bare rocks." "Why don't we go to the beach instead? That sounds so much more romantic!" Julian immediately backed her up. "Let's listen to Cece." It was supposed to be my romantic trip. Yet nobody bothered to ask what I wanted. They chatted excitedly in the group while I couldn't get a word in. I wanted to say that I had spent three months planning the itinerary, that the hotels were booked, and the tickets bought. When I asked him about it, Julian just frowned impatiently. "Cece had it rough and never saw the ocean. What's wrong with keeping her company this once?" "We'll do the island this time and the mountains next time. Isn't that fair enough?" Because we booked at the last minute, there were only two first-class tickets available. At the gate, Julian carried Sierra’s carry-on and said naturally, "Cece has a weak constitution. She’ll be more comfortable up front." "You can take first class on the way back. Fair enough, right?" When was "next time" ever going to happen? I used to let it slide. I was even glad that someone else loved my sister. But right now, watching Julian write Sierra's name down without a trace of hesitation, a sharp, throbbing ache ripped through my chest. Seeing my eyes redden, Julian took a step toward me. Sierra peeked out from his arms with a pitiful look. "Julian, maybe Serena should go." "I've suffered so much already. A little more won't hurt me." Julian’s eyes darkened, and his arms tightened around her. That instinctive protectiveness stung my eyes. "Serena, can't you be sensible like Cece for once?" "I've spoiled you rotten!" He lifted Sierra in a bridal carry and headed for the boarding bridge. "A little hardship will do you good! Maybe it'll knock the arrogance out of you!" Soon, the hurricane tore through the coast, and storm surges swallowed the streets. I huddled in the corner of a flooded shopping center, clutching the silver protection charm Julian had given me. The last time I had a life-threatening fever, Julian had driven through a blizzard to get it blessed. Back then, he had held me with bloodshot eyes, saying, "Serena, I can't live without you." He said it had a GPS tracker inside, promising he'd always find me whenever I was in danger. I don't know how long I waited. The metal charm grew warm in my trembling palm. Numb and half-submerged in the cold water, my phone vibrated. I opened Ins. Sierra had posted a new story: "Thank you, Julian, for saving my life." In the photo, Julian was placing a vintage crystal snow globe into Sierra's hands. The atmosphere between them was thick with intimacy. I froze. That crystal globe was the confession gift I gave Julian years ago. He had told me it brought him luck and that he would treasure it for the rest of his life. Now, he gave it to Sierra. My mom commented: *Julian looks so perfect with our little Cece!* My dad added happily: *Julian, come over for dinner soon. Cece's dad and I are cooking a feast to thank you.* I had been missing in a disaster zone for hours, yet not a single text asked if I was alive. They were all busy celebrating Sierra’s miraculous escape. My lips turned blue from hypothermia. I opened my contacts, found that one chat, and typed: "Come save me." "I want a new groom."When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed. A new message popped up on my phone: "I have some urgent business overseas to handle first." "I'll give you three days to think through what marrying me means." The next second, the door swung open. Seeing me safe, Julian let out a long breath of relief. "If you were fine, why didn't you pick up your phone?" "Do you have any idea how worried your parents and I were?" "I just asked you to wait a little longer! Did you really have to pull a disappearing act?" I had already decided to leave, but tears still welled up at his accusations. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I asked, "Were you really going to come back for me?" Julian pulled me into a warm embrace, his voice softening. "Silly girl. You're the one I love. How could I ever leave you behind?" "Stop overthinking. I brought your favorite soup." My heart softened for a fraction of a second. Maybe he still loved me. Then I opened the container, and my breath hitched. "I'm allergic to seafood." Seafood chowder was Sierra's favorite. Julian's hand paused. "Well, Cece is on an IV down the hall. I'll just take it to her." "Be good. I'll get what you like next time." He sounded casual, but I caught the rush in his tone. I almost laughed out loud. The person he actually cared about wasn't me. It must have been exhausting for him to stop by just to keep up appearances. As he reached the door, I asked quietly, "Julian, do you even remember what my favorite food is?" *Click.* The door shut gently. And in that moment, something inside my heart locked away forever. I pulled the blanket over my head as tears spilled unchecked. Sierra had been kidnapped when our parents took me out for my birthday cake as a kid. After that, Mom developed severe depression. Whenever she lost control, she hit me with coat hangers, screaming: "You jinx! If it weren't for you, your sister wouldn't have been stolen!" When she calmed down, she would hold me and weep. "Serena, you owe your sister." Ever since I turned ten, I never had another birthday. Sometimes Mom confused me with Sierra. She would cook seafood chowder for me. Desperate for her affection, I would endure the burning itch in my throat, swallowing spoon after spoon. Once, my throat swelled shut and I nearly suffocated. Dad rushed home and took me to the ER. "Serena, your mom just misses your sister too much. Don't blame her." I nodded. I didn't blame her. I even loved it when she mistook me for Sierra. Only then would she stroke my hair gently and braid it like other girls' mothers did. Later, Sierra was found and brought home. Whenever our parents traveled, she got first pick of the gifts. My bedroom was turned into a walk-in closet for her extra things. The last piece of sweet-and-sour ribs at dinner always went to her plate... I never felt jealous. I only wanted to make things up to her. Besides, Sierra was sweet-talking and affectionate; it was natural that our parents adored her more. When Julian visited my home for the first time, he held me tightly afterward, his eyes red. "Serena, you've had it so hard." "From now on, I will remember your birthday, your tastes, and the gifts you love." I had never thought of my life as hard. Yet Julian said he hurt for me. Tears had spilled from my eyes back then. He wiped them away and promised, "Serena, you have me now. I'll treat you right." Julian broke his promise. Something poked against my back. It was the silver protection charm. How funny. When the floodwaters almost swept me away, I refused to let it go. Now, I looked at it for three seconds. And tossed it into the trash can.When I went back to my parents' house, the passcode to the front door had been changed. I couldn't unlock it. Half an hour later, Mom came back carrying heavy grocery bags. I glanced inside—everything was Sierra's favorites. She looked at me in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Without waiting for my answer, she punched in the code. It was Sierra's birthday. At dinner, Julian and Sierra sat on either side of my parents. Sierra smiled sweetly. "Serena, why don't you sit by the door?" "That way it's easier for you to pour us water." I looked at Julian. He was busy piling food onto Sierra's plate and didn't spare me a glance. I nodded and sat down in the corner. The table was filled with laughter. Mom beamed. "Julian, you're such a wonderful man." "What a shame... If only the one you were marrying was our Cece..." Sierra blushed, and her hand shook, spilling hot soup straight onto my arm. I jumped to my feet. A burning, blistering sting flared up, and ugly red bubbles quickly rose on my skin. The very next second, Julian grabbed a wet cloth and gently wrapped Sierra's slightly pink pinky finger. Mom shot me a glare full of disgust. "Always so clumsy!" "Whenever you're around, nobody gets a peaceful meal!" Mom dug out burn ointment for Sierra, and Dad hovered over her nervously. Not a single person cared about my blistering arm. A bitter wave washed over my chest. I asked quietly, "Mom, Dad, am I really your daughter?" Mom's face tightened, and she shrieked to cover her guilt: "What kind of nonsense is that?!" "Did we ever starve you or leave you naked growing up? You ungrateful brat!" Dad's face darkened, and he raised his hand to slap me. The blow never landed. Julian stepped in front of me, sighing in exasperation. "Mr. and Mrs. Vance, Serena didn't mean it." "Serena, apologize right now." I ignored them, grabbed my purse, and walked out. Mom's furious voice echoed down the stairwell behind me: "Leave and don't ever come back!" "Our Cece is the sensible one! Why couldn't it have been that ungrateful wretch who got stolen back then?!" I leaned against the wall outside, a suffocating pain gripping my chest. Downstairs, a hand opened the passenger door before I could touch it. Julian looked at me. "Cece is having cramps, so I'm taking her to the pharmacy for meds." "I'll take you to get your arm wrapped up while we're at it." Sierra slid into the front seat. "You don't mind, do you, Serena? Whenever Julian drove me to work, I always sat in the front." Julian chimed in, "Serena, you've sat in the front seat countless times. Let Cece have it for once." "Be good. You can sit here next time." I didn't say a word and got into the back. The entire ride, the two of them talked nonstop. They discussed the romance movie they had watched together last week and debated the heroine's views on love. I looked out the window. That movie was one I had wanted to see for months. That day, Julian had graciously driven me to work. When he came home, he had said casually: "I'm taking Cece to the movies tonight. I drove you to work this morning, so that makes us even." "Don't cause a scene. I always treat both of you equally." Sierra suddenly wrinkled her nose. "What is that awful smell in the car?" Her eyes landed on the scorched, stained hem of my dress. The car screeched to a halt. Julian was already outside, holding my door open. "There's a pharmacy about a hundred yards ahead." "Serena, you're way stronger than Cece. Walk the rest of the way." The words *This is my car* died on my tongue. I stepped out. The car sped away instantly. The cold night wind stung my face. I stood there on the curb until my phone buzzed with an automated alert: "Your abortion procedure has been confirmed for tomorrow morning."After the procedure, I checked my phone and saw messages from Julian: "Did you get your arm treated?" "Why aren't you answering? Are you jealous again?" "Alright, I'm taking you to try on wedding dresses tomorrow. I have a surprise for you." I squeezed the medical discharge papers in my fist and typed back with a cold smile: "See you tomorrow." "I have a surprise for you, too." The next day, Julian drove me to the bridal boutique. When the door opened, Sierra was already standing in front of the full-length mirror, admiring herself in the custom gown my grandmother had hand-sewn for me. Julian rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Cece said she'd never tried on a wedding dress before and just wanted to see how it felt." "Let's just give her this one. I'll buy you a brand-new designer gown." Grandma had been the only person in the entire family who truly loved me. Julian knew how much I cherished this dress. Yet he gave it away without a second thought. My face went stone cold as I stepped forward. "Take it off." Sierra pouted innocently. "Serena, you have so many nice things. Why are you always so selfish?" Julian stepped in with a weary sigh, extending his black credit card toward me. "Just buy another one." In the past, my jewelry, my clothes, everything I owned— if Sierra asked for it, Julian told me to yield. Then he'd throw money at me to shut me up. Why? Why couldn't I keep a single thing that belonged to me? Tears burned my eyes. "I only want this dress!" Annoyance flashed across Julian's face. "How much money do you want?" "Serena, don't push it." Sierra sneered, ripped the delicate gown off, and threw it at my feet. "It's just a dress! What's there to hoard like treasure?" The hand-stitched pearls snapped, scattering across the floor. I dropped to my knees in a panic, trying to gather them up. The boutique manager hurried over to smooth things over. "Miss Vance, Mr. Hayes, you two look so stunning together." "We have even better luxury collections in the back. Why don't you try those on?" Julian didn't bother correcting the manager's assumption. He simply tossed the credit card onto the floor beside my face. "Cece is young. As her older sister, stop holding grudges." That night, an anonymous post blew up on Reddit and X. Written from my perspective, it accused my sister of seducing her future brother-in-law. The internet caught fire instantly. People tracked down Sierra's social accounts and flooded her comments: *Shameless homewrecker!* *BAM!* My apartment door was kicked open. Julian stormed in, his face murderous. "Serena, how can you be so vicious?!" "Cece is just a young girl! How could you spread such filthy lies?!" I froze. "I didn't do it!" Veins bulged along his temples as if he were on the verge of losing control. I hadn't seen him this furious in years. The last time was when some thugs harassed me in college. He had fought like a rabid beast, beating them bloody. Now, his fury was for someone else. "Julian, you know how well I treated Sierra," I said, feeling sick. "I would never post something like that!" Before he could speak, his phone blared. "Julian, get over here right now! Cece is trying to kill herself!" He was out the door before the sentence ended. That night, my parents went live on TikTok, weeping into the camera. "Our eldest daughter was kidnapped years ago and passed away long ago." "Cece and Julian are in a normal, loving relationship. Their wedding is tomorrow." Julian sat beside them in silence. When prompted, he offered a quiet, complicit nod. I watched the replay over and over again until my vision blurred. I bent over and dry-heaved into the sink. There was no food in my stomach, only suffocating grief choking my throat. For a moment, I wanted to burst into their house and scream: Am I not your daughter too? Why did you have to announce my death to protect Sierra's reputation? Did you ever love me for even a single second? My phone lit up with a text from Julian: "I'm going through with a fake ceremony with Cece tomorrow to calm the public." "She tried to take her own life, Serena. You need to come over later and apologize to her." When I didn't reply, he called, his voice laced with exasperation: "If you hadn't thrown this fit online, none of this would have happened." "Cece just wants to experience what a wedding feels like. Let her have it." "We'll hold our real wedding later." I slumped onto the couch, drained of every ounce of energy. "Okay." A new notification popped up on my screen: "I just landed. Serena, I'm here to marry you." Julian let out a relieved sigh on the phone. "Serena, I knew you'd understand." "Be good and don't show up tomorrow, or the press will see through the cover." The next afternoon, Julian stood in his tuxedo at the hotel ballroom. Despite the celebration, an unsettling dread gnawed at his chest. His best man, Leo, rushed over, frowning. "Julian, I think I saw Serena outside in a wedding dress!" Julian's face darkened. "Is she really trying to ruin this for Cece?!" "If she tries to come in, lock her in the car." Leo hesitated. "It's near a hundred degrees out there. Locking her in a car could kill her." Julian straightened his bowtie and sneered coldly, "She brought it on herself!" Leo nodded and hurried out. A few minutes later, he ran back in, breathless and pale. "Julian, this is bad!" "The luxury Grand Hyatt next door is hosting a massive wedding right now! The bride has the exact same name as Serena!" Julian shrugged dismissively. "Just a coincidence." "No, Julian! I literally saw Serena walk inside!" Julian froze, grabbing Leo by the collar like a madman. "What the hell did you just say?!"