Dad had laughed. “You can’t force him into
marriage!”
Liam just smiled, saying nothing, and my face burned with impatience. “Say yes! Say yes!”
He’d finally indulged me. “Okay, I promise. I won’t choose anyone else to be my bride.”
I’d even dragged him to a jewelry store,
pointing at rings and bragging to the
saleswoman, “This is my brother. We’re getting
married someday.” Liam, amused, hadn’t
contradicted me, much to the saleswoman’s
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bewilderment. Looking back, I’d been
ridiculously bold. If I’d known the consequences
of those words, I would have swallowed them whole. I would have remained his obedient little
sister forever.
Josh and I broke up amicably. I’d tried to force myself to forget about Liam during our months together, but it hadn’t worked. Especially after I saw Amy’s Instagram post. Two heart emojis, one red, one white. A picture of a massive diamond ring, presented on a velvet cushion by a white–gloved jeweler. They were getting
serious. I’d told myself I was moving on, but
seeing that ring ignited a pang of jealousy. It
was then that I realized my feelings for Josh
weren’t love. He was a great guy, and I couldn’t
string him along any longer. I was a terrible
person.
Josh listened quietly as I apologized, then smiled sadly. “Don’t be so serious, Chloe. It’s okay. We can still be friends.” But then he
<
asked, “Is there… someone else?”
I hesitated, apologizing again. I knew he was hurt. I felt like I should grovel at his feet and beg for forgiveness. I truly hoped he’d find someone a thousand times better than me. A strange look crossed Josh’s face. “That Liam… he’s not your real brother, is he?”
“No. Why?”
He just looked at me, something unspoken hanging in the air. “If you ever need anything… call me. And… be careful around Liam.”
Careful? He told me to be careful around Liam. What did that mean? Had Liam spoken to him after we left? Liam, Liam, Liam. It was like a
curse.
Predictably, Amy reached out after the breakup. She asked about my birthday plans. I was
startled. Had I really been torturing myself for
so long? “I’ll probably celebrate with my
boyfriend,” I lied.
I spent my birthday alone, drowning my sorrows
(red
in cheap beer. I ignored calls from Mom and Dad, only to receive a birthday?I envelope/gift of money) in my bank account. seconds later. They felt guilty about me living on my own, constantly trying to compensate. The irony was crushing. I was the one who owed them. I couldn’t face them, not yet.
In my drunken haze, I called Liam. He answered but didn’t speak.
“Liam… it’s my birthday.”
“Uh–huh.”
“Can I… have a birthday present this year?”
“What do you want?”
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I closed my eyes, picturing him. “I want… I want
you to spend my birthday with me.”
Liam arrived when I was almost completely
wasted. He’d brought a cake, his face
darkening at the sight of empty beer cans scattered across the floor. He silently cut the cake, lit the candles, and placed a birthday hat on my head. Tears welled up in my eyes.
I sniffled, closing my eyes to make a wish, then blurted it out loud. “I wish… I wish Liam
wouldn’t hate me anymore.”
He stood beside me, looking down at me. I was
a pathetic mess, crying and swaying, but I managed to focus my blurry eyes on him. “Liam, I was so stupid before. I won’t do it again,” I pleaded. “I swear, I know I messed up. Please don’t treat me like this anymore. Can
you… please treat me like your sister again?”
“Whore’s your houfriond?” ho ooked coldly
く
“Where’s your boyfriend?” he asked coldly.
I shook my head. “We broke up. I couldn’t… I
couldn’t…”
“Couldn’t what?”
“Couldn’t love him… like I love you…”
Liam’s voice was slow, deliberate. “So you still
love me.”
