The Lesser-Favored Soul Sister

My younger sister and I shared a single body, though we each had our own souls. Ever since we were kids, our family decided who got to inhabit the body and who had to hibernate by drawing lots. I always drew the long stick, while Stella always drew the short one. Our family held a new draw every month. Whenever she was the one in the body, our parents and older brother would take her on vacations and road trips around the world. She got to see places I could only ever dream of. Whenever it was my turn to inhabit the body, they locked me inside the house and forced me to stay up all night, studying. I had to endure every hardship in life, from high school entrance exams to college entrance exams. Every challenge that mattered was my responsibility. However, whenever I succeeded, they made sure the next draw favored Stella. She effortlessly walked away with everything I had worked for. One day, she severely injured the daughter of a powerful local thug at school. My brother did not hesitate for a second to make the decision. “Tomorrow’s the first of the month, anyway. Since we’re the ones who decide the draw, switch Stella out. Let her wake up and take the fall for Stella.” Our parents did not object. Trapped deep within our shared body, I let out a bitter laugh. As I watched them protect my sister without a second thought and offer me up as the scapegoat, the last piece of my heart shattered. They did not know I had the choice to enter permanent slumber. I looked at them with a broken heart. From this moment on, I would never again live as Stella’s stepping stone or take the blame for her mistakes. Chapter 1 When I woke up, the first thing I saw was my mother’s worried yet eager expression. “Are you Claire or Stella?” I ignored the difference in warmth in the way she said our names and answered calmly, “I’m Claire.” The three people standing by the bed immediately let out sighs of relief. A trace of bitterness flashed across my eyes. Every time I had woken up before, they had always been cold and distant, simply stating something like, “Hurry up and study,” before walking away. I never imagined that the first time they showed me kindness would only be because they needed me to take the punishment for Stella. Ash, my older brother, pressed his lips together. “Stella got into a fight with a girl at school. The other girl started it first. Stella was only defending herself. “She might have lost control and seriously injured the girl. We originally planned for Stella to take responsibility herself. “But the draw chose you this time, so…” My hand clenched tightly under the blanket. My nails dug into my palm until it hurt. He was lying to me. Stella had started the fight herself just because the other girl happened to be wearing the same dress as she was. Also… I looked up at Ash. My voice was slightly hoarse. “Is that true? Was it really just a random draw that chose me?” My parents exchanged a glance. Their expressions stiffened. The look on Ash’s face remained unchanged, though his brows furrowed impatiently. “Of course. That item was given to us by a wise man when you were little. Do you really think we could have tampered with it?” I stopped asking. Knowing the truth would only make me humiliate myself further. He let out a sigh of relief. “Go wash up and come downstairs for dinner. We’re going to the hospital later to meet the girl’s family.” After the three of them left, the room fell silent. All that remained was my bitter, self-mocking laugh. This room had been decorated entirely according to Stella’s preferences. Everything was a soft shade of yellow. It was just like her, bright and cheerful. I liked black. However, my black clothes had been thrown carelessly into a corner of the floor like trash. I was not even worthy of a place in Stella’s closet. A while later, I went downstairs and sat at the dining table. My eyes fell on the mango tarts in front of me. Even though Stella and I shared the same body, our different souls meant our bodies reacted differently to different foods. She loved mangoes, while I was severely allergic to them. I loved strawberries, while she hated even the sight of them. Still, whether I was awake or not, the family only served food Stella liked. I looked up. “I’m allergic to mangoes. Did you forget?” Ash clicked his tongue. “Why are you always so troublesome? Stella can eat them, so why can’t you? You’re the only one who makes everything complicated.” My heart felt like it had been stabbed. “But I’m not Stella. I’m Claire!” The entire dining room went silent. The three of them stared at me. It was the first time they had ever seen me lose my temper. My mother quickly tried to smooth things over. “It’s my fault. I forgot to inform the maids. I’ll have them change it right away.” The strawberry tarts were baked soon after. I lowered my eyes and stared at them. My vision blurred slightly. I took a bite, but it tasted like nothing. Ash looked at me in confusion. “What’s wrong with you this time? Why are you suddenly so angry?” I gripped my cutlery tightly and said nothing. It was nothing. I had just spent twenty years watching my family favor my sister and never truly love me. This time, I had finally given up. I did not want to be my younger sister’s stepping stone anymore. I did not want to be her scapegoat. More than anything, I did not want to see this cursed family again. Thus, I would simply disappear after this month ended. Ash never truly cared about what was wrong with me. He did not bother asking further when he noticed my silence. “Let’s go.” He walked ahead of me. Out of habit, I reached out, but grasped nothing except empty air. Right. Ash only held hands with Stella, never me. An hour later, I stood outside the hospital room. Ash frowned and warned me, “Whatever they do to you in there, just endure it. Don’t fight back. The best thing to do is settle this completely within the month. Got it?” I tightened my grip on my skirt and pushed the door open. The next second, a thermos flew straight toward me and slammed into my head. Warm blood trickled down my forehead. Then came a piercing scream. “You’re the monster who hurt my daughter! How dare you still show your face here!” Chapter 2 A furious slap landed across my face. Ash gripped my shoulders from behind, holding me in place. I could not even dodge it. My head snapped to the side. My cheek burned with searing pain. Warm blood trickled from the wound on my forehead, running down my face before dripping onto the floor. For a fleeting moment, Ash frowned. Then, the expression disappeared so quickly I almost thought I had imagined it. He inclined his head toward Mr. Lawson, who was still trembling with rage. “Mr. Lawson, we’re deeply sorry for what happened to your daughter. The Bennett family will accept full responsibility and cover every medical expense.” After a brief pause, he shoved me forward. “I've brought my reckless sister here. “You may deal with her however you see fit.” My entire body stiffened. Mr. Lawson finally calmed down a little. As he looked at his daughter, wrapped from head to toe in bandages in the hospital bed, his heart twisted in pain. “What exactly did you do to Lily?” Ash had already told me what to say. Even if he had not, I already knew. My mother shoved me from behind. “Answer him!” I clenched my fists. “I slapped her, forced her to kneel before me, and burned her with cigarette butts.” Mr. Lawson’s face twisted with fury. He grabbed a fistful of my hair, dragged me into the room, and threw me onto my knees beside Lily’s bed. “Stay on your knees! Kneel here for three days and three nights! “And take care of my daughter until she wakes up!” My knees slammed against the hard floor. The pain was so intense that tears instantly welled up in my eyes. My mother stepped closer. “Just endure it,” she whispered. “You and Stella share the same body. If she made a mistake, it’s the same as you taking responsibility. There’s no difference between the two of you.” I braced myself against my swollen knees and looked at her sadly. “Is that so? “Then why have I never gotten to share her happiness or the life she gets to enjoy?” My mother’s face froze. Ash was standing close enough to hear every word. His expression darkened immediately. “How can you say something so selfish? Haven’t we loved you too?” When I said nothing, he let out a sigh and crouched in front of me, gently patting my head. “Stella’s different. You’ve always been smart. She’s helpless. The more capable you are, the more responsibility you should bear. “We’ve always had different expectations for you and Stella. “You understand that, don’t you? “Be good. I promise that next time you’re awake, I’ll take you on a vacation.” I forced a faint smile and replied, “Okay.” It did not matter anymore. There would not be a next time. I would not be coming back. He let out a sigh of relief, then turned to Mr. Lawson. “She’s in your hands now. We only ask that you don’t involve the police, since they’re both still young.” Then, he left with our parents. None of them looked back. Mr. Lawson let out a cold scoff. He dipped a cotton swab into a cup of water and carefully moistened his daughter’s pale, cracked lips. “How could you do something like this, all because of a dress? “You nearly destroyed my daughter over a dress!” I could not answer him. To everyone else, I was the one who had done it. Who would ever believe a story about two souls sharing one body? “I’m sorry.” He hurled the cup at my feet. It shattered into countless pieces. “Sorry isn’t enough! I’d skin you alive if it would ease my anger!” A shard of porcelain sliced into my knee. I instinctively started to move, only to see Ash standing in the doorway. His brows were tightly knitted. His lips silently formed three words. ‘Don’t fight back.’ My body froze. I lowered my gaze to the floor as my heart sank deeper into despair. I knelt there for three days and three nights. I did not have a single sip of water or a single bite of food. My knees became so swollen that fluid collected beneath my skin. Three days later, Mr. Lawson finally allowed me to stand. From then on, I was ordered to stay by Lily’s bedside and care for her every moment. Whenever he lost his temper, I became the easiest target. He would slap me or kick me whenever he felt like it. Twenty-nine days passed. Lily finally woke up. As soon as they heard the news, my parents and brother rushed to the hospital. Ash’s eyes landed on my swollen knees and bruised face. His pupils contracted ever so slightly. He looked at Mr. Lawson and asked, “Have you calmed down now? Will you agree not to press charges?” Mr. Lawson slowly closed his eyes. “Get out.” He glared at me. “If you ever hurt my daughter again, I’ll kill you myself.” My face was deathly pale. My lips were dry and cracked. Despite the circumstances, I found myself envying Lily. She had a father who loved her with everything he had, just like Stella had. I had no one… Back home, Ash stopped me before I went upstairs. He pursed his lips and let out a sigh. “I know you've suffered this time, but tonight is the next drawing. When it’s your turn again, I’ll make it up to you.” He reached over and gently ruffled my hair. “I’ll take you on vacation. We’ll chase the Northern Lights, and we’ll ride in a hot-air balloon. I’ll do it all with you.” I looked at him and nodded. I went upstairs. I lay quietly on my bed, watching the clock as the seconds slowly ticked away. At exactly midnight, as the oak lottery tube rattled downstairs, I slowly closed my eyes. A smile appeared on my lips. ‘Mom, Dad, Ash, I’m finally free now.’ Chapter 3 As my soul drifted free from the body, I finally became my own person. From now on, that body belonged to Stella alone. I floated beside my family. Ash held the short lottery stick and smiled gently. “Stella will wake up tomorrow.” Then, something seemed to occur to him, and worry crossed his face. “But Claire’s injuries haven’t healed yet. Stella’s going to feel all that pain when she wakes up.” He turned to our mother. “Mom, call the family doctor. Have some painkillers ready. Stella’s always been delicate.” My mother hurried off without hesitation. I let out a bitter laugh. Why had no one thought about treating my injuries yesterday, when I was still in the body? I had felt pain too. The next morning, Stella opened her eyes to find our parents and brother waiting beside her bed. The pain hit her instantly. She burst into tears. “Ouch! It hurts so much, Ash! Why couldn’t you let Claire finish suffering before waking me up?" My mother’s eyes immediately reddened with distress. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Mommy didn’t think it through.” My father rushed in with the family doctor, sweat dripping down his forehead. “Don’t cry, Stella. The doctor’s here. We’ll get you something for the pain right away.” As Stella buried herself in Ash’s arms, he gently comforted her while reminding the doctor, “Be careful with her wounds.” The doctor wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly gave her a painkiller, handling her as delicately as though she were made of glass. Once the medicine took effect, Stella stopped crying. Still pouting in our brother’s embrace, she asked, “Claire took care of everything, right? The Lawsons won’t come after me anymore?” He nodded. The way he looked at her was nothing like the cold indifference he had always shown me. His eyes were warm. “It’s all settled. “And even if the Lawsons still aren’t satisfied, I'll just wake Claire up again and have her take the punishment for you.” Stella immediately put on a smile. “Thanks, Ash!” She stuck out her tongue playfully. “You promised you’d take me to see the Northern Lights!” Ash froze for a moment. “Well, I promised Claire I’d take her too. Does that mean we’d have to go twice?” His hesitation vanished when he noticed the displeasure on Stella’s face. “All right. I’ll take you. “When Claire wakes up next time, I’ll explain to her and take her somewhere else instead.” At that moment, I floated nearby, silently watching. For reasons I never understood, I had always been able to see everything Stella experienced. However, she had never been able to see me. That was why I knew exactly how much our parents and brother loved her. I knew every way they treated us differently. Stella always believed I would steal their love whenever I woke up, so she hated me for it. I smiled bitterly. From now on, she would have that body all to herself. She would never have to see me again. To make it up to Stella, my mother personally cooked an elaborate dinner that evening. One of the dishes was barbecued pork ribs. It was my favorite. I could not look away. In all these years, I had never gotten to eat that dish even once. When I was little, I had seen Stella eating them. The next time I woke up, I begged my mother to make some for me too. She only frowned and refused. “I’m busy enough as it is. Do you expect me to cook every day, too? Can you stop making trouble the moment you wake up? Why can’t you be more considerate?” She shoved me aside, and I stood there crying. From that day on, I never asked her for anything again. After dinner, Ash took Stella to the mall. They climbed into a photo booth, the kind he had always dismissed as childish and ridiculous with me. “Smile, Ash!” Stella tugged on his sleeve playfully. He had no resistance to her at all. With a helpless smile, he looked into the camera. As strip after strip of photos slid from the machine, a memory surfaced. The day after my college entrance exams ended, I asked him if he could take photo booth pictures with me, too. He barely looked up from the mountain of paperwork on his desk. “Let’s talk after you get your results.” I did not feel disappointed. I waited until the scores were released. I had earned a 1580 on the SAT, which was more than enough to get into Harvard University. When I went to Ash, eagerly expecting him to keep his promise, he said with a straight face, “Today’s the last day of the month. We’re drawing again tomorrow.” He woke Stella up instead. She accepted every interview, every congratulation, every headline, and every bit of praise that should have belonged to me. The photo booth pictures he promised me remained nothing more than a wish, even until the day I disappeared. Chapter 4 Time passed in the blink of an eye. Before we knew it, the end of the month had arrived again—the time for the monthly draw. Stella was already asleep. In the room next door, my parents and brother stared blankly at the oak tube in front of them. “Technically, each of them should alternate months awake. Do we really need to interfere again?” my mother frowned and asked. Ash pondered for a moment before answering, “Draw the short one. Besides, these kinds of draws were never truly equal in the first place. Just look at Claire. She hasn’t complained about it all these years, has she? “Whether we manipulate the outcome or leave it to fate, the result is the same. Just draw the short one. "We’ll draw the long one next time.” My parents nodded. They pulled out the short oak stick. The wise man’s power attached to it immediately activated, allowing Stella to wake up and forcing me into sleep. After they finished, they left. None of them noticed that the long oak stick was broken. I watched them with a bitter, mocking smile. I could not understand why they hated me so much. … The next morning. When Stella woke up, she was overjoyed. She rushed downstairs and threw herself into Ash’s arms. “This is great, Ash! It's me again!” Our parents looked at her with gentle smiles. Ash chuckled. “Of course. Who else would it be? Our Stella is our lucky star.” She smiled proudly, then suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right. School starts next month, and we have a mandatory orientation session. It’s going to be so hot there! Next month, you have to draw Claire, okay?” Ash nodded. “Don’t worry. We can’t bear to see you suffer either. It’s Claire’s turn next month.” I stood nearby, my hands clenched tightly. A wave of unbearable sorrow surged through my chest. This was how it was. That was how it had always been for twenty years. The hardships, the injuries, and the punishments all belonged to me, while the achievements, the praise, and the love all belonged to Stella. I had completely become her scapegoat and stepping stone. Tears slipped down my face uncontrollably. I closed my eyes. My soul felt like it was breaking apart. My parents and brother took Stella to Iceland. They watched the Northern Lights and soaked in hot springs. They traveled to Turkey and rode in hot-air balloons. They even went to Mongolia to ski across the grasslands. They did everything they had once promised to do with me. During that month, I tried countless times to escape. However, it felt as if my soul was trapped beside them. No matter how far I tried to drift away, there was no way I could leave. When the end of the month arrived again, Stella sat on the bed, hugging Ash as she cried. “Claire will wake up tomorrow. Ash, you can’t love her more than me, okay? I’m the sister you love the most!” He hurried to comfort her, immediately making his promise. “Okay, I promise! Stop crying. “After the orientation ends, I’ll switch you back next month and take you rafting.” Only then did Stella smile. Her eyes and lips were filled with satisfaction. “Good night, Ash.” I followed them into the room next door. “Draw. Take the long one. The military training will be exhausting next month. Stella won’t be able to handle it. Let Claire do it,” my parents said and left. Ash expressionlessly reached into the tube, pulled out the long stick, and casually tossed it aside. He did not notice the crack running through it. The next morning. They came to the room, waiting for me to wake up. Stella opened her eyes, still dazed and confused. Ash did not notice it was her. His voice was cold. “Claire, I need to tell you about military training. You—” Before he could finish, Stella suddenly interrupted him. “Ash, it’s me. I’m Stella.”