Favoring My Sister, My Family Regretted After I Left

The day the Family divided up its businesses changed everything. Everyone crowded around my twin sister, helping her choose. My brother had his eye on the port operation in Cagliari. "Of course we should go to Cagliari first. I've got a club there too, so I can help you out." Umberto offered her control of his medical network. "Come into healthcare with me. I'll show you the ropes, and within two years we'll have the Family's money running through legitimate businesses." They argued back and forth until our parents laughed at the scene. "Beth, with them helping you, we can rest easy. Handing the Family's affairs over to you is the perfect fit." I stood off to the side, watching, my fists clenched. No one seemed to notice that my sister and I had both just finished our studies abroad. Umberto walked over and ruffled my hair. "Adele, you still have a lot to learn. Once Beth has made her choice, just follow along with us." My brother added casually, "Just find any job that pays the bills. Leave the Family business to us." I said nothing. My heart was pounding. It had always been this way. Even when we were little and candy was handed out, my sister always got the biggest, brightest piece. My brother unwrapped it for her, and Umberto raced to pop it into her mouth. I was the one to throw away the wrapper. I never even got a crumb. I should have been used to it by now. Since none of them cared about me, I wasn't going to play their game anymore. I booked a flight to the farthest place I could find. From that day on, we were strangers. As if we had never known each other. Chapter 1 Even after I finalized my travel plans, they stayed huddled together, laughing and talking. As I was leaving my father's office, Umberto Moretti caught my wrist and murmured, "Don't forget to pack Beth's bags. Make sure she has everything. You're coming with us to Cagliari. It isn't as if the job you take will make any difference." I stared at him in silence, thinking of all the diplomas and credentials stuffed into my bag. There wasn't a shred of joy in me. For years, I had worked myself to the bone abroad, earning scholarships, degrees, and professional certifications. Meanwhile, my sister partied and traveled with her classmates until she caused a scandal serious enough to get expelled before graduation. After coming home with my sister, no one asked how my studies had gone or what I had achieved. All because the moment Beth walked through the door, she cried about how she had let our parents down. But our parents told her, "It doesn't matter that you didn't finish school. You can still take over the Family's affairs." My brother chimed in, "You'll always be our Family's princess. You've got me helping you. Worst case, the Family can support you for the rest of your life." Umberto comforted her too. "It's fine. Even if school didn't work out, there's always Adele to make you look good by comparison. You won't be the one embarrassing your parents." In their eyes, I would never measure up to Beth. For as long as I could remember, Beth had been the center of attention. She was pretty and charming, and every elder in the Family showered her with praise the moment they saw her. Our parents were especially proud of her, taking her to every banquet and gala. But as the youngest Ricci, I was always overlooked, often forgotten at home. Even the staff barely noticed I existed. When I got hungry, I gnawed on whatever bread I could find. When my parents came home and caught me at it, they only praised me for being well-behaved. I hadn't cried or made a fuss. I had learned to find food on my own. Beth and I were twins, born on the exact same day, but our parents only ever remembered to buy her a new dress. My brother was the same, ordering a custom swan cake just for her. Umberto gave her his prized custom handgun. No one remembered it was my birthday too. When it finally occurred to them, all they offered was a breezy promise to make it up to me next time. No one paid attention to me. When we first went abroad, everyone worried about Beth being in a strange country. I was left to struggle through the language barrier alone and became the punch line whenever I made a mistake. Everyone assumed I was simply born stupid. I worked twice as hard, earned top marks and prestigious awards, and still their eyes never left Beth. I couldn't help asking Umberto, "Didn't you say you wanted to run the Family's arms operation in Sicily?" Umberto looked at me and smiled. "That's not important to me. If Beth wants to go to Cagliari, of course I'm going to help her." He had once told me that as long as he managed the Family's arms operation in Sicily, he could become the heir and take over his father's position. Now he was willing to throw away his inheritance for Beth. All at once, staying with them felt utterly pointless for me. I went back to my room without a word and started packing my bags. Chapter 2 Once the businesses had been assigned, our parents arranged the resources to run them. They gave each of us a card, a household manager, a personal assistant, and support staff, more than thirty people altogether. Beth clung to Father's arm. "Daddy, you're the best. I promise I'll build up the Family business, break into the Cagliari market as fast as I can, and come home with a victory to show for it." Father stroked her hair, visibly pleased. Beth turned to me. "How much is on your card?" I looked down at the club membership card in my hand and said nothing. Beth suddenly burst out laughing. She patted my shoulder. "It's okay. Mom and Dad just didn't want you spending recklessly, that's why they didn't give you cash." "If you need anything, just tell the butler. He'll get it for you." Mother added, "The butler and the assistant are assigned specifically to you. You're going to Cagliari alone and can't take care of yourself." Then Mother looked me up and down. "Adele, you've never measured up to your sister. Now you don't even qualify to touch the Family business. What exactly have you been doing all these years?" Beth rushed to my defense. "Mom, Adele does try hard. She manages without even needing staff. If anything, I should learn from her." Those words didn't stir any gratitude in me. I felt perfectly calm. Every time our parents criticized me, Beth would defend me like this, but something about her words always felt off. I just could never pinpoint what. I snapped the expired membership card in half and tossed it in the trash. When I turned around, my brother had arrived with gifts. He had prepared two, one for me and one for Beth. The packages weighed the same and were wrapped in identical brown paper. For one foolish second, I felt a flicker of hope. This was the first time we had ever received the same thing. Beth tore hers open without hesitation. Inside was a deed. She squealed, jumped to her feet, and threw her arms around our brother. "I love that castle in Cagliari. It's my dream home. Thank you so much." Umberto grinned and ruffled her hair. "Your brother has had it ready for ages. He wanted to surprise you." I glanced over and silently estimated the castle's value. I opened mine. Mine was a deed too, but not to a castle. It was for a cramped, ordinary apartment. It wouldn't even compare to Beth's bedroom. That tiny hope that we might finally be equal shattered. We still weren't. I slipped the paper back into its wrapping and said thank you. Then I stood and headed for the door. Beth had already seen my deed. She caught my arm. "My castle is huge, you know. If you ever want to stay, come by. I'll have someone make up a room for you." "Sure." I answered quietly, forcing a smile for all of them. Then I left. I heard my brother grumble behind me. "She's still not grateful for what we got her. We already went out of our way to think of her." "Forget it. Don't bother with her." Umberto said, "Beth, let's see if there's anything else you need." I quickened my pace, afraid of hearing more. By the time I reached the garden, the voices finally faded away. When I went back inside, everyone was gathered in the living room. They were discussing the port business Beth was about to take over, raising their glasses of whiskey in celebration. My entrance broke the mood. Father frowned. "Where did you run off to without telling anyone? We're all here celebrating for Beth, and you're wandering around." "Go pour yourself a glass." I had been sitting right there in the garden, in plain view of the room. I glanced over and said quietly, "I can't drink whiskey." Father looked at me. "If you can't handle even that little bit of bitterness, how are you going to take on the Family's business someday?" "Look at Beth. She's already taken charge of the port." Whiskey had made me break out in hives since I was a child. My parents knew that. I wanted to say that Father hadn't assigned me anything at all. Yet he still compared me to Beth. In the end I said nothing, and went back to my room. Chapter 3 The day before I left, I had finished packing everything. I planned to leave first thing in the morning. That evening, Umberto showed up as usual with two slices of cake, one for me and one for Beth. Beth's eyes lit up. She didn't even bother with a fork, leaning in to take a bite straight off the plate. Cream smeared across her lips. "This is so good. Blueberry is my favorite." I stared at the cake on my plate but didn't touch it. When I first met Umberto, he smiled and said we were alike. He was the youngest son in his family too. His parents only ever noticed his older brothers. He was always the one left out. From then on, we were always together. Then he came looking for me and met Beth. From that day on, there was always a third person in our games. Even so, I was still willing to hang out with him. Because he would buy two identical pieces of candy and prepare two birthday presents. But little by little, that changed. Both birthday gifts became princess dresses in Beth's favorite style. Just like this blueberry cake. Umberto frowned. "What's wrong? I went out of my way to get this. Aren't you even going to try it?" I watched Beth finish hers, then slid mine across the table. "I don't like blueberries, and I'm lactose intolerant." Beth was the one who loved blueberries. Umberto paused and cleared his throat. "I could've sworn you used to eat blueberries." "Are you still upset about the castle we bought for Beth yesterday?" "We didn't have enough money for both places, so we bought Beth's first. Besides, you don't get to demand a gift. Why are you so angry?" My face went still as I listened. So the castle had been a joint purchase between him and my brother. I used to eat blueberries because I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I had told him more than once that I didn't like them. None of them had paid attention. He only knew I was lactose intolerant because Beth had once used it as an excuse to claim the cake he bought for me. But he had already forgotten. All he remembered was that Beth liked blueberry cake. I wasn't angry about the castle, and I wasn't hurt because he had forgotten I hated blueberry cake. I was simply exhausted. I was done being the fourth wheel in their little game. That evening, our parents held a farewell banquet at the Family hall. It was supposed to introduce us formally and announce which businesses Beth would be taking over. I waited at the estate gates for three hours. The driver never came. So I went back to my room and finished organizing my things, including the coming-of-age gift my grandmother had prepared for me before she passed. She was the only person in the entire family who had ever paid attention to me. I didn't open the box, just placed it in my suitcase. Then Mother's call came. "What is wrong with you? Look at the time!" "The driver didn't come," I said quietly. Silence held for a few seconds before Mother's voice softened. "The driver had to pick up Beth's gown. Call a car and get here yourself." She hung up. I looked down at my old dress and worried whether my parents would scold me for it. Sure enough, by the time I reached the Family hall, they were parading Beth from guest to guest and explaining which businesses she would run. The moment they saw what I was wearing, their faces darkened. They didn't call me over. Didn't so much as say hello. Since they clearly had no intention of introducing me, I found a seat and sat down. A little while later, Beth turned and looked my way. I noticed her smile at once, her eyes crinkling. But more importantly, around her neck hung a dazzling aquamarine necklace. I shot to my feet. That was the coming-of-age gift from my grandmother! Chapter 4 Grandmother had prepared two heirlooms, one for each of us. Mine was an aquamarine necklace, while Beth's was a ruby rose brooch. Both were one-of-a-kind Ricci Family heirlooms. But Beth had gambled hers away on horse races while we were abroad. My eyes stung with tears. "You stole my necklace!" I lunged for the clasp. Beth backed away, and Mother immediately stepped in to block me. "What the hell are you doing?! This is a formal event. Have you no manners!" Mother's voice was razor-sharp. I shouted back, "You stole my necklace!" Mother shot back, "What do you mean, your things? Everything here belongs to the Family!" "Grandmother gave it to me!" My voice rose. It was the only thing in that house that belonged to me alone, the last piece of Grandmother I had left. "It still belongs to this Family. Why are you shouting?" Mother pulled Beth aside and smoothed her mussed hair. "You don't need to dress up for anything. You don't get to decide what happens with the Family's belongings." I shook with hurt and fury. I couldn't stop seeing Grandmother fastening the necklace around my neck before she died. "This love is yours alone," she had told me. "Hold on to it." Tears streamed down my face. "Take it off. Give it back." I went for the necklace again. My brother shoved me back and jabbed a finger in my face. "Adele, enough. Look where you are. How dare you make a scene here!" "Everything here belongs to the Family. It's not for you to decide who wears it! Even the clothes on your back are ours!" "Look at you, acting like you've never seen anything of value." The commotion caught Umberto's attention. Without even asking what happened, he scolded me. "Adele, stop embarrassing the Family." "It's just a necklace. Beth is about to take over the Family's most important port business. That's something to celebrate." "The banquet was arranged at the last minute, and she needed a Family heirloom for appearances. Consider it your gift to her." My tears kept falling. Beth had one of her own. She was the one who had run up gambling debts and pawned her brooch without a second thought. I had begged her not to and offered to work with her so we could buy it back. She hadn't cared. She even said redeeming it would be beneath her dignity. Why should I have to pay for her recklessness with the one thing that was mine? I stared at Umberto and wiped my tears dry. "Give it back. Right now!" I shouted, loud enough to turn every head in the room. Mother's face flushed with humiliation. My brother hissed, "Enough!" He raised his hand to hit me, but Beth stopped him. Beth's eyes filled with tears. "I never knew my own sister didn't consider me family, not if she'd tear us apart over one necklace." "I'll give it back. Just stop fighting." The moment she cried, everyone frowned in sympathy. Mother was the worst of them, pulling Beth aside and shielding her. "This Family is not yours to run! Get out of here, now!" "Give it back!" I kept shouting. I lunged for the necklace. My brother seized my dress and dragged me toward the exit. My heel buckled, wrenching my ankle. A sharp sting shot through my ankle. My dress was an old one; the back seam had split before and I had stitched it up myself. The repair didn't hold. As he dragged me, I heard the fabric tear. I gripped his wrist with everything I had, but I was no match for his strength. Everyone was watching. The back of my dress ripped wide open, exposing bare skin. The humiliation was suffocating. Tears streamed down my face as he dragged me out of the banquet hall and dumped me into the driver's custody. "Take her home. Lock her in." I pounded on the car window, one arm clutching the torn dress against my chest. I sobbed into my hand as the car pulled away, then curled around my knees and cried until the world spun. The driver locked me in my room. I found the empty jewelry box and sat there clutching it, staring at nothing. So this was how it worked in this family: nothing would ever be divided fairly between Beth and me. Before they came home, I climbed over the balcony and dropped from the second story, hitting the ground hard. I ignored the pain, grabbed my luggage, and fled the estate. I hailed a car on the road and headed for the airport. On the way, I blocked every single one of them. I never wanted anything to do with them again.