Chapter 2

Things only escalated from there. Delilah became convinced that my parents were secretly giving me money.

Whenever I bought a new makeup product or handbag, she was the first to make a snide comment.

“Oh, Sienna, what did you buy this time? It must have cost a fortune! You know, I’d never splurge like that. It’s so much easier to be single—you can spend without a care!”

“Is that designer? Must have set you back a few thousand dollars. You know, instead of wasting money on these things, you could buy some health supplements for your parents.”

At first, when Delilah hadn’t fully shown her true self, I used to buy her gifts whenever I got something for myself. A nice bag, some makeup, I always made sure to include her.

But to her, my generosity was just proof that I was freeloading off my parents, spending their money.

What she didn’t know was that my brother’s business only took off because of my support behind the scenes.

To avoid putting my parents and Eliot in an awkward position, I bought my own place and moved out. I thought I was doing everyone a favor by giving them space, but somehow, Delilah twisted that, too.

My mom shot Eliot a cold look, her silence speaking volumes: This is the wife you chose?

“Eliot! Say something!” Delilah barked, clearly frustrated that my brother hadn’t defended her. “Don’t you want to know how much your parents gave Sienna for her house?”

Just when I thought Eliot would stand up for me, he hesitated, then moved to Delilah’s side.

That’s when I understood.

No wonder Delilah felt so bold—Eliot was quietly enabling her the whole time.

I felt like I’d swallowed a stone. It sat heavy in my chest, impossible to spit out, and equally impossible to keep down.

“Eliot, do you agree with Delilah? Do you think I shouldn’t have spent our family’s money?” I looked my brother dead in the eye, waiting for his answer.

What Delilah thought of me didn’t matter—I couldn’t care less. But Eliot? He was my brother, my flesh and blood. We grew up together. As kids, if I ever got hurt, he’d be the first to grab a stick and defend me. He knew better than anyone what I had been through.

But now, he couldn’t even look at me.

Still, he spoke. “Sienna, don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset about Mom and Dad giving you money for the house. You’re my sister. If you’d asked me for help, I’d have given it to you, no question. But we’re family. Mom and Dad gave you that money, so Delilah and I have a right to know how much, don’t we?”

Hearing that, even my usually silent dad turned dark with anger.

“Eliot! Don’t forget—you wouldn’t have what you do today without Sienna’s help!”

Don’t let my dad’s quiet nature fool you—when he speaks up, it’s serious. Eliot instantly fell silent.

But Delilah, being Delilah, wasn’t about to back down.

“Well, Eliot said we have a right to know…”

“Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you.” My mom’s voice was cutting. “Sienna bought that house with her own money, every last penny. Not only did we not give her anything, but she even gave us $10,000. Satisfied now?”

Delilah’s eyes widened in disbelief. Hearing about the $10,000, they practically lit up. Her entire demeanor changed in an instant. She latched onto my arm, playing the role of the caring sister-in-law.

“Oh my, Marjorie, Gerald, what are you saying? That’s not what we meant at all. We were just worried about you not having enough to take care of yourselves, that’s all.”

Her behavior was so shameless I had to pull my arm away.

“Well, if there’s nothing else, it’s getting late. You two should head home.”

Eliot gave me a sheepish smile. I could tell he wanted to apologize but didn’t have the guts to say it.

In that moment, I realized something I hadn’t before: even between siblings, there can be distance, and sometimes that distance can be hard to bridge.