Chapter 2

A bitter wave of grief washed over me.

Out of all these guests, how many were genuinely happy for us? And how many were just waiting to watch me crash and burn, waiting for their precious "hometown sweetheart" to replace the "city outsider"?

Tiffany played the wide-eyed innocent to perfection.

She kept putting food on Tyler's plate, leaning in close to show him funny TikTok videos on her phone. Their heads were inches apart, looking like two lovers in their honeymoon phase.

Tyler seemed a bit uncomfortable and tried to lean away, but with the relatives laughing and teasing about their "childhood bond," his weak protests were drowned out.

I sat in silence, an outsider watching a circus.

Every single photo and disgusting caption from that TikTok account cut through my mind like razor blades.

The government buyout...

How did Tiffany find out?

That question stuck in my chest like a poisoned dagger, suffocating me.

The banquet finally ended.

On the drive back, Tyler drove while I sat in the passenger seat, drowning in silence.

The streetlights flickered past the window, flashing like the chaotic mess inside my head.

"What's wrong with you today? You've been upset ever since you came out of the bathroom," Tyler finally asked, his voice cautious and hesitant.

I turned to study his profile.

This was the face I had loved for years, yet right now, he felt like a total stranger.

"Tyler," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Don't you think Tiffany is crossing a line with you?"

He seemed to sigh in relief, turning the steering wheel with a slight chuckle.

"Is that what this is about? Don't overthink it, Chloe. She's just a little sister to me. She was spoiled rotten growing up, that's all."

"A little sister?" My voice turned icy. "Wrapping herself around your arm and hanging all over you—is that how a sister acts?"

Tyler frowned, impatience creeping into his tone.

"Come on, people around here are just affectionate. With everyone watching today, was I supposed to shove her away? How humiliating would that be for her?"

"Then what about the property buyout?" I finally threw out the million-dollar question. "That was strictly confidential. Even my parents don't know yet. How does she know about it? She's posting about it all over her TikTok comments."

The car went dead silent.

Tyler slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the asphalt as the car jerked to a stop by the shoulder.

He turned, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "What did you say? What TikTok?"

Seeing the genuine shock on his face, my heart relaxed a fraction, but the suspicion deepened.

Without explaining, I looked him dead in the eye. "You really didn't tell her?"

"Why the hell would I tell her?!" His voice rose, defensive and stung by the accusation. "I only ever told you! Are you losing your mind again with these crazy theories?"

"Crazy theories?"

Those words hit me right in the chest like a sledgehammer.

Looking at him, a sudden exhaustion overwhelmed me.

He was clueless. Absolutely clueless. He had no idea his precious "little sister" was running a sick, deranged fantasy about him online. He had no idea his relatives were waiting to see me humiliated. And he had no idea his own mother might be scheming to push me out of the picture.

To him, my pain was just me "losing my mind"?

When we got back, Martha was sitting in the living room watching TV.

The house was an older two-story home; Tyler and I were staying on the second floor.

Seeing us walk in, she didn't even look away from the screen, casually muttering, "Back already? Go on upstairs and get some rest."

Still sulking from our argument in the car, Tyler stomped upstairs without a word.

I stood there, staring at Martha's back, the horrific suspicion in my gut solidifying.

I poured a glass of water, sat down beside her, and said casually, "Martha, at dinner tonight, I thought I heard someone talking about the government buying out the house. Has the word gotten out already?"

Martha's shoulders visibly stiffened.

She clicked off the TV, turning to inspect me with guarded eyes. "Really? I haven't heard anything. You know how small towns are, folks just love to gossip. Don't pay any mind to it."

Her reaction told me everything I needed to know.

I didn't press further. Smiling, I stood up. "Alright, good to know. Goodnight, Martha."

Back in the bedroom, Tyler had showered and was lying on the bed scrolling through his phone. A wall of icy silence stood between us.

Sleep was impossible. I made an excuse to grab something from downstairs, creeping quietly toward Martha's bedroom door.

It wasn't fully closed, left open by a crack.

Her hushed voice drifted out, low, but clear enough for me to catch every single word.

"...Yeah, it's Tiffany's mom. Listen, tell her to make Tiffany stop posting that nonsense online. Chloe almost caught on today... What? The buyout money? Of course I'm on Tiffany's side! That city girl has too many tricks up her sleeve. If she runs off with millions, my son will be left with nothing! A local girl is someone we actually know. She'll stay loyal and give me beautiful grandbabies..."

The rest faded into white noise.

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

It really was her.