WHY SISTER?

Chapter 2

The days that followed felt like an unending blur, a haze of grief and disbelief that clung to Hannah’s every waking moment. Her mind replayed the scene over and over, the horror of seeing Daniel, her husband, tangled in the bedsheets with her sister. The images, once seen, were impossible to forget, burned into her memory like a scar that refused to fade.

She had avoided him since the night of the betrayal, refusing his calls, his messages, and any attempt at explanation. What could he possibly say that would make it right? What excuse could ever justify the pain he had caused her? Hannah was done with explanations. She was done with him.

Her apartment felt different now, colder, as if the walls themselves were witnessing her unraveling. She couldn’t bear to stay in their home. She had planned to come back, maybe to gather some things, but now, she couldn’t even bring herself to step foot inside. The house had once been their sanctuary, a place where they had dreamed of a future together. Now it was just a house, a reminder of everything she had lost.

The worst part wasn’t just seeing Daniel with Melissa. It was the realization that she had never truly known them at all. How could she have been so blind? How could she have spent years loving and trusting someone who so easily tore that trust to pieces? Her mind flashed back to the countless nights she had spent with Daniel, the soft words of affection, the promises they had made. Was it all a lie?

And Melissa—her own sister. The betrayal from her cut deeper than Daniel’s. She had always believed that family was sacred, that blood was thicker than water. But now, she understood that sometimes, the people closest to you were the ones who could hurt you the most. The sting of that realization was unbearable. Melissa had always been competitive, but Hannah had never imagined that her sister’s competition could reach such a depth. She had spent so many years believing that family would always be there, that they would support one another. But now, that belief felt naïve and foolish.

Hannah sat on the edge of her bed, the surrounding silence oppressive. She had to do something, anything to take her mind off the chaos in her life. Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, the screen lighting up with a message from an unknown number.

*Hannah, I need to see you. We need to talk.*

It was from Daniel.

Her stomach twisted at the sight of his name. What could he possibly want? The last thing she wanted was to face him, to hear his excuses. But a small part of her, something deep inside, something that wasn’t entirely dead, wanted to hear what he had to say. Maybe it was the desire for closure, maybe it was the hope that there was some explanation that could make this all make sense.

But then another thought crossed her mind: *What if he only wanted to apologize to make himself feel better? What if he just wanted her forgiveness so he could move on?* She wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily. Her life had been shattered, and no amount of words could ever rebuild it.

Hannah tossed the phone back onto the bed and stood up, pacing the room. The anger inside her was palpable, burning through her chest. She had trusted Daniel. She had given him everything—her heart, her time, her loyalty, and he had shattered it. It wasn’t just a betrayal of their marriage. It was a betrayal of the woman she had been, the one who never believed in love and loyalty.

“I am done,” she whispered to herself, her voice firm, her resolve growing stronger with each word. I am done with him. I am done with my sister.”