MY SISTER TOOK MY POSITION

SISTER'S SHADOW

Episode 5

By the time Nora returned home from the city, the mansion buzzed with excitement. Servants hurried through the halls, carrying boxes wrapped in silk, bouquets of fresh flowers, and trays of sparkling wine.

Her chest tightened as she realized why: Roxet’s engagement celebrations had officially begun.

Nora tried to slip past unnoticed, but her sister’s voice rang out like a blade cutting through air.

“Well, look who decided to show her face,” Roxet said, descending the staircase in a gown of crimson satin that shimmered under the chandelier. She looked every bit the lady of the house, radiant and smug.

Nora froze, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “I don’t have time for you.”

Roxet laughed, a tinkling sound that carried no warmth. “Don’t sulk, dear sister. You should be happy for me. After all, I’m only stepping into the role you couldn’t handle.”

Her words cut deep, but Nora forced herself to stand tall. “Enjoy your crown while it lasts. Some things don’t stay as secure as you think.”

A flicker of irritation flashed in Roxet’s eyes, quickly masked by a sweet smile. “Still so bitter. You’ll learn, Nora, that people only remember the winner. No one pities the loser for long.”

Nora’s heart hammered, but she refused to give her sister the satisfaction of tears. “If being a ‘winner’ means betraying blood and stealing what isn’t yours, then I’d rather be a loser.”

Gasps echoed from a few servants who overheard, but Roxet only leaned closer, her perfume suffocating. “Keep talking like that, and you’ll find yourself without even a place in this house.”

Later that night, Nora lay in her room staring at the ceiling, her sister’s venomous words replaying in her mind.

But instead of breaking her, they fueled her resolve. She had no allies here. No family, no fiancé. But maybe,just maybe,that meant she was finally free to fight for herself.

Her hand tightened around the necklace she still kept hidden under her pillow.

“I won’t stay in your shadow forever, Roxet,” she whispered into the dark. “One day, the world will see the difference between us.”