The Stranger Meant For Me

Caught Red-Handed with My Sister

STELLA POV:

"You told me you loved me. You said you wanted me, and I gave you everything—my time, money, and even my body—so why are you still dating that b***h?" A female voice asked in a low, detached tone.

“I know you do, babe, but why bring this up now? Can't it wait?" A man responded as he tried to embrace her for another round of intimacy.

The woman pulled him back, her anger rising as frustration tightened her chest. “No, it's either you choose me or her, and I need an answer now.”

“This can't work; she's my fiancée…” Before he could finish, she cut in. “And my stepsister—so what's special about that? After all, she's just a bastard the family tolerated,” she replied coldly without hesitation.

I stood by the door, my eyes turning cold as realization hit me like a physical blow; each word from my stepsister felt like a dagger to my chest. I staggered back, my lips parting in disbelief. My younger sister had been sleeping with my fiancé—and worse, she called me a tolerated bastard. It felt like my life was slipping away.

A silence stretched between them for a moment before my younger sister—Cath—finally broke it.

“I need your response; choose now, either me or her, and you must think of it carefully.”

But he remained silent and let out a sigh, grabbed Cath, dragged her nearer, and kissed her hard, as if to silence the rest of the argument. In the next moment, the door swung open.

I walked in slowly, composed; they startled when they saw me enter, their bodies still glistening with sweat. My chest tightened as I watched the two I had always called my family and my comfort now betray me.

“He's not worth fighting over. He's already yours. I don't keep things that have proven themselves cheap.” I sneered, clenched my jaw, holding myself together. There was no trace of sadness on my face.

Michael was my college mate. He had loved me quietly for years before confessing his feelings on graduation day; it was a loud, romantic moment filled with cheers.

His tall and handsome face, which had a clear outline that made him every girl's crush, was now completely worthless to me.

The sting of betrayal cut deep as tears almost filled my eyes, but I blinked them away and stared at them with disgust. Cath hurriedly pulled the blanket over herself while Michael scrambled to gather his clothes.

I stood still, staring at him. Panic flashed across his face like a trapped animal; he hurried to plead to me, but Cath held him back.

“And why the sudden panic?” Cath said in a detached tone and turned to face me.

“Hey, just drop the act. You'll just run back to your room and cry anyway; maybe you did hear the truth from Michael," she sneered, trying to reach out for Michael's hand. “Go on—tell her you are done with her."

Her words struck me hard: 'The truth? What could they possibly be hiding besides this cheating? 'I thought, but I kept it to myself. It shouldn't be new to me, though; Cath had always loved to snatch whatever belonged to me since we were kids, but I didn't mind. Driven to prove I was a good elder sister, I gave it all, not knowing she did come for my boyfriend.

Michael shoved Cath's hand away and rushed to kneel before me, grabbing my wrist. “I messed up; I didn't mean for this to happen, please.” His lower lip quivered.

I gritted my teeth to suppress my rage filled with irritation. Even if I changed my mind, I would never take back a cheater. "Let's break up; a tolerated bastard shouldn't ruin your love story with Cath.” I replied firmly, pulling my hand away from his.

The room grew suffocating as I stood there with them; I could feel the room closing in.

“Don't think of coming back to him afterward,” Cath sneered, and Michael shot her a deadly glance to shut her up, but she added sarcastically, “Yes, because I am pregnant with his child already.”

“What?!” Michael and I exclaimed, but our voices paled in comparison as a louder, stunned shout of “What?!” cut through from outside the door.

Before we could process it, the half-closed door opened, and a loud, deep voice made me turn toward the door.

“What did you just say?” My father and my stepmom stepped in; their eyes widened in horror. They were behind the door earlier, attracted by the noise, but Cath's words had unexpectedly dragged them out of hiding.

“I am pregnant with his child.” Her response came the next second. My heart broke completely. It is clear now—this wasn't a one-time mistake. No, they've been sneaking behind me for a while.

“Are you out of your mind, Cath? You are getting married to the Frederick Douglass family in a few months' time,” my stepmom snapped, her voice dripping with anger.

“But I loved Michael and am carrying his child; after all, I am not the only daughter in the house," she said coldly.

The room felt silent for a moment. It took me a moment to understand what she meant—and when I did, my blood ran cold. My father's business had not been doing well, and the Frederick Douglass family, who stood a chance to help, proposed a marriage to strengthen the relationship between the two.

This was a matter of prestige and a perfect way of helping our family, and without a valid reason to cancel the marriage, my father's company might drown in debt.

My stepmom, Georgina, who had been fair between me and my stepsister, subtly became more protective of her daughter.

My father stood before us, his face softened with confusion written in his expression.

"You can't get Cath married to the Frederick Douglass family any longer; Stella is also a daughter in this family." Her voice dripped with a calm, melodic sweetness that treated the sudden betrayal like a matter of simple common sense.

"Enough, please.” My father cut in before she could add another word. Though my stepmom wishes Cath married into the wealthy family but never the ruthless Frederick Douglass family, she prioritized her daughter's safety.

How I also wished my mother was here to stand by my side to protect me and prioritize me, but she divorced my father a long time ago, and my father took custody of me. Unknowingly, I was nothing more than a bargaining chip to him.

With all the cold treatment I had, I grew up to be better in every way than their precious daughter, which intensified my stepmother's hatred.

“Stella, you will be meeting the Frederick Douglass family.” My father said, and a hollow ache spread through me, and then a malicious smile tugged at Cath's lips—clearly, her orchestrated plan had worked.

For a moment, my expression froze completely, and my nails dug painfully into my palm as my face turned red, looking like an angry kitten. So I was never his daughter, just a backup plan.

“W…what! Why me all of a sudden just because she…” The word struck in my throat as my father cut in authoritatively.

“She's pregnant with someone else's child, and she's not the only daughter I have," he snapped, his soft expression now replaced with a cold stare.

My stepmother noticed the tension and gathered courage and walked up to me. She held my hand tenderly and gently placed her left hand on my cheeks.

“Stella darling, the Frederick Douglass are a rich and powerful family. Why don't you help us and marry the son of the family?" she said calmly, dropping the room's temperature into an intimate whisper

I stared at her hand on mine, then slowly pulled away.

So that's what I am now? A replacement?