Chapter 3: The Truth Comes Out
The next morning, my father woke everyone up before sunrise.
Nobody understood why.
Except him.
Olivia walked into the kitchen wearing sunglasses.
Even indoors.
She looked like she was trying to hide from the consequences.
“This is ridiculous,” she said.
My father poured coffee.
“No. What’s ridiculous is thinking you can hurt people forever without consequences.””
She sat down.
“Are we really doing this?””
“Yes.””
My mother sighed.
“Daniel, can’t we just move on?””
He looked at her.
“That’s exactly what we always do.””
Silence.
“We move on.””
He pointed toward me.
“She moves on.””
Then toward Olivia.
“She moves on.””
“But nobody learns.””
I sat quietly at the table.
For years, I thought keeping quiet made me mature.
Now I realized it had only made everyone comfortable hurting me.
My father placed his phone on the table.
“Olivia, do you know what this is?””
She looked.
Her face changed.
It was a screenshot.
A conversation between Olivia and one of her friends.
The messages were clear.
She had written:
“Emily’s project is actually good. I’ll just present it as mine. People expect more from me anyway.””
My hands tightened around my coffee cup.
I knew it.
I knew it wasn’t an accident.
Olivia looked at my father.
“You went through my phone?””
“No.””
He tapped the screen.
“Your friend sent this.””
Her face fell.
“Why would she do that?””
“Because she got tired of watching you ruin people.””
That was the first time I saw Olivia speechless.
My mother covered her mouth.
“Olivia…”
My sister stood.
“This is insane.””
“No,” my father said.
“What’s insane is believing everyone will protect you forever.””
She looked at me.
“You told him?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
“Of course what?”” I asked.
“You always act innocent.””
I stared at her.
“I begged you not to cut my dress.””
She looked away.
My father leaned forward.
“Apologize.””
Olivia rolled her eyes.
“Seriously?””
“Apologize.””
She crossed her arms.
“I’m sorry about the dress.””
Her voice was empty.
My father noticed.
“So you’re sorry?””
“Yes.””
“Then why do you look angry?””
She didn’t answer.
Because she wasn’t sorry.
She was angry she got caught.
My father stood.
“Your graduation party is canceled.””
Olivia’s eyes widened.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
“That party was for me!””
“No. It was supposed to celebrate family.””
She stared at him.
“You wouldn’t do that.””
My father picked up his keys.
“I already did.””
She looked at my mother.
“Mom?””
My mother hesitated.
That hesitation said everything.
Olivia’s expression hardened.
“You’re choosing her?””
My mother looked uncomfortable.
“This isn’t about choosing.””
“Yes, it is.””
Then she walked away.
For the first time, Olivia wasn’t the center of the room.
And she hated it.
Later that afternoon, my father took me to the store.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I looked out the window.
“For what?””
“For not seeing it sooner.””
I didn’t know what to say.
Parents weren’t supposed to admit they failed.
But he did.
We stopped outside a clothing boutique.
“Dad, I don’t need another dress.””
“I know.””
He looked at me.
“But I want you to have one you choose because you love it.””
Inside the store, I found a dress.
Not blue.
Not because I hated the old one.
But because I wanted something new.
Something that belonged to me.
When we got home, Olivia was waiting.
She stood in the hallway.
Her face was strange.
Almost calm.
“I need to talk to you,” she said.
I stopped.
“About what?””
She looked at my new dress.
Then smiled slightly.
“I think Dad doesn’t know the whole story.””
My stomach tightened.
“What are you talking about?””
She stepped closer.
“I think you’re going to want to hear what happened before you were born.””
May you like
And then she whispered my father’s name.
A name I had never heard her say before.
