âI just wish youâd disappear from my life. I wish Iâd never even had a sister!â
The icy tone in Maraâs voice made Victoriaâs heart sink uncomfortably. It was like facing a cold-blooded animal.
Mara continued, âYou say you donât want me meddling in your life, but deep down, youâre just dying for me to stick around to make you shine, arenât you? As long as Iâm here, youâre the princess on her pedestal, and youâre loving it, arenât you?â
âHa, so thatâs what you think of me? No wonder you hid and lied to Dad today. Itâs revenge, right? Wow, I never thought my own sister could see me like this! After all these years of looking after you, this is how you repay me? Fine, Mara, youâre something else. Donât come crawling back to me for help ever again.â
Victoria spat out these words, ready to walk away, but Mara lunged at her, pushing her onto the bed in an attempt to snatch the cell phone from her pocket. They grappled fiercely.
âGive it to me now!â
Victoria clutched her pocket tightly as she yelled, âNo way, Iâm gonna make sure you learn you. There your lesson! And you shouldnât care so much! Balfour doesnât even remember are plenty of girls who like him, and if heâs interested in anyone, itâs definitely not you.â
Mara could read between the lines. If Balfour wouldnât fall for her, could it be Victoria he was into?
That day he handed Mara a handkerchief, like a knight dropping from the heavens. He pulled her from her endless sorrow, and from that moment, Mara was convinced she was meant to be with this man for life.
âYou donât even know how we met and youâre so sure of yourself. Do you think youâre so great because of that pretty face? I bet heâs not that shallow. You have no idea what heâs said to meâ¦â
Victoria didnât believe there was anything between Balfour and Mara.
âYou donât know Balfour well enough. Heâs tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Heâd even make sure a stray dog on the street was safe. You better stop dreaming. You might as well focus all your energy on your studies instead of pining over him.â
Whether she was speaking out of anger or sincerity, Victoria genuinely wanted to convince Mara to give up.
The gap between them was too wide, not to mention the school was filled with beauties, and Balfourâs family status made a relationship with them practically impossible.
Though to the average person, their own family status was quite decent.
Mara was silent, furiously fishing out the phone. She opened the school forumâs web page and on the front page, there was a bold, highlighted post with a photo of her and Balfour.
The sneaky photographer had taken it from a distance; she could barely make out her own face.
Mara breathed a sigh of relief, then felt a pang of disappointment. Why wasnât there a high-resolution photo of them together? It could be the only photo of them together in their lifetime.
Victoria, pinned down and struggling, finally pushed Mara off and reclaimed her phone.
âLike I said, donât worry about it. Just like this post, itâll be forgotten soon enough. And you, to Balfour, youâre just that sort of existence.â
Mara clenched her fists tightly. There was no need for Victoria to keep rubbing it in.
But wasnât Victoria just flaunting the fact that she and Balfour were classmates? In every way, her chances were better.