Chapter 2

The bar's restroom lights flickered in rhythm with the music, bright one moment, dim the next.

Sophia stood in front of the mirror, staring hard at Margaret as she walked in.

"Jesus, you standing there like some ghost scared the hell out of me. Sophia?"

After recognizing the ghostly figure as Sophia, Margaret let out a relieved breath, then looked a bit awkward. She took two steps back, forcing out a smile. "What a coincidence running into you here! I thought you hated bars and places like this."

It only took Margaret a few seconds to regain her sense of superiority over Sophia. She lifted her chin, her tone condescending. "You've really gone downhill, haven't you?"

Sophia stared unblinking at Margaret's round face with its healthy, rosy complexion. By comparison, her own face was deathly pale.

"Margaret, what the hell is going on? Why... why are you still alive?"

The shock of this sudden truth hit too hard. Sophia couldn't even bring herself to call her "sister."

Margaret spoke unhurriedly. "What, you're not happy I'm alive?"

Happy? Sophia forced out a smile that looked worse than crying. If this had been three years ago, learning her only sister was still alive would have filled her with joy. But now? After three years of living without dignity, enduring constant humiliation, even being forced to drop out and lose her graduate school position? How the hell was she supposed to be happy?

"Answer my question. Why did you do this?" Sophia refused to fall into Margaret's trap.

Margaret's eyes darted around. "You really want to have this conversation in a bathroom? How about this—wait for me a second. Let me use the restroom first, then we'll talk."

Sophia saw right through her stalling tactic and grabbed her arm, not letting her leave. "You're not going anywhere until you give me an explanation!"

Seeing Sophia wouldn't back down, Margaret finally lost her patience. "You really want to know why? Fine, I'll tell you. Because I thought messing with you was fun. Satisfied now?"

Once the malice started, it couldn't be stopped. Margaret glared viciously at Sophia, as if looking at a mortal enemy.

"Every time I asked you to hang out, you always said you had to study, had to read. Who were you trying to impress with that whole ambitious act? Hearing people praise you for being mature and outstanding, saying you were more like the older sister than me—you loved that, didn't you? So I decided to make it happen. I let you have a taste of being an only child for three years. How'd that feel? Pretty great, right?"

Sophia never imagined her three years of nightmare had stemmed from such an absurd, ridiculous reason. In an instant, rage consumed her entire body, driving her hand upward.

Margaret laughed contemptuously. "Want to hit me? Go ahead, Sophia. You lay one finger on me today, and Mom, Dad, and Robert will make you pay. Don't believe me? Try it!"

She even deliberately pushed her face forward.

Sophia bit down hard on her teeth. Memories flooded her mind—all those times Margaret had two-faced her way into framing her for things. She felt sick. The truth was, their sisterly relationship had never been good. Margaret's death had just smoothed over all the conflicts, making Sophia willing to shoulder the blame.

"Coward. I knew you wouldn't dare, I—"

As Margaret's taunting words rang out, Sophia's hand came down hard! She'd used all her strength. Margaret fell to the floor, her cheek instantly swelling and turning red.

"You actually hit me! Sophia, do you have a death wish?"

Margaret was nearly hysterical with rage when she came to her senses.

Sophia's gaze held a bone-chilling coldness. "Yeah, and I want to die with you. You believe that?"

Her tone was so calm it scared Margaret badly. By the time Margaret fully recovered, Sophia had already left. She stamped her foot angrily, shouting after Sophia's retreating figure, "Sophia! You just wait!"

Sophia walked through the corridor like a lost soul, Margaret's words echoing endlessly in her ears. "My parents already know. They'll help me explain." "You lay one finger on me today, and Mom, Dad, and Robert will make you pay."

Of course she knew her parents had always favored the lively, outgoing Margaret, finding her own quiet, introverted nature disappointing. Sophia had always thought if she just behaved well and listened to everything they said, someday they'd give her a little love too. Turns out, it had all been wishful thinking on her part.

No wonder Bianca had cursed her out so viciously after finding out about Robert's engagement, calling her useless for not being able to hold onto Margaret's boyfriend. Her parents had been unconditionally indulging Margaret all along! Even when she staged a fake suicide, they willingly covered for her. As for Sophia? She was just an unimportant doormat.

In a daze, Sophia pushed open the private room door. Echo had disappeared somewhere, but those male models were still there. She took a closer look at them now and realized they really were handsome. Especially the one sitting in the middle—his features were sharp and defined, his eyes deep-set, his demeanor both flamboyant and aristocratic. He was easily on par with Robert, Emerald City's infamous golden boy.

Sophia walked straight over and sat down. "Pour me a drink."

The old Sophia never did anything reckless. She'd never even been in a relationship, and what had that gotten her? Robert's contempt. Maybe if she acted like Margaret—treating bars like home, kissing and embracing different men as casually as drinking water—maybe then people would like her and favor her too? Sophia knew she was spiraling into irrational thinking.

"Wait, you—" One of the men frowned, starting to say something, but the most handsome one stopped him with a look. He gazed at Sophia with interest and poured her a full glass.

Sophia picked up the glass, steeled herself, and downed it in one go. Then she started coughing violently. The alcohol was strong. So strong it made her want to cry. But after catching her breath, she wanted another glass. Maybe if she got drunk, she could temporarily forget this cruel reality.

Sophia drank glass after glass. The male models provided excellent emotional support, practically building her up as the coolest woman in the world. The consequence of such wild abandon was that she completely blacked out. But at least she'd achieved her goal of temporarily forgetting reality.

When she woke up again, it was already noon the next day. Sophia sat up, clutching her head that felt ready to explode. Memories from last night flooded back like a tidal wave.

Margaret rising from the dead. Several smooth-talking male models. And her last action before getting completely wasted—violently ripping open the hottest guy's shirt!

Sophia sucked in a sharp breath. How could she be such a terrible drunk?