"I had no choice!" she snapped, finally showing emotion. "I had no future! I had nothing! But you—" She let out a bitter, breathless laugh. "You had everything. And I was sick of it. So when Bryant gave me a way out, I took it."
My palm connected with her cheek before I could stop myself.
A sharp, echoing slap filled the room.
Mae’s head snapped to the side, but she didn’t look surprised. If anything, she looked relieved.
"You… you let Dad believe you were dead," I choked, my vision blurring. "Do you know what you did to him? He stopped eating, Mae! He almost had a heart attack from the stress!"
For the first time, Mae hesitated. Guilt flashed in her eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. She straightened, regaining her composure.
"He’ll be fine," she muttered. "Because now, I’ll be the one to take over the company."
I stared at her, feeling my heart shatter into pieces.
This wasn’t the sister I grew up with.
Mae smirked and reached for the door handle. "Good luck with Bryant," she said, her tone almost teasing. "You’re going to need it."
And then, she walked away.
She left me standing there, alone, broken, and trapped.