After I paid $77,000 for my brother’s wedding, he sent me to the wrong city in Italy “as a joke.” I landed in Naples while they were celebrating in Florence. The next morning, he texted: “LOL, I just didn’t want you there.” My mother added, “This is your fault.” I didn’t argue. I smiled… and sent her a gift—four feet tall, delivered by courier. She called me in tears: “Can I please pay you back?”

The comments came fast anyway.
Everything okay?
Bro u just got married??
Sending love

At 9:03, Mom left me a voicemail.

Her voice was quieter now, almost emptied out. “He won’t listen to me,” she said. “Camille left. Her parents are furious. Ethan keeps saying you’re trying to destroy his life.” A pause. Then, smaller: “Are you?”

I listened to it twice.

Then I deleted it without answering.

Because by then I already knew the truth.

I wasn’t destroying his life.

I was removing the lies that decorated it.

At 11:26 p.m., Ethan sent a final text for the night.

You win. Just tell me how.

I looked at the screen, then at the dark window over my sink where my reflection hovered faintly over the city lights.

For the first time in my life, he was the one waiting on my terms.

So what would happen if I told him the exact price of being seen clearly?

Part 8

I didn’t answer Ethan that night.

Not because I was playing games. Because I wanted my answer clean.