I was trying to stay balanced in my heels when he approached me with that familiar expression of disgust he always wore when he thought my presence was ruining his perfect aesthetic. “Why are you standing here?” he asked without bothering to lower his voice in front of the other guests.

“I came to celebrate your wedding,” I told him while trying to figure out if he was actually being serious. “You are cluttering up the entrance, Cassidy,” he replied as he sighed with deep annoyance.

“The entrance?” I asked while a sharp heat began to rise in my chest. He checked his watch and explained that high-level investors and the board of directors from Vanguard Tech would be arriving any minute.

“I cannot have any distractions in the background of the professional photography,” he added while looking at my outfit with a critical eye. I looked down at my dress and my hair which had both been chosen according to his very specific and demanding instructions.

“I am your sister,” I said as I tried to keep my voice steady. “And that is exactly why I found a much more appropriate place for you to sit,” he answered while pulling a seating chart from his pocket.