A Sister’s Crown of Thorns

The wedding planning company called me.

“Ms. Raymond, the venue is nearly ready. Would you like to come take a look yourself?”

“Mr. Cole’s phone is unavailable and his assistant said you can make the decisions on your own without consulting him.”

So this is what his love looks like—he couldn’t even be bothered to care about our wedding.

My heart turned cold and my voice reflected the same chill.

“If he doesn’t want to see it, I have no objections. Do whatever you like—there’s no need to contact me again.”

When I was discharged from the hospital, the doctor informed me that my prescribed medication had already been picked up—by someone else.

I headed downstairs and saw Shakira.

She waved my medicine at me with a smug smile.

“Sorry, Sister. I tripped and hurt myself, so I borrowed your medication.”

It was a treatment for bruises and sprains. But her skin was flawless. No cuts, no bruises—just a glaring kiss mark on her neck.

Right in front of me, Shakira opened the tube of ointment and dabbed it gently on her neck.

“Oh no, Brother Nathan was a little too rough… Tonight’s the family dinner. If Dad sees this, it’ll be awful.”

I knew she was saying it just to get under my skin.

“You must have inherited the habit of stealing what belongs to others.”

A flash of irritation passed through her eyes before she gave a light laugh.

“Are you talking about you and Brother Nathan getting married?”

“He already explained everything to me. That marriage certificate? Fake. He only did it to keep you off his back.”

Right then, my phone buzzed with a new message—from her.

Attached was a photo of the City Hall’s record system.

Nathan’s marital status showed just two characters: unmarried.

My entire body went cold. It felt like I had fallen into an ice cave, frozen from head to toe.

So he had been lying to me. From the very beginning.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Cry because I was a fool.

Laugh because at least—I was still free.

“What exactly are you trying to prove by showing me this?” I asked, my voice dry.

“Think you still have a shot with Nathan?”

“Well then, congratulations. You’ve won. I’ll wish you a happy marriage in advance.”

I returned home, numb.

The wedding photos we had taken together were still on the bedside table.

I threw them all into a trash bag, carried it downstairs and burned everything.

The flames roared to life just as Nathan returned.

He frowned slightly at the sight.

“What are you burning?”

“Nothing important. Just some hazardous waste.”

He nodded casually, as if it meant nothing to him and turned to go change his clothes.

When he came back out and drove away, he didn’t even glance at the ashes smoldering in the bin.

Those wedding photos—our memories—meant nothing to him.

Just like me. Worthless. Dispensable.

***

At the Raymond Family home, my father and Shakira’s mother had been waiting for quite some time.

The moment I stepped through the door, my father accepted the engagement gifts from Nathan, then turned to me with a scowl.

“Kristine, making your elders wait like this—is this how your mother raised you?”

I met his glare without flinching.

“At least my mother didn’t raise me to seduce someone else’s boyfriend.”

Slap!

His palm struck my face, hard.

Nathan didn’t even blink.

Soon, Shakira’s mother pulled him aside into the study for a private chat.

I forced myself to look up, meeting my father’s gaze full of contempt.

“My mother was always dignified and upright. She never owed you anything.”

“You’re the one who cheated. You brought your mistress and illegitimate daughter into our home. You’re the one who should feel ashamed!”

My father exploded in fury. He grabbed the glass ashtray off the table and raised it high above my head.

“You ungrateful wench! You think I won’t discipline you?”

But just as he was about to strike, the front door opened.

A group of relatives walked in.

In an instant, my father’s expression flipped.

He smiled graciously and greeted them like the perfect host.

“I heard Old Raymond is about to marry into the Cole Family?" one of them said with a chuckle.

“We couldn’t miss today’s engagement celebration!”