All But a Dream

After everything was sorted out, Claudia went home alone.

Shortly after she got home, she got a notification on her phone.

It was her father who sent her a text.

[You traitorous daughter, you haven’t been home for years! Have you forgotten about me now that you’re married? My birthday is tomorrow and you will attend!]

The tone of the text was very critical. Claudia lowered her eyes and replied curtly.

[OK.]

It had certainly been a long time since she last went home. After all, it seemed like the only one that was ever welcome home was Fione.

She was used to being seen as an afterthought.

Ever since they were children, Fione was the treasured child. No matter how hard Claudia tried to please her parents, she would never compare to her sister who knew how to stir their hearts.

When she grew up, she was told she was to wed Arthur Maxwell. Hoping that she would finally have a place to call home, she dedicated herself to Arthur only for him to brush her aside. He only had eyes for her sister Fione.

After that, it was Brett who became her sole protector, the only ray of light in her life. She was touched by his affection and saw him as her safe harbor only to be betrayed later.

Everyone loved Fione.

She chuckled mockingly at herself and turned off her phone. She decided there was no need to read the texts since this was the last time she would ever have to see her parents.

The next morning, the trio of Claudia, Fione, and Brett arrived at the birthday party together. When they boarded the cruise ship which was decorated regally to fit the occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Hepburn came up to receive them.

They immediately fawned over Fione and Brett.

“My dear daughter, you haven't called us for so long! Come here, did you lose weight?”

Although it seemed like they were reprimanding her, their tone did not sound anything like that at all.

Fione threw herself into the arms of her parents while Brett watched her with a look filled with adoration. The group of them bunched together looked like the picture-perfect family.

Claudia was the only one excluded from the group.

“Happy birthday, Dad.”

She stepped forward and handed over the gift she had prepared for him. It was a painting by a painter that her father was very fond of that she bought at a very steep price.

It was only when she tried to get their attention that her parents regarded her with a faint look. They acknowledged her with a grunt and proceeded to gesture to an attendant to take the present from Claudia.

In the end, the painting was briskly tossed into a pile of presents.

Upon seeing this, Fione immediately presented a tea set that she brought with her and expressed with a jubilant smile, “Happy birthday, Dad! This is the gift I got for you, sorry I had to get it last minute so it was a spontaneous purchase. Do you like it?”

Dad proceeded to unwrap the present on the spot and then inspected it from every angle. Mom and Dad smiled cheerfully while they nodded with fervent approval.

“I love it! As long as you’re the one giving it to me, I will always love it! Come on, hurry up and put this somewhere safe!”

Everyone present at the scene could tell that the tea set Fione bought was very common and could be easily purchased anywhere. Claudia’s present was far more personalized in comparison and yet, the reaction it garnered was completely different.

After they finished catching up, Mr. and Mrs. Hepburn took Fione into the hall and hardly bothered to cast another look at Claudia.

Fortunately, she was accustomed to being given the cold shoulder. She also expected her present to be brushed aside so she was not very dejected.

Halfway through the event, Mr. Hepburn went to the stage and softly cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

He held the microphone and regarded Fione who was standing beside him. There was a loving look in his eyes. Then, his voice echoed across the banquet hall.

“Apart from celebrating my sixty-year-old birthday, there is another reason we are gathered here today.

“I’d like to announce that from today on, I will be transferring all the assets under my name to my daughter Fione Hepburn!”