Replaced by My Cousin

My cousin forgot to log out of her messaging app on my laptop.

I was helping her sign out when a notification from a group chat popped up on the screen.

“We’re having family dinner tonight to celebrate Lucas improving his exam scores.”

Out of curiosity, I clicked into the chat.

There were only four people in the group.

My dad, my mom, my brother, and my cousin.

Then my brother replied, “Just the four of us. Don’t invite Freya. She’s always so petty. She even fights with Emma over an apple.”

I froze.

That was when I realized I was the outsider in my own family.

Just then, Mom called.

“Freya, your dad and I have something to do tonight, so we’ll be home late. Collect the clean clothes I left on the balcony and fold them.

“Oh, right. Lucas and your cousin both have plans today, too.

“So don’t wait for us and make yourself something to eat.”

Before I could even respond, she hung up.

I walked out onto the balcony.

Looking at my brother’s and Emma’s clothes hanging there, I suddenly zoned out.

It turned out that the signs had been there all along. I was only fooling myself.

At some point, I had become the one who didn’t belong in this family.

I picked up the last apple in the house and took a bite.

Back then, my cousin, Emma Hunter, said she wanted an apple, and everyone in the family told me to give it to her.

So I cut the apple in half, one half for each of us.

However, all I got was Mom’s scolding.

“Half an apple isn’t even enough!”

As she spoke, she threw the half in Emma’s hand straight into the trash.

Then she grabbed Emma’s hand and headed for the door.

“Come on, Emma! I’ll take you to buy more!”

Even my younger brother gritted his teeth.

“Why are you so petty? You even have to fight Emma over an apple?”

Meanwhile, Dad acted like it had nothing to do with him.

I used to think they treated Emma that way because she was an outsider staying at our house.

I was wrong, though.

I was the outsider!

I brought the clothes in one by one, folded them neatly, and placed them in their rooms.

The soft beds in both rooms looked especially warm.

Then I glanced at the folding cot on the balcony where I slept, and my chest tightened.

On Emma’s second morning at our house, she came downstairs with dark circles under her eyes.

Mom immediately asked her if she hadn’t slept well.

Emma carefully explained that she used to sleep alone and wasn’t used to sharing a room.

And just like that, I was moved to the balcony.

At the time, my aunt had just passed away. I felt sorry for Emma and knew she was emotionally unstable.

I also didn’t want Mom to be put in a difficult position, so I willingly agreed.

But my understanding only made them go further.

Because I was understanding, I was expected to give everything to her.

Mom would wash Emma’s and Lucas’s clothes, while I had to wash my own.

I was left to handle all the housework. Emma and Lucas only needed to enjoy themselves.

However, before Emma came, the whole family loved me too! So why did everything change the moment she arrived?

Thinking about it made my chest ache.

I sat on the bed and scrolled through my phone aimlessly.

Emma had updated her private social media account.

In the photo, Mom, Dad, Lucas, and Emma were all smiling brightly, and the picture looked warm and happy.

The caption read, [This “Mom” may have come late, but she still came. Thank you to my aunt’s family for giving me a second home.]

The comments below said, [Congratulations. Your aunt’s family will be your salvation for life.]

[Congrats! Wishing you happiness forever.]

I casually liked the post. Then I commented, [Wishing your family happiness forever.]

Very quickly, the post disappeared.

She probably forgot that she had followed her private account on my phone before and never unfollowed it afterward.

Right after that, she called me.

“Freya, don’t take that post seriously. I was just posting for fun.”

…

I laughed.

Her two-faced acting skills had really improved.

In front of my parents, she always acted like a sweet, obedient girl. However, behind their backs, she used the fact that she was older than me to push me around.

I endured it.

Later, she could easily “take” things from me, and somehow the family would still say I was being petty.

I tried to explain, but all I got in return was blame.

When I didn’t reply for a long time, her voice on the other end became tearful.

“Freya, you’re mad at me, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I just… I just want to be loved…”

As she spoke, she completely broke down crying.

Before I could react, my brother Lucas Brown’s angry voice came through the phone.