Unapologetically Me

I've been overlooked by the Lawson family a hundred times over.

On birthdays, they only ever get a cake for my sister, Jocelyn Lawson.

When I'm sick, I lie alone in a hospital bed while they fuss around her.

I tell myself to tough it out and be a good daughter, but no amount of my endurance ever earns me a drop of their favor.

On my wedding day, I think I'll finally get my moment to shine, at least for once.

But I'm wrong.

My parents, my brother, and even my fiance—Felix Wright, the head of a mafia empire—abandon me to attend Jocelyn's graduation ceremony. They leave me standing alone at the altar, enduring the guests' whispers and pitying glances.

But Felix just throws me a cold line. "It's just a wedding. We'll make it up another day."

It's not the first time.

At our engagement party, Jocelyn whimpers about a stomachache, and he rushes her to the hospital without a flicker of hesitation. I'm left to smile through gritted teeth, making excuses to a room full of guests.

That's the moment it hits me. To them, I'll always be the spare.

So, I walk away. I pack my bags and carry a secret with me—the child growing inside me.

This time, I'm done waiting for their scraps of affection.

I'm starting a new chapter in my life, for me and my baby.

The night my wedding fell apart, my sister, Jocelyn Lawson, posted a family photo from her graduation on social media.

She was flanked by our parents and brother, while my fiance stood behind her, holding a bouquet like a steadfast guardian. Her smile looked dazzling at the center of it all.

Her caption was simple but stung like a barb. "The favorite never has to wait."

The glow of my phone screen lit up my face. A hollow ache settled in my chest—not anger, but a bone-deep weariness.

I typed a brief comment. "Congrats on your graduation. Thrilled for you."

The door flew open just as I was about to turn off my phone.

My brother, Joseph Lawson, stormed in, his words sharp as a blade. "What the hell was that comment you left on Jocelyn's post? Are you seriously mocking your own sister in front of everyone?"

He didn't wait for my explanation and barreled on. "You've already embarrassed yourself at your wedding today. Now, you want to drag Jocelyn down with you?"

I set my phone on the nightstand, keeping my voice steady. "I wasn't mocking her. I meant every word."

My calmness caught him off guard for a moment before his eyes flicked to the packed suitcase on the floor. He scoffed.

"Oh, here we go again. Is this just some runaway stunt you're pulling to get attention? Hoping we'll all beg for you to stay?

"Joanna Lawson, you've been pulling these melodramatic stunts since you were a kid. Can't you just take a page from Jocelyn's book and act like an adult?"