3 Unexpected Support 

Sabrina didn’t even remember the drive back home.

Her vision was completely blurred by tears, and sobs wracked her as she struggled to maneuver the car. She almost couldn’t believe it. She was tempted to turn back around, just to get another look at them, just to convince herself that it had all actually happened.

Maybe she could even ask them if it was a joke—a sick little prank they’d pulled just to mess with her. Charlotte had always enjoyed pulling such odd practical jokes on her, even as children.

But as she drove home, all she could see were their scornful faces gazing at her. The look of disgust. The look of malice. The hickeys on her friend’s neck, the scratches on her fiancé’s back.

Sabrina choked on another sob, then swerved out of the way before she could crash into an oncoming car.

Her mother had died in a “car crash” because her unfaithful husband wanted her gone, and now she—her daughter—almost crashed her car because she was sad after catching her unfaithful fiancé.

She could almost laugh at the absurdity of it all. But there was no humor left in her. Instead, she ignored the angry driver and drove to her home, anger, sadness, and confusion swirling within her.

When she got out of the car, she ran down the driveway and into the home she had come to hate. But she preferred this place now. At least it didn’t smell of sex, and it didn’t have the sound of her best friend laughing at her.

When Sabrina finally got to her room, she threw her purse and the documents aside. Her chest heaved as her body shook with emotion. She reached for her engagement ring and forcefully ripped it off her finger, tossing it aside.

For a moment, she felt steady again—calm, almost. But then the bile rose up her throat, and she darted for the bathroom. She flung open the door, opened the toilet bowl, and violently threw up everything she’d eaten in the past day.

Her body shook from the heaving, and her mouth tasted horrible. But then she felt a cold palm on the back of her neck, gently holding her hair up and rubbing her back in a soothing gesture.

Sabrina threw up until she was just dry heaving. Then she pushed away from the toilet to see who had helped her and lurched back when she saw Reliana staring down at her with her brows wrinkled in concern.

“Are you okay, Sabrina?” the girl asked gently, taking a step forward to press the back of her palm against her forehead.

Sabrina slapped her hand away. “What are you doing here? Go away.”

Reliana looked hurt. “I heard you run into the house like that, and I came to check up on you. I saw you throwing up. Is something wrong? Are you in trouble? Do you need…?”

“And even if I did, what the hell would you do, huh?” Sabrina yelled. For once, she wouldn’t be passive. She had felt too much today and needed an outlet. “You’ve always treated me like absolute garbage, and now you want to comfort me? Why?”

Sabrina broke down again, biting down on her lower lip as sobs wracked her body.

Reliana’s lips curled down, and she crouched to look her stepsister in the eye. “I know I’ve treated you horribly in the past. But seeing you right now like this—so broken and angry—makes me feel horrible, too. I didn’t mean to hurt you that badly.”

She sucked in a breath. As if this day didn’t feel enough like a weird fever dream, there was Reliana, showing remorse for her horrible behavior.

“And I don’t know what you’re going through right now, but I want to be there for you,” Reliana crept forward a little, looking for some sign that Sabrina would scuttle off or lash out. But she didn’t. She just sat still and stared at her. “And the fact that you came home instead of going to your fiancé or friend’s place says a lot. I really want to help you.”

Sabrina nearly choked on air. “But why? Why do you want to? Why are you even saying all this? You hate me.”

“I did,” Reliana looked away, her lashes hanging heavy over her eyes. “But then our parents got married, and that makes us sisters, doesn’t it? Growing up as an only child was so lonely, and I never really thought I could trust anyone. But with a sister… maybe we could learn to trust each other. We could mend our relationship and become a family.”

Maybe if it were another day, Sabrina would have been more on guard. After all, Reliana had hurt her many times—physically, emotionally. She’d made her high school hell and had pretty much tried to ruin her home life, too. But right now, she was much too tired to keep her guard up.

“I saw Charlotte and Kyler together… in bed,” she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. “Apparently, they’ve been together for much longer. Charlotte is even… pregnant. I don’t know what to do, Reliana.”

Reliana’s brows lowered in sympathy. She reached forward and hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I can’t imagine how that felt.”

Sabrina laughed without a hint of actual amusement. “I don’t even know how to feel. They seemed so different. They spoke to me like I meant nothing to them. It hurt.”

Reliana patted her back, prompting Sabrina to dissolve into another fitful bout of tears. She wasn’t sure how long she cried, but eventually, she calmed down and wiped the tears from her face. Reliana helped her settle and then picked her up from the ground, leading her back to the room to sit down.

She never thought she’d see the day when she’d take comfort in Reliana’s presence. But it was happening.

“Come on, I know what will make you feel better. You know that restaurant you really like? They’re open tonight, and they’re having a small buffet this evening,” Reliana’s smile was soft, the way Charlotte’s once was. “Wanna go with me?”

She hesitated at first. Going out wasn’t really a part of her plan. But if there was something that could cheer her up quickly, it was good food, and that restaurant had loads of it.

So she got up and nodded. “I’ll go brush my teeth.”

Reliana nodded and began setting out clothes for her. When Sabrina was done, she picked up the clothes and went to make sure her face wasn’t a blotchy mess in the mirror.

“We’ll call a cab today. My driver is ill, so he won’t be able to take us,” Reliana explained, glancing at Sabrina to make sure she was alright.

Sabrina nodded in understanding, got dressed, and the two left the Archwood mansion. It didn’t take long for them to hail a cab, and Reliana insisted on paying.

They slipped into the car, and Sabrina leaned against the door, letting her eyes drift shut as she contemplated the past three hours. She might have even drifted off for a while, but she was woken by a voice calling out to her.

“Hey, Sabrina…” she heard Reliana say.

She blinked awake and turned to look at her half-sister, but she didn’t even get the chance. Reliana clamped a handkerchief over her nose and mouth, holding her down.

Sabrina’s eyes widened as she struggled. She held her breath to avoid inhaling the sweet scent, but it was already too late. She kicked and flailed, trying to get the driver’s attention. But by the way he carefully avoided looking back at her, she knew she had been set up.

Tears sprung in Sabrina’s eyes as the drugs dragged her into unconsciousness, and just before she blacked out, she met Reliana’s gaze and saw the cunning look on her face.