A Sister’s Betrayal Chapter 1

My sister ran a red light, and our car was T-boned by a cement mixer. My right leg, in the passenger seat, was crushed into a pulp.

My sister, Jessica, emerged without a scratch. She left me trapped in the wreckage, scrambled out of the car, and immediately started posting on social media.

In a car crash. My sister is seriously hurt. What do I do? Why am I so stupid? I wish I could take all her pain. Goodbye, cruel world.

In the comments, my parents rushed to console her.

Dad: What kind of sister is Vivian? Useless. Don’t be scared, sweetie. Dad is on his way.

Mom: Jessie, baby, answer your phone! Don't worry mommy! This is Vivian's fate, it has nothing to do with my precious girl.

Blood pooled around me, my heart growing as cold as my body. Just before I passed out, my fiancé, Ethan, called.

His voice was terrifyingly grim. "Where is Jessica?"

* * *

"Jessie… help me…"

I was pinned inside the mangled car, unable to move. I weakly reached a hand toward my sister, begging for help.

But Jessica was standing in a safe spot a few feet away, her face a mask of remorse as she frantically typed on her phone.

With every pint of blood I lost, I could feel my life slipping away. A heavy exhaustion washed over me, the crushing pain in my leg dulling into a distant throb.

A phone rang from under the seat, jolting me back to consciousness.

It was Ethan’s custom ringtone. A spark of hope ignited in my chest. Fighting the urge to sleep, I fumbled around until my fingers closed around my phone.

"Ethan, help me… my leg…"

"Tell me where you are!" he demanded, his voice strained with panic. I was touched by his urgency. But before I could answer, a wave of metallic-tasting blood surged up my throat.

I didn't want him to worry, so I covered the mouthpiece, forcing the blood back down.

As I was about to speak, his voice came through again, laced with venom.

"Vivian, now is not the time for your princess tantrums! If something happens to Jessie, I will make you pay with your life!"

I froze. He wasn't worried about me. He was worried about Jessica.

I looked at my sister, unharmed and crying for her social media audience. Then I looked down at my own mangled, bloody leg. A bitter, self-mocking smile touched my lips.

The pain in my heart was worse than any physical agony.

"Southbridge intersection," I managed to say.

On the other end, I heard the squeal of tires. "Vivian," he threatened, just before hanging up, "you better pray Jessica doesn't do something stupid."

Tears I didn't know I had left streamed down my face, soaking my blood-stained clothes. The blood was hot, but my heart felt like it had been plunged into ice water, leaving me shivering.

I heard the shouts of passersby. "There's still someone in the car! Help her! Call 911!"

Ethan was the first to arrive. He shoved aside the well-meaning people trying to pry open the crushed door. His eyes landed on my face, which was so caked in blood I was unrecognizable. He frantically pushed the matted hair from my eyes, his voice desperate. "Jessie, it's okay, I'm here to save you."

I had never seen such raw fear and concern on his face before.

I managed a weak, mocking smile as he finally recognized me. "Ethan, it's just me. Disappointed?"

Shock and embarrassment flashed across his face. He frowned, his eyes quickly scanning my broken body. "Vivian, are you okay?"

I held back the lump in my throat and laughed. "I'm fine. Just dying."

His expression was complicated. "Don't talk nonsense. I'll get you out."

But before he could move, my sister ran over and threw herself into his arms. "Ethan! I was so scared! I almost died!" she wailed.

He instantly forgot about me, his face softening with overwhelming concern for Jessica. He stroked her back, his voice a low, soothing murmur. "Shh, Jessie, it's okay. I'm here now. I won't let anything hurt you."