Chapter 1: The Woman They Chose Over Me

The slap landed so hard that Catherine Jones stumbled backward.

Her cheek burned as she stared at her mother in disbelief.

"Mom..." she whispered, unable to process what had just happened.

"Don't call me Mom when you've behaved so shamelessly," Mrs. Jones snapped. "Your sister has finally come home after suffering for more than twenty years, yet you're still trying to steal the man she loves."

Catherine laughed bitterly.

"Steal him? Ethan has been my boyfriend for seven years."

Nobody answered her.

Instead, every pair of eyes in the living room looked at her as though she were the villain.

Rebecca Jones sat beside Ethan Lowe with tears glistening in her eyes. Her delicate fingers were wrapped around Ethan's arm while he gently comforted her.

To anyone who walked into the room, they looked like the perfect couple.

As for Catherine...

She looked like an unwanted guest.

"Cathy, please don't misunderstand," Rebecca said softly. "I never meant for things to become like this. If you want Ethan back, I'll leave right now."

She stood as if she intended to walk away.

Before she could take a step, Ethan grabbed her wrist.

"Rebecca, don't apologize."

His voice was gentle.

Far gentler than it had ever been when speaking to Catherine.

"This isn't your fault."

He turned toward Catherine.

"I'm sorry."

"I thought my feelings for you were love."

"But after Rebecca came back... I realized I've always loved her."

Each word struck Catherine's heart like a knife.

Seven years.

Seven years of memories.

Seven years of promises.

Reduced to a single sentence.

"Then what about everything you said to me?" Catherine asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"You promised we'd get married after I returned from my overseas project."

"You told me we'd build our own home."

"Were those lies too?"

Ethan lowered his head.

"People change."

"Feelings change."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

Catherine laughed through her tears.

"Do you really think one apology can erase seven years?"

"Enough!" Mr. Jones slammed his hand onto the coffee table.

"You're embarrassing yourself."

"Rebecca is your older sister."

"She's already suffered enough outside."

"Can't you sacrifice this one thing for her?"

Catherine looked at her father as though seeing him for the first time.

"Sacrifice?"

"Dad... you're asking me to sacrifice the man I love?"

"It's only fair," Mrs. Jones interrupted coldly.

"Rebecca has already lost twenty years with this family."

"You still have us."

"She has nothing."

Catherine slowly shook her head.

"No."

"She has everything."

"She has both of you."

"And now... she has Ethan too."

Silence filled the room.

No one denied her words.

Because deep down, they knew she was right.

Ever since Rebecca had returned home three months earlier, Catherine had noticed the change.

Her favorite meals disappeared from the dining table because Rebecca disliked them.

Her birthday dinner was canceled because Rebecca wasn't feeling well.

Every family decision revolved around Rebecca.

Catherine had convinced herself it was temporary.

She believed her parents simply wanted to make up for the years they had lost.

But today...

Reality finally shattered her illusion.

They had already chosen.

And it wasn't her.

"I'm done," Catherine said quietly.

"What?" Mrs. Jones frowned.

"I'm done begging people to choose me."

She bent down, picked up her suitcase, and walked toward the front door.

"Stop acting like a child," her father shouted.

"You'll come crawling back tomorrow."

Catherine paused for only a second.

Without turning around, she replied softly,

"Maybe."

"But not because I need this family."

"Only because I wanted one."

The front door closed behind her.

No one followed.

Not her parents.

Not Ethan.

Not even Rebecca.

Outside, heavy rain had already begun falling.

Catherine placed her suitcase into the trunk of her Maserati before sitting silently behind the steering wheel.

She stared through the rain-covered windshield.

Her vision blurred.

Only then did she realize she was crying.

She gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Why...?"

"What did I do wrong?"

There was no answer.

After driving aimlessly for nearly an hour, she finally called the only person she could still rely on.

"Freya..."

"Cathy? What's wrong?"

"Come drink with me."

"Now."

Hearing Catherine's trembling voice, Freya immediately agreed.

"Send me the location. I'm coming."

Half an hour later...

Freya rushed into a downtown pub.

She quickly spotted Catherine sitting alone in a corner.

Three empty wine bottles already rested on the table.

"My goodness..."

"How much have you had?"

"Not enough," Catherine answered before pouring herself another glass.

"Tonight I want to forget everything."

Freya sat beside her and listened quietly as Catherine explained everything that had happened.

The more she heard, the angrier she became.

"They're unbelievable!"

"How can your parents support Rebecca after everything?"

"And Ethan... that spineless jerk deserves to lose everything."

Catherine smiled sadly.

"Maybe love was never enough."

"Don't say that."

"Then what should I say?"

"That I'm happy my sister stole my boyfriend?"

"That I should congratulate them?"

"No."

"You should make them regret it."

Freya's eyes suddenly landed on someone sitting alone in the VIP section.

Her expression immediately changed.

"Cathy... look over there."

Catherine lazily followed her gaze.

A tall man sat quietly beneath the dim lights.

He wore an expensive black suit despite being inside a noisy bar.

His sharp features, calm expression, and commanding aura made everyone around him seem insignificant.

"He's handsome," Catherine admitted.

"But I'm not interested in meeting anyone tonight."

Freya leaned closer and lowered her voice.

"That's Ethan Lowe's mysterious uncle."

Catherine blinked.

"His uncle?"

"Yes."

"The one who recently returned from overseas."

"People say even Ethan's father respects him."

Catherine looked at the man once again.

A slow smile appeared on her lips.

"Freya..."

"Do you think becoming Ethan's aunt would be the perfect revenge?"

Freya nearly choked on her drink.

"You're joking... right?"

Catherine stood up, picked up her wine glass, and smiled for the first time that evening.

"No."

"If they want to steal my future..."

"Then I'll become the woman they'll have to call Aunt for the rest of their lives."

With those words, she began walking confidently toward the mysterious man.

Completely unaware...

That she was about to flirt with the wrong person.