Chapter 4My Golden Child Twin Is Genuinely A Disaster

As the situation spiraled toward complete catastrophe, the production assistant quickly rushed in the task cards, trying desperately to change the subject.

The first segment: "Open Up Your Heart."

Harper offered a self-deprecating smile. "My heart’s issue is pretty public now. It’s how to avoid an engagement."

We were right back where we started.

Patrice smacked her daughter on the back, hard. It sounded painful. "I'm doing this for you! I won't die happy if you don't marry!"

Harper opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She just closed her eyes in sheer exhaustion.

My phone vibrated. Stella had texted me: [Sis, I know why they hired me.]

I texted back: [Because you were cheap?]

Stella: [Shut up! Because only I can save this train wreck!]

She had a point. The atmosphere was at absolute zero. If she didn't intervene, the show was over.

Stella flipped her phone over, took a long, exaggerated breath, and let out an audible sigh.

It was loud in the quiet room. Everyone looked at her.

Her eyes were slightly red, her voice raw. "Actually, when we were kids, my sister was definitely Mom’s favorite."

"She got to run free. Me? Mom literally chained me to a tree in the backyard because she didn't trust me."

She sniffled dramatically. She looked utterly wounded.

The living room fell silent. The guests exchanged shocked, horrified glances.

The comments instantly boiled over.

[OMG? That's abuse!]

[Stella seems so outgoing, but her childhood was that bad?]

[These parents should have their kids taken away!]

[Chained to a tree? That's how you treat a dog!]

Stella’s melodramatic confession had instantly redirected the room's hostile energy into pity for her.

I watched her Oscar-worthy performance and couldn't help but roll my eyes. The story was technically true, but her framing was a complete distortion.

I made a disgusted sound. "You’re a performance artist, Si. You left out the context."

"You were borderline feral. You once snuck out and were baptized in a neighbor’s inflatable pool filled with stagnant rainwater. Mom was afraid you’d drown or infect yourself, so she put you on a leash."

Stella’s face went blank. "...Huh?"

The comments section was a flurry of question marks.

[???]

[That twist came faster than a hurricane.]

[LOL, so it was a behavioral safety measure.]

[Okay, that makes sense. Security first.]

[But why only Stella? Still feels like favoritism.]