My name is Claire Donovan. But to everyone crowding that patio with plastic cups and loud voices, I wasn’t anything special. I was just Ethan’s sister—the quiet one, the one staying in the guest room, the one people pitied or ignored.

I stood by the grill, flipping burgers in silence while my brother disappeared inside to watch the game, leaving me to handle his guests. That had become our unspoken arrangement: I had a place to stay, and in return, I stayed invisible.

Lisa, however, never allowed silence to last. She appeared with sharp words and a sharper tone, mocking my past and dismissing everything I had ever done. I ignored her, focusing instead on Eli, who sat quietly nearby, already understanding the rules—don’t speak up, don’t draw attention, don’t upset her.

But that fragile balance shattered the moment she reached for my bag.