The Day I Came Home To Die

They all applauded the day I left Crest Harbor.

It was a relief, reallya madwoman like me would no longer monopolize the citys headlines.

Until, three years later.

I was back on the front page.

It was because of the first thing I did upon my return. It wasnt a trip home; it was a visit to the cemetery.

That day, I happened to run into my brother, Rhys Beaumont.

He asked me:

All these years, why didnt you come home?

I tightened my grip on the flimsy oncology report in my hand.

I managed a strained smile.

Ill be home soon.

1

I hadnt expected the reunion with my brother, Rhys, to be so utterly flat. There was none of the old, razor-sharp animosity. Three years ago, we were notorious tabloid fodderthe siblings known for pure, unadulterated hatred.

When did you get back?

I looked at the sprig of jasmine in his handMoms favorite flowerand felt a momentary lapse in reality.

Yesterday.

Yesterday was Dads birthday. His voice was as cool and distant as ever. Since you were back in Crest Harbor, why didnt you come?

Because I didnt want to.

Rhyss brow furrowed as he stared at me. Ranna, are you still holding a grudge against us?

I shook my head slightly.

How could I hold a grudge? The moment I left Crest Harbor, the hatred I felt for anyone here dried up. I simply figured Dad wouldn't want to see me at his birthday dinner.

He and Rhys hated me equally.

Because I was the one responsible for Moms death.

If I hadn't thrown a tantrum for a birthday cake on my eighth birthday, Mom wouldnt have gone out. She wouldnt have fallen into the hands of our familys rivals and been brutally tortured and killed.

I still remember Dad cradling her body, his agonizing sobs echoing through the foyer. I remember Rhys kneeling on the floor, his eyes bloodshot as he screamed at me to get out.

That day, Dad lost his beloved wife. Rhys lost his mother.

They withdrew every ounce of love they had given me. And they started to hate me.

Rhyss gaze softened, a complicated expression flitting across his face. He leaned closer. Ranna.

He paused, then continued, You look different. Youve become much quieter.

I offered a weak smile.

If I had changed, it was only that Id stopped expecting anything from them.

Not long after Mom died, they brought Savannah Davies homethe impoverished student Mom had been sponsoring. They didn't give her cold shoulders, didnt ignore her, and certainly never told her to get lost.

The glaring disparity in treatment drove me to hysterics, to desperate acts of demanding attention. I was too young then to understand why their hatred for me was so absolute. By the time I did understand, I had already started leaving score marks on my wrists. Still, I couldnt stop antagonizing them.

At least that way, they saw me.

A gentle breeze lifted the cuff of my sleeve, revealing the pale, permanent scars that were no less prominent than they had been years ago.

The silence grew heavy until Rhys finally said the phrase Id been waiting for.

Come home with me.

I stared down at my shoes. What home? What place was left for me in that house?

For years, even the society columns had been referring to Savannah as the Beaumont heiress. My own name had long been blacklisted by the city's media. In their eyes, I was nothing more than a certifiable madwoman.

It wasn't enough that I'd publicly humiliated Savannah countless times in a pathetic bid for attention. They truly believed Id crossed the line into depravity by orchestrating her brutal kidnapping and assault by a local gang.

Rhys had arrived just as the ordeal ended, cradling an almost lifeless Savannah. Hed spun around and slapped me hard across the face. We had hurled the most vicious curses at each other, but he had never laid a hand on me before.

Ranna, are you sick? What kind of monster are you?

The sound of his hand connecting with my cheek drowned out my single, desperate syllable: Ididnt

He wouldnt believe me. Because Savannah shrank back in fear, tears streaming down her face, and cried, Rhys, Im sorry! Ill never compete with her again! Please, cant you just let me go?

My father, who rushed in right behind them, didn't believe me, either.

He forced me to my knees to apologize to Savannah. When I refused, he didn't hesitate. He took out his handgun and fired right into my shoulder.

Blood spattered across the marble floor. But not one of them looked at me.

To exact their revenge for Savannah, they had me tied up and institutionalized in a psychiatric ward.

When I was released six months later, Dad treated me like I was invisible. Rhys looked at me like a stranger.

They both said the same thing, with the same cold finality:

I dont have a daughter named Ranna.

My only sister is Savannah.

I haven't had a home for a long time. So how could I go back?

I was about to refuse, but my phone screen flashed. It was a text from the cemetery: [Ms. Beaumont, please finalize the paperwork soon if youve decided on a plot.]

Over the years, to pay for my treatment, my savings had dwindled. I couldnt afford the plot closest to Mom. I needed to go back and retrieve the last two things Mom left for me.

I ended up following Rhys into the car.

Midway, he suddenly reached out toward me. Out of pure reflex, I flinched and ducked my head.

Rhyss hand froze mid-air. Ranna, I just saw a leaf in your hair.

Ive got it.

The rest of the drive was silent.

The car pulled up to the old Beaumont estate. Savannah, who must have heard about my return, didn't seem surprised. She greeted me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She probably thought I was here for revenge, judging by my old, petty nature.

But she was wrong. The day I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I granted myself a pardon. I pardoned them, too.

Dad saw me from a distance, gave me a long look, and then walked into his study. Business as usual.

I headed straight to my room to retrieve the dowry savings account Mom had prepared for me years ago. But when I reached the bottom of the trunk, the wedding dress she had handmade was gone.

I found Mrs. Davies, the long-time housekeeper, and asked. She stammered nervously:

Ms. Savannah is set to marry into the Sterling family The dress, well, it was given to to Ms. Savannah.

How dare they? The dress Mom had been working on since before I was born. How could they so easily give it to Savannah? Even if I were dying, I intended to take it to the grave with me.

Which Sterling is she marrying?

The second son, Mr. Grayson Sterling.

I froze.

Grayson.

My childhood anchor. The boy who had sworn to protect me forever.

When Dad and Rhys hated me the most, he was the only one who stood firmly by my side. When someone asked him if he was afraid of catching fire, he just raised an eyebrow and said, Shes my childhood friend. I know exactly who she is.

But ever since that fabricated kidnapping, Grayson had slowly, subtly, started to distance himself. His nickname for Savannah changed to a soft Savvy.

I once cried and asked him what was wrong. He recoiled slightly, pushing me away, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. He said, Ranna, Savannah is a good person.

A good person? But she stole my father and my brother. And she framed me.

Why wouldn't you believe me, too?

I should have known then. The moment Grayson started taking Savannahs side, I was truly alone in Crest Harbor.

The notification about the successful grave plot booking pulled me out of the memory. I shook my head bitterly.

I turned to go find Savannah. But just as I stepped out of the room, my arm was violently grabbed.

I spun around to find a breathless Grayson. He must have rushed here; the corners of his eyes were red.

Ranna, you you finally came back?

I didn't answer. I just watched his guilty gaze slide down to my right leg.

I had almost forgotten.

Three years ago, when Savannah faked falling down the stairs, missed her big dance competition, and threatened suicide, an enraged Grayson sent people to break my leg.

He knew how many years Id trained for that international competition, how much Moms dream it represented. I was so close to the stage. But everything had shattered with the crack of a baseball bat.

When I was lying in the hospital, Grayson came from Savannahs room. He looked at me coldly. Ranna, bad deeds must be punished.

I stopped trying to explain and just wept. He mistook my tears for remorse and softened his tone. Ranna, once your leg heals, Ill take you to Arch Point.

Id always wanted to see that famed coastal spot. I never expected the trip to be bought at such a horrific price.

I stopped crying. I quietly pulled out my phone. He probably thought I was checking flights to Arch Point.

In reality, I was looking at a ticket for a ferry out of Crest Harbor.

Seeing my silence, Graysons expression grew more pained. Where have you been all these years? Are you doing okay?

Im fine.

After leaving Crest Harbor, I went to the Lowcountry, the place Mom always talked about. As soon as my leg healed, I started cooperating with my doctors. One for severe depression, the other for Stage IV gastric cancer.

The day I was diagnosed, the doctor told me, Ranna, get your family to spend time with you. Being loved is beneficial for depression.

I looked at the fresh scratches on my wrist. I forgot to tell the doctor that I had no family.

He saw my silence and then grew serious. Stage IV gastric cancer gives you a maximum of three years, Ranna. I hope you can find some joy in your last days.

But I hadnt genuinely smiled since Mom died. So, whether my final days were happy or not seemed irrelevant.

You

Graysons words were cut off by the sudden appearance of Savannah.

Grayson, what are you doing here? Dads been waiting for you in the study forever.

Grayson seemed to snap out of a trance. He looked at me with a complicated, regretful expression, but yielded to Savannahs urgency and turned to leave.

The moment he was gone, Savannah turned to me. Ranna, you actually dared to come back? Her voice was hard. Are you here to ruin my wedding?

I laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. Why? Are you scared now that Im back?

The venom in Savannahs eyes was unleashed; the act was over. I got rid of you once. What makes you think you can win this time?

She hadnt changed at all over the years. Innocent in public, a viper behind closed doors.

Too bad. This time, I was going to be outside of her plan.

I wouldnt be leaving.

I skipped the pleasantries. Give me the wedding dress.

Savannah was stunned for a few seconds, then let out a peel of triumphant laughter.

Ranna, Dad and Rhys gave the dress to me ages ago. What right do you have to ask for it back? Besides, Im marrying Grayson soon.

She held out her hand, showing off the Sterling engagement ring on her finger, and taunted, Ranna, everything that was yours is mine now.

I was expressionless. She seemed so pathetic.

From the moment Savannah was adopted, she started taking everything that belonged to me. My clothes, my room, my family even the title of Beaumont Heiress.

But who cared anymore?

Perhaps my sheer indifference was what finally broke Savannah. She ordered a servant to bring the dress. Before I could even react, she grabbed a pair of tailoring shears and viciously slashed the gown twice.

You want to come back, Ranna? You have to pay a price!

I watched Mom's last personal relic fall to the floor like torn rags. My blood ran cold.

She wasnt finished. She leaned in, her voice low and saturated with cruelty. If your mother hadnt died, Id still be stuck in a trailer park, and I wouldnt be able to steal your things! So, thank God she died!

You should have died with your mother that day!

My eyes burned. In a surge of pure, blinding fury, my stomach cramped, a dizzy spell washed over me, and I felt the irresistible urge to vomit. I raised my hand and swung it, putting all my failing strength into the hit.

CRACK!

Savannahs head snapped sideways, but she just cackled.

Im going to find out whose life is more important to them now!

She plunged the scissors deep into her own abdomen. Blood instantly gushed out. She yanked the shears free and threw them at my feet.

Hearing the commotion, Rhys burst into the room.

He shoved me awaya brutal, full-body rejection.

Ranna!

The roar of his voice came just as the blood surged up my own throat.

Are you completely insane?

Insane? Yes. The moment they sent me to the asylum, I went insane.

Savannahs eyes were brimming with fake, wronged tears. Rhys, its my fault! Ranna just got home, and I shouldnt have provoked her! Then, she conveniently fainted.

Rhys looked down at the swelling bruise on Savannahs cheek and the rapidly blooming red stain on her dress. He bellowed at me:

I thought you were different! I thought you had changed!

Ranna! I swear, I regret letting you step back into this house!

At that, my handreaching out to gather the torn remnants of the dressfroze mid-air. I stumbled, using the wall to pull myself up.

Just then, Dad and Grayson walked in.

One look, and their judgment was sealed.

Dad ignored me as he always did, dialing the doctor from ten feet away. Grayson rushed to cradle Savannah, his eyes filled with bottomless disappointment when he looked at me.

This sight crushed the last shard of hope I held.

My entire body was screaming in pain. The blood surging in my throat could no longer be contained. I covered my mouth to cough, but sticky, thick blood immediately oozed between my fingers, splattering onto the floor.

One drop. Two drops. Then, a whole pool.

Rhyss eyes widened. Grayson gasped and shouted my name. Even Dad paused, his phone halfway to his ear.

Rhys took a hesitant step toward me.

I violently pulled back, avoiding his touch.

Why wont you ask me if I hurt her? My voice cracked. Every time something happens, you only listen to Savannahs word! You never once bother to hear mine!

You always accuse me, always nail me to the cross! Why? Because you think I owe Mom a life, and I deserve to die!

Tears that had been dried up for years finally spilled out, crashing onto the floor along with the blood.

Rhys was silent.

But Dad ended his call, looking utterly calm as he returned the question.

And arent you?

The room fell into a terrifying silence.

I laughed, the sound hollow and manic. More blood surged from my stomach, pouring out.

Yes. I am the sinner.

One life, right? Ill pay you back!

The next second, I coughed up a final, massive mouthful of blood and collapsed heavily onto the floor.

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