The Extra Sister

The day I turned twenty-four, my sister, Veronica, jumped from the fourth-floor balcony.

She said it was her birthday gift to me.

By the time I scrambled down the stairs, her head was a bloody mess from the impact. But she was still conscious, lying cradled in my brothers arms, a defiant smile on her face as she looked at me.

Jessie, she breathed, I know Im the extra one I just want you to be happy

My mother collapsed to her knees, her sobs raw and guttural, begging me to move out for a while.

I didnt argue. I just nodded, numb, and packed my bags as if I were escaping a fire.

Everyone in this house was insane.

If I stayed any longer, I was afraid Id become one of them.

Veronica! Dont you dare scare me like this, just hold on a little longer, please!

The paramedics are on their way!

My brother, Vincent, looked like he was on the verge of a complete breakdown. His hands trembled as he tried to staunch the flow of blood from her head. My mother was a heap on the ground beside them, beating her chest and crying out, What have I done to deserve this?

The entire household was thrown into chaos by Veronicas sudden leap, all composure lost.

Only I stood to the side.

A detached observer, so calm I didnt seem to belong, my mind already drifting.

The paramedics arrived.

Vincent and my mother climbed into the ambulance one after the other. As the doors were closing, my mother shot one last pleading look in my direction. Her eyes, clouded with tears and utter exhaustion, were a mirror of every other time she had begged me to give in to Veronica, to just let her have her way.

In the past, that look would have sent me into a fit of rage and tears.

But this time, a deep, weary sigh escaped from the very core of me. I couldnt even be bothered to say a word.

She didn't have to worry about me refusing to leave. Even if she hadn't asked, I had already decided to get as far away from this family as possible.

In the seven years I had lived in this house, Veronica had slit her wrists twelve times and overdosed more times than I could count, using self-harm as her weapon of choice to get what she wanted.

Every time she hurt herself, I had to take a step back.

Now, I had nowhere left to retreat.

I was scared. Truly, deeply terrified.

If she had the guts to throw herself off a fourth-story balcony this time, what was to stop her from dragging me down with her next time?

I wasnt done with living. I was afraid to die.

I had just dragged my suitcase downstairs when my boyfriend, Eric, showed up.

Or, I should say, my ex-boyfriend.

The reason Veronica jumped was because, just moments before, Eric had asked me to marry him.

As she teetered on the railing, Eric had begged her not to jump, his face a mask of agony. By the end, both of their faces were streaked with tears.

And I just stood there, an outsider, watching the man who had been kissing me moments before scream promises to Veronica that he would break up with me.

Now, standing in front of me, Erics face was etched with fatigue. He saw me, and his gaze flickered away.

Jessie

There was nothing left for us to say. I just pushed my suitcase past him.

But he grabbed my wrist, his grip tight.

Jessie, Veronica is at the hospital. Shes crying, asking to see you. Will you please go see her?

In that instant, a wave of nausea so powerful it felt like my stomach was turning inside out washed over me.

Veronica. She was like a viper. From the moment I was brought back to this family seven years ago, she had sunk her fangs into me and refused to let go.

Just like in the soap operas, the wealthy family was greedy. They wanted to keep both the daughter they had raised and the biological one who had been lost. So, the adopted Veronica and I became sisters.

For the first three months, she showered me with kindness. She acted as a buffer between me and my estranged parents and brother, the one person in the family who was genuinely warm to me. She introduced me to her friends, taught me the etiquette of high society, and would even defend me from those who sneered at my background, telling me to ignore them.

For a while, I thought I had fallen into a fairy tale. I thought having a sister like Veronica was a wonderful thing.

But then, she started treating me like a disease, a predator, an invader. She became obsessed with destroying me, even if it meant sacrificing her own life.

At my welcome home party three months after my arrival, Veronica fell down the grand staircase.

Just before she fell, her fingers, cold and clammy, dug into my arm.

Guess what theyll think if I accidentally fall down these stairs? shed whispered. Who do you think theyll blame?

Her methods were crude. But her previous, very public displays of affection for me made her act all the more believable. And besides, everyone already loved her.

So, all my frantic denials were dismissed as pathetic lies.

And for seven years, I had choked on that lie, until it had nearly driven me insane.

I let out a cold laugh and wrenched my arm from his grasp.

Eric, are you sick? Are you and Veronica not done torturing me yet?

He looked at me, a flicker of confusion in his eyes, before his face flushed a deep red. He stammered, gesturing wildly.

Jessie, Im not breaking up with you, dont be angry.

I was just I just had to

I kept walking, dragging the heavy suitcase behind me without a backward glance.

Fine. Then let me inform you. Were done!

Now get out of my way.

Eric blocked my path, refusing to move. Jessie! I don't agree to this! Veronica was about to jump! I only said that to calm her down!

Shes your sister, for Gods sake! Do you want her to die? Jessie, cant you be reasonable for once?!

Id had enough. I shoved him hard.

Thats right! Im being unreasonable! So what?

And what kind of sister is she to me?

Eric, if youre really in love with Veronica, then go ahead, be with her.

Im out. Cant I just be out of this?

My mother, my brother, youI dont want any of you anymore! Ill give you all to Veronica.

Im begging you, all of you, just leave me alone!

I said I dont want any of it!

My voice, which had started as a rush of frantic words, rose to a desperate scream. The immense psychological pressure was suffocating me. I wiped away a single tear that had escaped and forced myself to stand steady.

Eric stumbled back, staring at me in shock, his lips trembling. Jessie, how can you say that We we grew up together I only love you

I scoffed, my gaze cold as ice.

My adoptive parents and Erics family lived on the same block. Neither of our families had much money, so Eric and I spent our childhoods collecting cans and bottles to save up for school fees.

When the Meng family came and told me I was their long-lost daughter, my first and only request was that they fund Erics education.

Eric didnt disappoint. He got into one of the best universities in the country.

I knew Veronica wanted to take everything that was mine, so I kept Eric a secret, hiding him away like a precious treasure. I naively believed that as long as she never met him, the one thing that was truly mine would remain mine.

I guarded my secret for so long.

But I never imagined that Veronica and Eric had already met.

Just before she jumped, Veronica had shown me their text messages, filled with flirtatious, ambiguous exchanges. She had smiled so radiantly, but her eyes held a raw, undisguised malice. She stared at my face, as if eagerly anticipating the same hysterical breakdown Id had so many times before.

But to her surprise, all I could manage was a dry, Oh.

I couldnt pinpoint the emotion I felt then. It was as if a heavy weight Id been carrying had finally crashed to the ground.

Seeing my flat reaction, Veronicas face fell. A moment later, a chilling smile spread across her lips.

She climbed onto the railing, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Im sorry, Jessie. I shouldnt be bothering you two anymore Its better if I just disappear

A sickening thud echoed from below. It was the sound of Veronica hitting the ground.

It was also the sigh of my soul, utterly and completely exhausted.

In that moment, all I wanted was to run far, far away.

I ignored Erics explanations, just staring at him, my eyes empty.

He eventually fled, utterly defeated. But he didnt give up, sending me a relentless stream of texts, trying to explain his relationship with Veronica.

He swore that as soon as she was out of the hospital, he would set things straight with her and never see her again.

For a second, his words caused a flicker of emotion in me.

But the next moment, my mother called, sobbing into the phone.

Jessie, please, Im begging you. Can you just stop contacting Eric for a while? Veronica she slit her wrists again last night.

I heard my own voice, as cold and distant as a strangers.

Oh. So she didnt die this time either. Veronica really is a tough one.

My mother was crying too hard to speak. Then, my brothers hoarse, accusatory voice came through the line.

Jessie, how can you be so cold-hearted? Do you have any idea how many times Veronica has been saying shes sorry to you these past few days?

Just get to the hospital. Veronica has something she wants to say to you

Before he could finish, I could faintly hear Veronicas muffled sobs in the background.

Its all my fault I shouldnt be alive Im just an extra

My mother and brother immediately rushed to comfort her, their voices urgent and panicked.

Veronica, sweetheart, dont think like that, please dont scare us

Veronica, its my fault. Im so sorry. If only we had never brought Jessie home

Like a form of self-torture, I listened to the sounds on the other end of the line.

I was calm. So calm that I even let out a small, contemptuous laugh.

There it was. They finally said what they really thought.

All this time, theyd been putting on a show of treating us equally, when their hearts had been with her all along. It was like having a fish bone stuck in my throata constant, irritating pain.

The texts from Eric kept coming.

He reminisced about our childhood, collecting bottles together.

He remembered how I had cried and clung to his hand when I first went to live with my biological family.

He even brought up the day he confessed his love for me, holding a jar filled with a thousand paper cranes.

I scrolled through the messages, my heart a barren wasteland.

But I still agreed to meet him one last time.

After all, during these seven years of torment by Veronica, Eric had been the one pillar that kept me going. A proper goodbye was the last bit of warmth I could offer to a relationship that was now just a part of my past.

We met at our favorite little diner.

Eric looked nervous and fidgety. When he saw me, he pushed a container of food toward me.

Jessie, youve lost so much weight. You always loved my braised pork knuckles. See? I woke up at the crack of dawn to make them for you.

I glanced at the container. A sour taste rose in my throat.

If I remembered correctly, in the text messages Veronica had shown me, Eric had promised to make her this exact same dish dozens of times.

And now, he was pushing it in front of me with a hopeful smile.

Jessie, just try a little.

I fought the urge to throw the container in his face and looked away.

Eric

As if he knew what was coming, he kept interrupting me, his eyes darting around the room.

Jessie, you said you wanted to go to that concertI got us tickets.

Jessie, please dont be like this. Dont look at me that way

We we were supposed to get married. You said yes, remember?

We grew up together, we know everything about each other. Jessie, are you really just going to throw all of that away?

I swear, theres nothing between me and Veronica. I just I couldnt stand by and watch her die. Jessie, you understand, right? You have to understand.

His voice cracked, and he ducked his head, miserably wiping away tears.

For a moment, I was lost in a daze, my own eyes turning red. I had guarded him so carefully from Veronica, like a dragon protecting its only jewel.

But on that day, when I found out they had been in contact all along, I hadn't felt anger. Instead, it was a strange sense of relief, as if a long-dreaded fate had finally arrived.

I was just sad. Sad that the jewel I had cupped so gently in my hands had turned out to be nothing more than a worthless pebble.

Eric, theres nothing left for us to say.

You knew that talking to Veronica would hurt me, but you did it anyway. So, you were the one who chose her over me, weren't you? Veronica is insane. Seven years its been long enough. I

Before I could finish, Erics expression changed drastically.

I followed his gaze and looked behind me.

For a second, the world went silent, a ringing in my ears.