My Sister Hated Men, Then Fell For Mine

My sister, Stella, had a string of bad relationships that convinced her all men were jerks.

The day I introduced her to my boyfriend, Ethan, she didn't hold back.

He's no different from the rest, she said, he'll betray you in the end.

Under the table, I tugged at her sleeve.

But Ethan didn't get angry. He looked Stella right in the eyes and said, word for word:

"If I ever betray Luna, I'll lose everything."

Stella just scoffed.

"We'll see about that."

After that, their relationship was icy, and I was stuck in the middle, torn.

Then I went away for a six-month work trip.

The night before I was due back, I was scrolling in bed and stumbled upon an anonymous confession thread.

[I fell for my sister's boyfriend. What do I do?]

The comments section was flooded with hate.

Until I scrolled to a reply from a burner account:

[Don't yell at her, everyone. It's not her fault; I was the one who pursued her.]

[She looks tough on the outside, but she's so fragile inside. The more I see that, the more my heart aches for her.]

My finger froze. I instinctively tapped on the profile.

It only had one video of a cat.

But a chill ran through me, and I couldn't stop trembling.

That cat was the one Ethan had given me.

I zoomed in on the video again and again.

Afraid to miss a single detail.

But every detail told me.

This was the cat from our first anniversary.

Ethan had braved a snowstorm to deliver it to me exactly at midnight on my birthday.

He said the kitten's name was Happy.

He hoped I'd be happy every day after that.

A massive sense of absurdity washed over me.

I could barely breathe.

I exited the profile.

And scrolled back to the beginning of the confession thread.

It had been posted an hour ago.

[First time I met him, I hated him. I'd been betrayed before, so I had zero good feelings for men.]

[But he was good to my sister. She has a sensitive stomach, so he kept a note of what she could and couldn't eat.]

[Whenever she worked late, he'd pick her up, no matter how late it was.]

[He remembered all her likes and dislikes. His profile picture, his social media posts, his background it was all her...]

I bit down hard on my lip, tasting iron.

Ethan was so good to me.

He remembered my period every month, always keeping pain meds in his bag.

Once, I was writhing in pain from cramps in the middle of the night, and he immediately bought the earliest flight to come to me, just to bring me medicine.

Things I'd casually mention, he'd take to heart and make happen the next day.

He was an atheist, but for me, he'd even visit a church and pray for my safety.

I'd always felt lucky to have found the best man in the world.

My hands shaking, I continued to scroll down:

[Later, my sister went on a business trip and told me to go to him if I needed anything, saying he was reliable. I said I'd rather die than ask him for help.]

[That night, there was a heavy rainstorm, and the light bulb in the house suddenly blew out. I'm afraid of the dark, and no one answered when I called maintenance.]

[I had no choice but to dig out the number my sister left and called him.]

[Half an hour later, he appeared at the door, soaking wet, smiling as he said, "Turns out you get scared too."]

[In that moment, I felt something I couldn't explain.]

I remembered that.

Ethan would update me daily.

That night, when we were on FaceTime.

He'd brought it up himself.

"Stella looks fearless, but she's actually afraid of the dark."

He talked about Stella for a long time.

Laughing as he spoke.

His laughter held a hint of fondness.

At the time, I didn't think much of it and even told him that if Stella ever needed anything, he had to help her immediately.

[After that, whenever something broke at home, I'd instinctively think of calling him.]

[We started seeing each other more often, and I guess I didn't hate him as much anymore.]

[He often waited for me to get off work, then accompanied me to the grocery store or to watch a movie.]

[He even learned how to cook my favorite dishes, and just like with my sister, he wrote down what I liked and disliked in his notes.]

[I once said, "Could you please stop using Luna's picture as your avatar when we talk?" and he immediately changed it to an avatar with the same color scheme as mine.]

[My feelings for him became more and more complicated.]

That avatar was the first photo he took of me when we first started dating.

I'd even teased him about it back then.

"Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you for using my photo?"

He gently squeezed my cheek, a proud look on his face.

"My girlfriend is so beautiful, of course I want to tell everyone."

He'd used it for five years, never changing it no matter what anyone said.

The day he changed his avatar, I'd asked him about it.

He said it was for work reasons.

I believed him.

Turns out, it was because of one sentence from Stella.

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the screen.

[Tonight, he and I went to see a movie. At the end, he suddenly turned to me and asked, "Do you like me?"]

[I heard my own heartbeat, and then I heard him say, "I wish I had met you sooner."]

[I couldn't control myself and kissed him. He didn't pull away.]

[I feel disgusted with myself for doing such a thing to my sister's boyfriend, but I can't control how I feel about him.]

[My sister comes back tomorrow. I don't know how I'm going to face her.]

My stomach churned, a wave of nausea rushing to my throat.

I hunched over the bed, dry heaving, but nothing came up.

Our parents died in a car crash when I was eight and Stella was thirteen.

Stella went to all my parent-teacher conferences. She braided my hair every morning.

Stella taught me how to use a pad when I first got my period.

When I brought Ethan to meet her.

I desperately wanted her approval.

Because in my heart, she had already surpassed even my mom.

But now.

The person I loved most, the person I cherished most.

Both of them had been hiding so much from me.

My heart felt like it was being ripped open, and I curled up on the bed, only able to whimper.

The confession thread's popularity soared.

The hateful comments grew more and more intense.

[Gross. Flirting with your sister's boyfriend, and acting all innocent here? How disgusting is that?]

[My heart goes out to the sister. The two people she loves most, getting together behind her back. It's suffocating just thinking about it.]

["Can't control yourself"? Why don't you just die? And this guy, what a total piece of trash!]

Underneath every hateful comment, there was a reply from Ethan.

[She's in more pain than anyone. She hates herself more than anyone. You have no right to judge her.]

[Yes, I'm trash, but even as trash, I want to protect her.]

[If I had met her first, I would have chosen her.]

The latest update on the confession thread was from a minute ago.

[You're right to curse me. I'm disgusting, I'm vile. I'll stay away from him from now on. I can't lose my sister.]

My phone slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor.

I had been so excited, thinking I'd be home tomorrow.

Now, I didn't know how I could face them.

The city lights glowed outside, and I spent a sleepless night.

After a painful internal struggle, I still dragged my luggage to the airport.

Stella's message arrived promptly.

[Luna, I'll be waiting for you at the exit.]

Ethan's message came a minute before I boarded.

[Luna, be careful on your way. I'll be waiting for you.]

This was the only message since our hasty call last night.

Normally, he'd call me half an hour beforehand to wake me up.

He'd fuss over me, reminding me not to forget my ID, not to forget my things, not to forget to eat breakfast.

Then he'd text me constantly throughout the journey, telling me to be safe.

But now, it was just a brief sentence.

I didn't reply.

I turned off my phone and closed my eyes.

When the plane landed, I saw Stella and Ethan at the exit.

Standing two meters apart, one on my left, one on my right.

Like strangers.

Stella's eye makeup was heavy; it was almost impossible to tell she'd been crying last night.

She was always like that, never showing her vulnerable side.

Not even to me.

Ethan didn't rush over excitedly like he used to.

He adjusted to what looked like a natural smile and pulled a bouquet of flowers from the trunk.

"Luna, welcome back."

When he handed me the flowers.

Both Stella and I froze.

Because he was holding white roses.

Those were Stella's favorite flowers.

I fought hard to control my expression, to keep myself from breaking down.

Stella only liked white roses, and I was the one who told him that.

I only liked baby's breath; he had never gotten it wrong all these years.

He finally realized he was holding white roses.

His eyes darted nervously for a moment, then he quickly tried to cover it up:

"I was in such a rush this morning, I didn't even notice I grabbed the wrong flowers. I'll get you a bigger bouquet later."

He said, then instinctively glanced at Stella.

Stella didn't look at him. She walked straight over and took my suitcase.

"Come on, I'll take you to get something good to eat."

Normally, Stella, Ethan, and I would go out and feast on all our favorite foods.

But those words from the confession thread kept replaying in my mind.

I managed a strained smile:

"You two go ahead. I need to go back to the office first."

Ethan stepped forward:

"I'll drive you."

"No need!"

I refused without thinking.

Perhaps my emotions were too intense.

Ethan and Stella furrowed their brows, their eyes filled with confusion.

I lowered my head, took my suitcase back from Stella, and steadied my voice:

"The company is waiting for my report. I won't be back until a bit later."

Their brows relaxed, and Stella smiled:

"Okay, then I'll make your favorite dinner tonight."

Ethan curved his lips:

"Then call me when you're done, and I'll pick you up."

I nodded.

Pulling my suitcase, I fled the airport like a phantom and hailed a taxi to the company.

Outside the window, familiar streetscapes sped past.

I had lived in this city for twenty-five years.

Every road held a trace of both of them.

Stella would always rip into Ethan over something he said.

Each time, Ethan would raise his hands in surrender, muttering, "My bad, my bad."

Then he'd quietly lean into my ear and complain:

"Stella is so fierce."

Those days were truly happy.

Snapping back to reality, I realized my face was streaked with tears.

The taxi driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"Ma'am, nothing's impossible to get over. You gotta look forward in life."

I gave an embarrassed smile.

And wiped away the tears from my eyes.

I got out at the company building, paid the driver, and took a deep breath, looking up at the office tower.

I'd been on a business trip for six months, temporarily assigned to an out-of-state project.

Because of my excellent performance, my manager had even wanted to send me to participate in a secret overseas project.

I had refused.

Because Ethan said he wanted to get married soon.

Before my trip, he'd said we'd look at wedding venues when I got back.

But now, no need for wedding venues.

But this project, I would take it.

Walking into the office, the manager was coming out of a meeting room with a stack of documents.

He saw me and paused:

"Luna? Aren't you supposed to be back tomorrow?"

"Came back early."

I forced a smile:

"Manager, that overseas assignment you mentioned earlier, I want to apply for it."

The manager's eyes lit up:

"Really? I tried to convince you for so long, and you wouldn't budge."

"What, did you change your mind?"

Changed my mind?

Even now, I still couldn't believe Stella and Ethan would betray me.

But I knew some things didn't need to be understood.

Only accepted.

I nodded.

The manager grew serious.

"This project is highly confidential. You won't be able to return home or contact your family for the three years you're overseas. Can you truly accept that?"

"Yes, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

At ten that night, I went downstairs.

Ethan was leaning against his car, smoking.

Cigarette butts littered the ground.

The crimson glow of the cigarette reflected on his face, his brows deeply furrowed.

In five years of dating, I'd only seen him smoke twice.

The first time was the year we graduated, when his parents forced him to go back to his hometown for development.

And I only wanted to stay and be with Stella.

Ethan then, just like now, smoked one cigarette after another.

In the end, he chose me.

And now, what choice was he making?

I didn't want to think about it.

Seeing me, he immediately put out his cigarette and walked toward me, taking my suitcase.

"Just got back and they're already making you work late. Your company is so inconsiderate."

I replied, trying to sound normal:

"There was a lot to report."

He opened the passenger door, and I bent down to get in.

A faint perfume scent wafted into my nose.

I stiffened.

That scent was Stella's favorite perfume.

I instinctively turned my head, my gaze falling into the seat crevice.

A lip balm had fallen there.

It was the one I'd given Stella last month.

He walked around to the driver's seat, saw the lip balm in my hand, and paused.

The car was silent for two seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Stella must have left it when she rode in my car today. I'll take it back to her later."

I stared at the lip balm:

"Did Stella often sit in the passenger seat when I was away?"

His motion of buckling his seatbelt paused.

He turned to look at me, his eyes unreadable.

Then he reached out, touched my head, and chuckled softly:

"What, are you getting jealous of Stella now?"

I didn't smile.

His tone became serious.

"You wanted Stella and I to get along, right? So sometimes she rides in my car."

He added at the end:

"If you don't like it, I won't let her sit there anymore."

I didn't want to hear anymore, so I closed my eyes:

"I'm tired."

He gazed at me for two seconds, then said:

"Last night, did you... scroll past anything?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him:

"Scroll past what?"

He was silent for a moment, then gave a light laugh:

"Nothing. I just noticed you don't look well today, your eyes are red."

I closed my eyes again.

"I was too excited last night, didn't sleep a wink."

He started the car, shaking his head resignedly:

"Still acting like a kid."

Then he casually turned on the air conditioning. It was two degrees higher than usual.

Whenever Stella rode in the car with us, the AC always had to be two degrees higher.

Because she got cold easily.

When we got home, Stella was already waiting at the door.

"Must be starving, right? Hurry and wash your hands, dinner's ready."

I walked straight inside. The table was filled with all my favorite dishes.

I still sat in my usual spot.

Stella was on my left, Ethan on my right.

Both simultaneously put food on my plate.

"Luna, your favorite steak."

"Your favorite chicken wings."

For a moment, I was disoriented, as if I was back in the past.

But reality told me.

Everything had changed.

So many words were stuck in my throat.

I wanted to tell them, I saw the confession thread.

I wanted to ask them, why did you do this?

But the words stayed unspoken.

The meal was tasteless.

Until Stella raised her glass and looked at me:

"Luna, let's raise a toast."

She tilted her head back and drank.

"Welcome home, Luna."

Then, she glanced at Ethan:

"You two have been together for so long. I used to be against it, but now I'm not. Pick a date and get married."