Back To Spoiling My Little Sister

The soul-snatcher who hijacked my life for three years turned my familys estate into a toxic battleground of manufactured drama.

The second she checked out and I finally woke up in my own skin, my vision was flooded with a frantic, glowing chat stream.

[Oh my god, the real Grace is finally back! Her sister Sadie is a total snake now, and their brother Wyatt is incredibly biased.]

[The impostor spent three years ruining everything, playing the victim, and trying to secure the entire inheritance.]

[Graces reputation is in the gutter now. Let's see how she cleans up this absolute trainwreck!"

While I was sorting through the glowing words hovering in the air, my younger sister, Sadie, walked in holding a cup of hot tea. She had a timid, fragile smile plastered on her face.

"Youre finally awake, Grace. Wyatt said youre still too weak, so he wants me to represent the family at the gala next week."

I looked at the chat stream scrolling by"Here comes the fake sister, trying to steal her power." Then I looked at the fragile, sweet girl standing in front of me.

Instead of taking the tea, I reached out, gently pinched her soft cheek, and let out a soft laugh.

"Sure. If you want to go that badly, go pick whatever you want from my closet."

......

Sadie froze.

Her hand holding the tea hovered in midair, her practiced smile evaporating into pure, unadulterated confusion.

The chat exploded:

[She's totally glitched!]

[Sadie did not see that coming, lmao.]

[Look at her eyes, her brain has completely shut down."

But she recovered quickly. She took a sharp breath, her eyes welling with tears.

"If I said something wrong... Im sorry, Grace. I didn't mean to upset you."

She took a tiny step back, shrinking into herself like a delicate wildflower caught in a sudden draft.

I gave her performance a 9.5 out of 10. Half a point off because her eyes were too bright, constantly darting to gauge my reaction. She slipped.

The chat agreed:

[I gotta hand it to Sadie, her acting is top-tier.]

[The impostor must have traumatized her so badly she developed survival reflexes."

Before I was shoved out of my own body, Sadie was a fierce, fearless kid. At thirteen, she got into a fistfight with a boy from the next block, won, and grinned at me with blood split across her lip.

Now? She had learned to slouch her shoulders, flutter her eyelashes, and cry on command. All of it carved into her by that malicious squatter in my soul.

I gestured for her to come closer.

She took a tentative step forward.

I reached out and pinched her cheek again. Still as soft as it was when we were kids.

Sadie stood there, completely petrified.

The chat went wild:

[She pinched her! She actually pinched her face!]

[The impostor used to scream if Sadie got within three feet of her, and now shes playing with her cheeks??"

"G-Grace?"

"It's nothing. Just felt like doing it."

Her lips parted, but she was speechless. The hundred lines she had probably prepared were suddenly useless, and she couldn't improvise fast enough.

The door clicked open. A middle-aged woman in a housekeeper's uniform entered with a silver tray. When she saw me awake, a sycophantic smile spread across her face.

"Miss Grace, youre awake. I brought the lavender-infused broth you requested"

She glanced at Sadie, and her smile instantly dropped.

"What are you doing here, Sadie? Miss Grace is recovering. Don't come in here making trouble."

The sheer contempt in her voice was palpable.

Sadie's shoulders tensed as she looked down, silent.

I realized then how much the impostor had enabled this behavior. With Wyatt away on a business trip, Sadie had no one to shield her from the staff's petty cruelty.

"Who gave you permission to speak to her like that?"

My voice wasn't loud, but the housekeeper froze.

"Miss Grace?"

"She is my sister."

I looked her dead in the eye.

"I don't know how you treated her while I was out of it, but starting right now, anyone who shows her even a shred of disrespect will be packed and fired by sunset."

The housekeepers face flushed red and white.

Sadie snapped her head up, her eyes wide as saucers, staring at me like I was an alien.

The chat went crazy:

[Shes protecting her! Shes actually protecting her sister!]

[The impostor used to lead the bullying, and now Grace's first act is to shield her!"

The housekeeper awkwardly set the tray down and scurried out.

Sadie was still frozen in shock. I pushed the bowl of hot broth toward her.

"Want some?"

She shook her head mechanically, then nodded mechanically, completely overwhelmed.

"I... I should go."

The door clicked shut, followed by the frantic "pitter-patter" of her running down the hallway. Faster than a mouse running from a cat.

I leaned back against my pillows, the humor fading from my face.

The mess left behind from the last three years was worse than I thought.

But it was fine. Now that I was back, Id clean it up. One piece at a time.

The next morning, as I descended the grand staircase, I saw a confrontation in the foyer.

Sadie was backed into a corner, her face pale. Facing her were two meticulously styled middle-aged women in designer activewear. One was pointing a manicured finger in her face.

"Sadie, you ruined my daughters limited-edition Birkin bag last week. We agreed on a replacement. Where is the money?"

Sadie bit her lip. "I didn't ruin it"

"Didn't ruin it? You're a charity case living under this roof, who's going to take your word?" the woman sneered. "Or are you trying to play dumb? I heard Grace absolutely despises you. Youre a ghost in this house. Who's going to bail you out?"

The new butler stood off to the side, watching with a smirk.

[Wyatt is out of town, so these vultures come to bully the kid.]

[They're totally making this up because they know she's an easy target.]

[The butler is loyal to the impostor. He probably let them in on purpose."

I stepped off the stairs. My voice was quiet, but it commanded the room. They all turned.

The two womens eyes lit up, their sneers instantly morphing into sycophantic grins.

"Oh, Grace, darling! Youre just in time. We were just telling your sister"

"What bag did she supposedly ruin?" I cut her off.

"An Herms limited-edition. Over forty thousand dollars."

Sadies face went even paler, her lips trembling.

I glanced at her, then looked at the women, offering a cold smile.

"Forty thousand? Fine. Ill pay it. But"

I walked over, standing firmly at Sadies side.

"Did my sister actually damage the bag, or did your daughter stage an accident to shake her down?"

The woman's expression faltered. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said." I pulled out my phone. "There are security cameras in public spaces. Let's pull up the footage. If my sister was at fault, I'll write you a check for forty thousand without batting an eye. But if your daughter staged it..."

I smiled. "We'll let our lawyers handle the extortion charges."

The two women looked at each other, their faces draining of color. One of them let out a forced, nervous laugh.

"Oh, Grace, there's no need to take it that far. We were just asking... anyway, we should get going."

They practically sprinted out the front door.

Once the door clicked shut, I turned to the butler who had been enjoying the show.

"What is your name?"

He blinked. "I... Im Thomas, Miss Grace."

"Who let those women in?"

"I didn't realize they would"

"And how long did you stand there watching them berate my sister?"

His face went white.

"You're let go. Pack your things and leave the property by noon."

"Miss Grace! Ive worked for this family for years"

"Then you should know that Sadie is a daughter of this house," I interrupted. "Not entertainment for your amusement."

The butler was escorted out by the security staff. The foyer fell silent.

Sadie stood there, looking like shed been struck by lightning.

"You... you defended me?"

"Obviously," I said, looking at her. "You're my sister."

Her eyes welled with tears. She blinked fiercely to force them back.

"I... Im going to my room."

She ran. Again.

[Shes crying!]

[Three years... and someone finally had her back.]

[My heart is melting!"

In the afternoon, Sadie crept out of her room, clutching a dress in her arms.

My dress. A sage-green floral silk wrap dress from my closet.

She stood in front of me, looking as conflicted as if she were deciding the fate of the nation.

"Grace... you said I could pick whatever I wanted." She took a deep breath. "I only tried this one on. If you're mad, I'll put it right back."

The chat exploded:

[Here it is! The ultimate test!]

[The impostor would literally fly into a rage if anyone touched her clothes.]

[Remember when the maid touched her dress and she screamed for three hours?"

I looked at the dress. Id bought it right before my life was hijacked. I remember thinking how beautiful that shade of green would look against her skin, intending to give it to her. I never expected it to happen like this.

"Try it on," I said.

Sadie froze, then, as if terrified Id change my mind, dashed back into her room.

When she emerged, she stood before the full-length mirror, spinning around. The silk flared, exposing her slender ankles. It was stunning, but

"The waistline is too high. Without a belt, it looks like a nightgown. Hold on."

I went upstairs, grabbed a leather belt, and brought it down. I cinched it around her waist, tying a neat bow at the back.

"There. Take a look."

Sadie stared at her reflection, silent for a long moment. Then, she let out a tiny, soft gigglelike a bubble escaping a freshly opened bottle of soda.

She caught herself, quickly covering her mouth with the back of her hand, but it was too late.

[That was a real laugh! Not her act!]

[Her green-tea armor is completely cracking!"

That evening, we curled up on the sofa eating fresh strawberries.

Sadie, still in her green dress, had her legs curled up under her, stuffing her cheeks like a little hamster hoarding food. I was scrolling through my phone next to her, a matching bowl of strawberries in my lap. Peaceful, quiet.

She wasnt afraid of me anymore; she was finally letting her guard down.

"Grace, these are so sweet."

"Yeah."

"Grace, you want to try one dipped in chocolate?"

"You eat it."

"Grace"

"Stop saying my name or Ill think you're casting a spell."

She burst into a bright laugh, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

[She looks so happy, oh my god.]

[Three years of walking on eggshells, and she can finally breathe in her own home."

Just then, the front door opened.

Wyatt was back.

He stood in the entryway, taking in the scene. Sadie in my dress, legs curled up, eating strawberries. Me scrolling on my phone. Two identical bowls on the coffee table.

His expression shifted from exhaustion to confusion, and then to pure disbelief.

[The big brother is back!]

[He was away for a week and comes home to a parallel universe, lol."

"Wyatt!" Sadie called out, her voice muffled by a strawberry.

Wyatt walked in, his eyes darting between us.

"You two... aren't fighting?"

Sadie shook her head, gesturing to her dress. "Grace let me wear it. She even styled it for me."

Wyatt stared at the dress, then at me.

His gaze shifted. It was no longer the cold, defensive wall hed put up for three years. There was something else flickering in his eyessomething fragile and searching.

Over the next few days, I could feel Wyatt watching me.

At dinner, while watching TV, even when I was just talking to Sadie.

Sadie had told him everything that happenedhow I protected her, kicked out the scammers, and fired the butler.

Wyatt listened in silence.

On Saturday, Sadie was sprawled on the living room rug, sorting through nail polishes.

"Grace, this one or this one?" she asked, holding up dusty rose and cafe au lait.

"Dusty rose."

"Let me paint yours too. Sit."

She pulled up a small stool, taking my hand and resting it on her knee. Mid-stroke, she paused.

"Your hands are freezing, Grace."

Without waiting for an answer, she squeezed my hand, pulling it into her warm palms. When she finished, she held my hand up, admiring her work.

"Pretty, right?"

"Very pretty."

She smiled brightly.

Wyatt was sitting on the adjacent sofa, a folder in his lap, but he hadn't turned a page. He was staring at us.

I stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Sadie asked.

"To make coffee."

A few minutes later, I walked out with a mug and set it on the side table next to Wyatt.

"For you."

Wyatt looked at the cup. Black coffee. No cream, no sugar.

His fingers tensed on the folder.

"Who asked you to make this?"

"No one," I said, sitting back down. "You always drink it like this."

The room went dead silent.

Wyatt stared at the dark liquid for a long time. Then, slowly, he picked it up and took a sip.

[He drank it!]

[Only the real Grace knew his coffee order. The impostor never paid attention!"

Sadie stopped painting her nails. Her eyes darted between Wyatt and me.

Wyatt set the mug down, his eyes locked on mine. The coldness was entirely gone, replaced by a complex, trembling hope that he barely dared to believe.

"Grace," he said quietly.

The air in the room stretched taut. Sadie held her breath, clutching her nail polish brush, watching me.

"How did you know I take my coffee black?"

I looked at him, saying nothing.

Sadie leaned forward, her voice trembling slightly.

"Grace... is it really you? Are you back?"