They Finally Remembered I Was Their Daughter

In our small town of Willow Creek, there was a tradition.

When a daughter was born, her family would plant a maple tree in the backyard.

When she married, the tree would be cut down and crafted into two large hope chests, filled with wedding gifts, symbolizing a lifetime of love and security.

Two weeks before my twin sister Lily and I were set to get married, our brother Ethan came home dragging two beautifully finished wooden chests.

He hauled them into the living room, sweating, as Lily gasped in delight.

Mom gently stroked Lily's hair, her eyes shining with tears.

"My sweet Lily is getting married. It feels like yesterday you were just a little girl who couldn't even tie her shoes."

Dad frowned, his voice thick with emotion.

"If that guy Ryan ever treats you wrong, Lily, I'll personally break his neck."

No one noticed anything wrong with the chests.

I looked behind Ethan. The hallway was empty. There was nothing else.

I asked, "Ethan, where are mine?"

Ethan froze, as if only just remembering that I was getting married on the exact same day.

"Oh... well, I finished Lily's first chest and realized we didn't have enough wood left. So, I had to cut down your tree to finish her second one."

Mom waved her hand dismissively, her tone turning sharp.

"Oh, come on, Chloe. It's just some wood. You can just buy a couple of nice travel suitcases from Target. Why do you always have to make that face and ruin the mood?"

I stared at them as they crowded around Lily. My mind flashed back to the conversation Mom and Dad had with Ethan a few months ago.

"You have to make the most beautiful chests for our baby girl," they had told him. "Her entire life's happiness depends on it."

I guess "their baby girl" never included me.

Fine. If that was the case, I didn't want them in my life anymore either.

"Mom, look! Ethan even carved little maple leaves on the corners of the chests!" Lily squealed.

Mom rubbed Lily's hand, her voice cracking.

"My little princess deserves the absolute best. You have to look perfect on your big day, or Ryan's family will look down on us."

So, Mom did know. She knew that entering a marriage without a proper hope chest would make a bride the subject of gossip.

Yet, she didn't care that I had nothing. Because I was the one who would be laughed at, and she simply didn't care about me.

Dad walked over and ruffled Lily's hair.

"Your mother and I have prepared enough wedding gifts for you. Keep your chin up at Ryan's house. If you ever feel even a little bit mistreated, you come straight back home."

Just a week ago, Dad had sat me down and told me, "Once you get married, you belong to Justin's family. If you face any hardships, you just have to endure it. Don't come crying back to us."

I stood by the living room wall, watching the exquisite floral patterns carved on the brass latches of the chests. My fists clenched and unclenched.

I swallowed the words, Aren't I your daughter too?

What was the point of asking? I had asked that question a thousand times growing up.

Every single time, the response was a sigh and: "Why do you always have to compete with your sister?"

Followed by the same old excuses.

"Lily has been weak since she was a baby."

"You're the older twin, Chloe. You need to let her have it."

Lily and I were twins. When we were born, I was only three ounces heavier than her.

Since then, my parents decided I was the one who had to yield.

When we were kids and the family could only afford one spot at summer camp, Mom said, "Let Lily go."

In college, I worked three part-time jobs for three months to buy myself a professional DSLR camera. Lily liked it, and Mom said, "Just give it to her."

When I finally set my wedding date, I silently thought to myself: Finally, I get to be the main character for once.

After all, a bride is the star of her own wedding. Surely, Lily couldn't take this away from me.

But when Lily found out, she threw a tantrum and insisted on having a double wedding on the exact same day.

And just like that, my hope chests were gone.

Across the room, Lily was clinging to Mom's arm, babying her voice.

"Mom, can you make spicy Mexican tacos and chili tonight?"

Mom smiled, tapping Lily's nose.

"You greedy little thing. Always thinking about food."

Lily had been picking the dinner menu for the past two weeks, claiming she wouldn't get to eat Mom's cooking once she moved out.

She loved spicy food, so every dish for the past half-month was loaded with chili peppers.

But I had severe acid reflux and gastritis. I couldn't eat spicy food at all.

On the first day Lily started choosing the menu, I had quietly asked Mom:

"Mom, my stomach has been acting up. Can we make at least one dish that isn't spicy? Anything is fine."

Mom had thrown her fork onto the table with a loud clatter.

"I guess this is my life now. I slave away in this kitchen, and all I get is complaints!"

With that single sentence, I became the villain of the house. The glares Dad and Ethan shot me were more painful than any physical slap.

After that, I just ate whatever bread I could find, and stopped talking.

Suddenly, Ethan glanced at me, his brows furrowed.

"Chloe, what are you just standing there for? Go to the grocery store and get the ingredients Mom needs!"

In this house, it seemed they only remembered my existence when there was groceries to buy, floors to mop, or trash to take out.

I opened my mouth, wanting to say no. But in the end, I just whispered:

"I'm going."

That night, Mom made tacos, spicy wings, and a jalape?o salad.

The family was chatting and laughing over dinner. Lily suddenly looked at me.

"Chloe, why are you only eating the plain lettuce? Why aren't you touching the meat?"

Mom scooped a huge portion of spicy beef into Lily's plate, then gave me a cold glare.

"Leave her alone. She always acts like we owe her a million dollars."

Ethan also looked at me with disgust.

"If you have a problem, just say it. Stop walking around with that dead-inside face."

But I had said it. No one listened.

After dinner, I washed the dishes as usual. The grease on the plates was thick and red with chili oil.

Laughter drifted from the living room. They were looking through old family photo albums.

Dad suddenly suggested, "Since Lily is getting married soon, let's go to the studio tomorrow and get a new family portrait taken."

I happened to walk out of the kitchen just as he said this. My steps halted.

"Dad, tomorrow I have my final wedding dress fitting."

Dad didn't even look up from the album.

"Then go to your fitting."

He said it so naturally, but it felt like a heavy blow to my chest.

He genuinely believed that a "family portrait" was perfectly complete without me.

I turned around, went into my bedroom, and locked the door.

My phone buzzed. It was a Snapchat message from Justin.

"The venue confirmed we can move our ceremony one day earlier. Did your parents agree to the change?"

I typed back: "Yes. Go ahead and sign the relocation paperwork with your company's Swiss branch. I'm going with you."

The next day, I came back from my dress fitting to find the living room packed and lively.

Lily's fianc, Ryan, was there.

The coffee table was filled with expensive fruits, and Dad had brought out the fine porcelain tea set he usually kept locked away.

They always treated Ryan like royalty. Not because they feared him, but because they wanted him to treat Lily well.

As for Justin, my parents only knew his name. They had seen one picture of him, but had never bothered to meet him in person.

Every time I suggested our families have dinner, Mom would dismiss it:

"You're getting married anyway. We'll meet him sooner or later. As long as you like him, it's fine."

It wasn't because they were busy. They just didn't care. And because they didn't care about me, they couldn't care less about the man I was marrying.

Even Ryan only spared me a brief glance when I walked in, not even bothering to say hello.

Even he knew that I was the one in this house who could be treated like dirt.

Lily's eyes lit up when she saw me.

"Chloe! You're back. Perfect, Mom and Dad have something to tell us."

I paused while taking off my shoes, instinctively looking over.

Dad cleared his throat.

"Since you're back, and Ryan is here too, let's settle the wedding gifts today."

He pulled out a house deed and pushed it toward Lily.

"Lily, this is the townhouse your mother and I bought for you."

Ethan also tossed a set of car keys onto the table.

"And this is the Jeep I got you."

Lily gasped, her eyes wide. She grabbed the keys and the deed, throwing herself into Ryan's arms with a squeal.

"See? This is the backing my family gives me!"

"You better treat me like a queen, Ryan!"

Ryan laughed, wrapping his arms around her.

"Of course, babe. You'll always be our little princess."

I walked over to the table. Mom finally looked at me.

"Chloe, as the older sister, what are you planning to give Lily as a wedding gift?"

My hand holding the water glass trembled slightly.

"Mom, before that, I want to ask... what is my wedding gift?"

The living room fell dead silent. Mom's eyes darted away, and she remained quiet.

Dad spoke up.

"Chloe, our family's finances are limited. We don't have anything left to give you."

"Besides, Lily can barely hold down a job to feed herself. Your job is much better than hers, and you've always been the sensible one. Don't compare yourself to her."

So, because I was capable of taking care of myself, I deserved nothing.

Seeing my silence, Ethan lost his patience.

"Come on, Chloe, don't make a scene in front of Ryan. You've been working for two years. You can easily pull out five thousand dollars for Lily, right?"

They had given Lily everything they owned, but it still wasn't enough. They wanted me to bleed for her too.

I let out a cold laugh.

"Lily has been working for two years too. What is she giving me for my wedding?"

At my words, Lily's face flushed, and her eyes welled with tears.

"I know I'm not as smart or successful as you, Chloe... Fine, you don't have to give me anything..."

Mom immediately snapped at me.

"Are you seriously demanding a wedding gift from your younger sister? Have you no shame?!"

"How about this, you don't have to give much. Just give her five thousand dollars!"

I stared at her hand thrust in my face, and lowered my gaze.

"What if I say no?"

Perhaps because this was the first time I had ever said no, Mom was stunned. Then, her face darkened instantly.

"Then don't expect us to attend your wedding! Let's see who will be embarrassed when you have no family standing by you!"

It was the middle of summer, but I felt cold to my bones.

I suddenly remembered a screenshot Justin had snapchatted me last night.

It was a text from his mother, asking him:

"Does Chloe like ribeye steak? I learned a new recipe. I keep messaging her, do you think she finds me annoying?"

I had saved that screenshot and looked at it for a long time. Not because I was desperate for someone to treat me well, but because I wanted proof that I, too, was worthy of love.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Mom waved her hand in front of my face again. "Did you hear me?"

"Fine," I said quietly. "I'll give it to her."

Five thousand dollars to completely cut ties with them. It was a bargain.

A week before the wedding, Mom suddenly said she wanted to meet Justin.

Despite myself, a tiny, pathetic shred of hope flickered in my heart.

I booked a nice restaurant for lunch the next day and told Justin to dress up.

I arrived early at eleven-thirty, ordered a table full of food, and began to wait.

Twelve o'clock. One o'clock. Two o'clock. Three o'clock.

The restaurant's customers changed over and over. The bright lunch light faded, and the warm evening lamps flickered on.

But no one showed up.

My phone screen lit up. It was a message from Mom.

"Chloe, something urgent came up today. Let's do it another time."

At the same time, a notification popped up in our family Snapchat group. It was a photo sent by Lily.

"Look! Mom took me to get my wedding nails done. Aren't they gorgeous?"

In the picture, her fingers were covered in delicate diamonds, glittering under the salon lights so brightly that my eyes stung.

Ethan immediately replied: "Beautiful! Perfect for our Lily."

Dad added: "Gorgeous. It was worth the hard work, sweetheart."

My hands shook as I set the phone down.

So, the "urgent matter" Mom had was accompanying Lily to a nail salon.

Oh, Chloe. What were you still hoping for?

The more you hope, the more you look like a clown.

I locked away all my emotions, looked at Justin, who was staring at me with deep concern, and forced a smile.

"I'm fine. Let's ask the waiter to pack the food."

Justin's eyes were filled with pain for me.

"The day after the wedding, we fly straight to Switzerland. We are never coming back."

I nodded, smiling.

"Yeah. Never coming back."

When I got home, the living room was a disaster.

The whole family was busy packing. Dad was trying to shove things into Lily's hope chests, pressing down with all his might, but they were overflowing.

Even with both chests packed to the brim, there were still several handmade quilts and flannel sheets left on the floor.

"Lily, we'll have to pack these in separate bags later," Dad said.

Lily turned and saw me. An accusing look instantly flashed in her eyes.

"Why are you just getting back? Your wedding is in a few days, and you haven't prepared anything!"

My throat felt tight.

"I waited for you guys at the restaurant until four o'clock today."

Mom's face immediately fell.

"I told you I had an urgent matter! I've been running around like crazy for your weddings, and I don't even get a thank you! All I get is your attitude!"

"Getting nails done is an urgent matter?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, Ethan slammed a box down and stood up, raising his voice.

"Chloe! Mom spent the whole afternoon running around buying wedding supplies for both of you! She didn't rest for a single second! She already packed your gifts and put them in your room!"

"Do you have to be so petty over a single lunch? What, is your boyfriend dying? Can't he wait until after the wedding?"

I stared at him, unable to believe that my own brother could say something so vicious about the man I was going to marry.

The living room fell dead silent, save for the sound of Mom starting to sob.

This scene was so familiar. Once again, I was the villain.

In the past, I would have immediately apologized, begging for their forgiveness.

But now, I just felt tired. Deeply, utterly exhausted.

Without saying another word, I turned and walked into my room.

On the edge of my bed lay two cheap, plain bedsheets. I looked around the rest of the room. There was nothing else.

This was the "wedding gift" Mom had exhausted herself preparing for me.

In the empty room, those two cheap sheets sat like a silent, mocking joke.

Three days before the wedding, the house was a whirlwind of activity.

Dad was busy calling every relative and friend, proudly boasting that his precious Lily was getting married.

Mom was checking Lily's wedding gifts over and over again, terrified that her little princess might be missing something.

Ethan was at Lily's beck and call, picking up her friends from the airport, running errands, never complaining once.

The house was buzzing with excitement, but not a single person asked me how my preparations were going, or if I needed anything.

My gaze fell on the entryway table. There was an elegant wedding invitation resting there. It was mine.

For an entire week, it had sat there. No one had opened it. No one had noticed that my wedding date had been moved to a day earlier than Lily's.

They didn't care about my wedding schedule. They didn't care if I would be happy.

To them, I was just a tag-along bride, a background prop to make Lily look more glorious.

I calmly put on my shoes and walked out the door.

There were only three days left. Although Justin had told me he didn't care about traditions and only wanted me, I still wanted to buy him a nice watch as a wedding gift.

But when I handed over my card at the jewelry store, the cashier handed it back with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. This card has been declined due to insufficient funds."

I froze. A sudden wave of suffocation washed over me.

I took the card and drove straight back home.

Pushing the door open, I snatched the wedding favors Mom was packing and threw them aside.

"Mom, did you spend the ten thousand dollars in my bank account?"

Several pairs of eyes immediately shot toward me.

Mom casually picked up the favors and continued packing, her tone incredibly defensive.

"Yes, I did. I needed to buy Lily a set of designer diamond jewelry so she wouldn't look cheap in front of Ryan's family. We were short on cash, so I used yours first."

Seeing her complete lack of remorse, my throat burned with anger.

"But that was my entire savings from working two years!"

"We are family, why are you drawing lines between your money and ours?" Mom frowned. "Besides, didn't you agree to give your sister five thousand dollars anyway?"

I finally snapped, my voice cracking.

"Are you trying to ruin me?"

"Am I supposed to show up at my own wedding with absolutely nothing?"

"She already has a house and a car! How much more security does she need?!"

Tears finally spilled over.

"Mom, you can't do this. This isn't fair!"

Mom froze, but Ethan immediately rushed over and shoved me back.

"Chloe, what is wrong with you?!"

"It's just ten thousand dollars! Is it worth throwing a tantrum over? Lily only gets married once in her life. Of course everything has to be perfect for her!"

Mom recovered her composure and chimed in, "You have a good job and make good money. You don't need this little bit of cash. Go back to your room and stop making a scene."

I didn't say a word. I marched straight toward Lily's jewelry box on the table, reaching out to grab the diamond set.

But before my fingers could touch it, a hand clamped tightly around my wrist.

It was Dad.

"What do you think you're doing?" he growled.

I fought wildly to pull my wrist free, twenty-three years of suppressed pain and resentment exploding all at once.

"I'm taking it back to return it! That is my money!"

Lily's whimpering voice echoed from the side.

"Chloe, please don't be mad. You can have them. I don't want them anymore..."

Seeing Lily cry, Ethan lunged forward and pinned my arms down.

"Chloe, have you lost your mind?! Do you have to ruin this family's peace?!"

"I just want what belongs to me!" I screamed at him.

The next second, a sharp SLAP echoed through the room.

My head snapped to the side.

My left cheek instantly burned with excruciating pain, and tears poured down my face.

Mom was standing in front of me, panting heavily, her eyes filled with disgust and disappointment.

"I raised you for twenty-three years just for you to act like a savage to your family?! Throwing a fit over such a small thing... How did you become so selfish?!"

I held my burning cheek, looking at the accusatory glares from the people who shared my blood.

For Lily, they could cut down my maple tree and drain my bank account, and it was completely justified.

But when I wanted my own money back, I was "selfish."

Dad stepped forward, his face dark.

"That's enough."

"The money is spent, and that's the end of it. No one is to bring this up again."

With one sentence, he closed the case.

I slowly lowered my hand. I didn't try to reach for the jewelry box again.

Not because I didn't want to, but because I knew I would never win against them.

Without looking at any of them, I turned around and walked out of the house, taking nothing with me.

I checked into the hotel I had booked for my wedding.

For the next two days, I didn't go back.

No one called. No one texted to ask where I was. No one cared about my upcoming wedding.

They were too busy revolving around Lily, as if I had never existed in their lives.

On the morning of my wedding, the weather was beautiful.

The wedding car arrived on time. Justin, looking breathtakingly handsome in his tailored suit, walked toward me with steady, sure steps.

"Chloe, I'm here to take you home."

As I fell into his arms, I knew that from this day forward, my old family no longer existed to me.