They all swarm around the envelope like a hive of bees, greed twisting their smiles. I don’t bother to join them; I know my parents won’t disappoint me.

My siblings each take their turn reading the letter. With six of us, the money my dead parents left behind could go many ways. Nevertheless, my siblings are smart enough to know where the lot of the sum will go.

I tap my finger impatiently. “Having fun with your pity gifts?” I leer at my siblings. “Don’t be disappointed at your small sums; it’s greater than any of you deserve, after all.”

My smug smile twitches at their ignorance of my taunt. Despite my barb, they truly do seem to be ecstatic. An uneasy wave of confusion rushes over me.

My patience running thin, I let a sliver of my pride go and storm towards the letter. Snatching it from my younger sister, Julia, I read the fateful note of my parent’s will.

“Hey—I was reading that, Bella!” She complains, but she doesn’t seem as bothered as she usually would be.

I read through the will quickly, starved for the salvation I deserve. My eyes widen in alarm as I take in the final sentence of the will:

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧: 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯, 𝘑𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳, 𝘐𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦, 𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘈𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯.

I read over the names. I read it again. I read until my hands have carved dents into the edges of the paper. Before I can tear it to shreds, Julia snatches it back, smoothing the crinkles out.

“No.” I stare at my siblings in disbelief. It wasn’t supposed to work out this way. My parents had always favored me among the others, giving me gifts galore and opportunities one could only dream of. My sniveling siblings were left to take whatever leftovers they could manage, just as they deserved.

“It wasn’t supposed to work out this way,” I repeat, except now aloud.

“Oh, I believe it was.” I yearn to wipe that smug grin off of Austin’s nauseating face. He was always the most jealous of all of them. Being the oldest, he felt it was unfair that I was the one who received special treatment.

“You reap what you sow, dear sister.” He smirks at me, contempt dripping from his tone. “You’ve always been so naive when it comes to what you believe you ‘deserve.’”

I ball up my fist, fighting the urge to smack the condescending glare off of his face. “Liar!” I scream. “You must be lying!”

My siblings—or more so traitors—exchange satisfied glances. My resolve falters. “You didn’t know, did you?”

“So what if we knew?” I turn, Jennifer is speaking now. She places her hands on her hips as if she’s entitled to the entire world. Though she may be the second oldest child, she’s the oldest—and first—daughter. Like Austin, she could never match my superiority, causing her to utterly despise me.

“How could you have known?” I counter. “You were always the jealous one, begging at my parent’s feet for the smallest sliver of attention!”

Jennifer scowls at me. “We have our ways, and you’re the only jealous one now, sister. With that slimy attitude, no wonder you weren’t included in the will.”

Before I can retort, Austin adds: “You’re also currently trespassing.”

“What?” My voice cracks, shock seeping through.

“This isn’t your house anymore, and you’re well over eighteen. You have no reason to stay.”

For a moment, I’m frozen; my feet are glued to the hard, glassy floor.

“You can’t do that,” I murmur.

“Why not?” He simply replies.

I glance over to my siblings who’ve stayed quiet: Irene and Liam. Being the youngest of the family, they were never much of a nuisance. At least, I had never thought they were. Now, all I see before me are cowards.

Millions of questions brew in my mind, but I set them aside. “I’m your sister. No matter how much you hate me, you have to let me stay.”

“If you wanted to be treated like my family, you should’ve acted like it,” Austin snarls before calling on a set of guards to escort me away. My parent’s wealth had always guaranteed safety with abundant security and guards, never had I thought this reassuring fact would turn against me.

I thrash against the guards as best I can. “Wait!” I scream. “My things—my money! At least let me pack!”

Jennifer laughs and my other siblings join her. “Sorry, sister. That’s ours now,” she calls after me as I’m taken away. “It’s 𝘢𝘭𝘭 ours.”

My curses and screams die out as I’m dragged into oblivion.

. . .

It’s been about a week since the fateful day.

As I scavenge for whatever food and money I can find, I question everything. Every moment, every smile, every gift. Wondering what was real and what was fake about my life consumes my every being. I was always assured I deserved the world, yet now I question whether the world deserves me.

Although, if the world and everyone in it refuses to accept me—I suppose I’ll have to create my own world.

I smile at the thought of it, a maniacal laugh creeping up my throat. They’ve left me no choice.

My life may have failed me, but revenge won’t.

I’ll make sure of it.