Chapter 1642
Skylerâs phone buzzed with a new message from the councelor in their group chat.
[Skyler, this is the one who will be joining you in the speech. Heâs a senior.]
[Work on your own speech, and heâll handle his. Tomorrow at 2 PM, meet in the B Wing auditorium to practice working together â the opening ceremony is a big deal, no room for mistakes.]
Skyler shot back a quick, âGot it,â and didnât give it another thought.
Then she scrolled to her sisterâs chat. [Hey Iris, howâs the new term treating you?]
Iris replied, [Skyler, I miss you like crazy. How much longer until I can come to the Capital to see you?]
[Just focus on your studies, and in a few years, you can come to the Capital for college. Then weâll be back together.] Skyler typed, trying to sound more upbeat than she felt.e2
Iris answered with a sad, [Skylerâ¦]
[Whatâs up, Iris?] Skyler asked, sensing her sisterâs distress.
After a pause, Iris confided, [Mom says weâre jinxes because we replaced our brother that she never had.]
Those cruel words were all too familiar to Skyler; sheâd heard them so often they practically echoed in her ears. At first, such comments made her cry and question why her mother wished she was a boy instead. But over time, Skyler grew numb to the hurt.
In this day and age, it was maddening that some families still preferred sons, especially families like theirs. Hearing these things herself was bad enough, but for her parents to say it to Iris too was outrageous.
Before leaving for the Capital, they had promised to treat Iris better.
Holding back her pain and anger, Skyler messaged Iris. [Ignore what they say. Remember what Iâve told you, we havenât taken anyoneâs place.]
Iris, not fully understanding but trusting her sister, simply replied, [Okay.]
After making sure Iris was settled for the night, Skyler sent a message to their mother, Barbara. [You promised me. Please, spare Iris from those hurtful words.]
Barbara replied swiftly, [Kalene told me you need to have Zavierâs child within six months.]
Skyler didnât respond. She and Zavier, her supposed fiancé, couldnât stand each other. She had already moved out of the Rivera household and hadnât seen Zavier in ages. There was no way sheâd be having his child in six months.
But Barbara persisted, [If you donât produce an heir for the Rivera family within half a year, they will have no choice but to âreturnâ you. And if that happens, your sister will have to take your place and do what you couldnât.]
The words were like daggers to Skylerâs eyes. She understood every word, but strung together, they formed a message so vile it was almost unreadable.
How could parents be so cruel?
Yet, she knew not all parents were like that. Above her bunk, Emma was on a video call with her parents, her voice lively and full of affection. âMom, Dad, donât worry. My roommates are great, and theyâre really kind to me.â
Through the speaker, Skyler heard Emmaâs parents. âHoney, we know youâre doing well, but we still miss you.â Her motherâs voice was warm with love. âAnd I miss you too, pumpkin. Weâve decided to visit you in the Capital at the end of the month,â her father added.
âMom, Dad, Iâm not a little kid anymore. Youâve got to let goâ¦â
Their words, so full of care, suddenly seemed hazy to Skyler. She wished just for a moment that she could have been born into a simple, loving family like Emmaâs. But life didnât deal with âwhat ifs.
Curling up in her bed, Skyler pulled the covers tight around her, wiping away tears she wouldnât allow anyone to see.
She reminded herself that she had no luxury to cry. For a child with no one to show affection toward her, even tears were a privilege denied.