Chapter 22 Second Chance
ANNA'S POV
I mean, who wouldn’t be happy to finally meet their new sister? Growing up as the only girl surrounded by a boy, yeah, it had its perks sometimes, but there were plenty of downsides too. All the roughhousing, all the dirty shoes and messy video game marathons… and no one to braid your hair or sneak into your room to talk about crushes. I used to lie awake sometimes and imagine what it would be like to have a sister I could actually confide in, laugh with, and learn from.
Bella… well, she never filled that role. She was never really a sister to me more like some distant relative who just happened to share a house. Even though we lived under the same roof for so many years, we didn’t really do the things most sisters did. No late-night pillow talks, no swapping lip gloss or arguing over clothes. She didn’t borrow my sweaters or force me to try a new shade of nail polish. She was just… there, and that was it.
But now, Isabel… she felt like a second chance. A new beginning. Even though we were both older, and we’d already passed the age where sisters hang posters on walls or gush over first school dances, it didn’t hurt to think that maybe we could still do those things together. Shop for dresses, laugh over ugly heels, or even just sit and talk like we’d known each other forever.
I was still lost in my thoughts when Dan’s voice cut through the air.
“So, you’re just gonna act like you didn’t see me, huh?” he said as he walked up to her, arms already stretched out for a hug.
Isabel spun around, her face lighting up as she spotted him. “How could I possibly forget my one and only big bro? Come here,” she replied, wrapping her arms around him. They hugged tightly, the kind of hug that told a whole story — warmth, connection, familiarity.
She really did seem to have a good relationship with everyone in the family. That was reassuring. If she got along with Dan, Mom, and Dad, then surely there was space in her heart for me too… right?
“How long has it been since you last called me, huh? Four years?” Isabel said, giving his shoulder a playful slap.
Dan pursed his lips, looking guilty. “You know I’ve been busy. Why didn’t you bother calling me?”
“I was also very busy,” she shrugged, but the soft smile on her face said she wasn’t actually mad.
“Well, so no one’s at fault,” Dan declared, grinning. “We were both busy. Let’s leave it like that. I’ve missed looking for every way to annoy you.”
“I know you have. And I’ve missed looking for every single way to convince you to link me up with your friend Ryan,” she shot back.
Dan’s eyes immediately rolled as he took a step back. “There you go again. Even after five years, you’re still daydreaming over Ryan? You really are a lost cause.”
They both burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the walls and filling the house. It was such an intimate, familiar moment. I couldn’t help but feel a little envy but also hope. It could be like this for me too.
Mom stepped in with a big smile. “I’m so glad you’re finally done with your Master's, dear. Now, you can stay home more often, with us.” She placed a gentle hand on Isabel’s shoulder, her eyes softening with pride.
“I’m glad too, Mom,” Isabel replied. “Now that I’m done, I can finally take over the company, just like you all wanted.”
Wait. She was the one taking over the company? I’d always thought that would be Dan’s role. But then again… Dan never really showed much interest in running the company. His eyes lit up whenever he talked about competing, training, and being a professional athlete. It made more sense, now that I thought about it.
But Mom’s expression shifted. “Uhm, dear, we’re going to have to talk about that part.”
“What part?” Isabel asked, her smile fading as confusion filled her voice.
“There’s been a little change over the last few years,” Mom said carefully. “But I’ll explain everything to you. Let’s just settle in a little first.” She squeezed Isabel’s shoulder gently and steered her in my direction, her eyes glancing at me.
“In the meantime, I’d like you to meet someone,” she continued, and I instantly braced myself, plastering a big smile on my face.
“I’m sure you remember, five years ago, when I told you I’d finally found my biological daughter. She’s been a part of this family ever since,” Mom said with a hint of pride in her tone.
But something in Isabel changed. She’d been full of light moments ago — laughing with Dan, glowing under Mom’s praise. Yet now, as she turned to face me, that brightness seemed to vanish. Her eyes… they weren’t just blank. They held something else. Something sharp. Was it anger? Disgust? Maybe I was overthinking it… maybe she was just surprised. But it felt deeper.
“This is Anna, my biological daughter and your stepsister,” Mom continued. “Anna has been waiting to meet you since we left. Aren’t you glad there’s finally another girl in the house?”
I smiled wider, heart pounding. “Hey, Isabel. Mom’s told me a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet my sister.” I extended my hand warmly.
She stood there. Silent. Staring. Her eyes trailed from my shoes to my hair, slowly, deliberately, like she was inspecting every inch of me. Not in a friendly way. Not with curiosity. More like she was trying to uncover something… unspoken.
A tension started creeping up, latching onto my throat.
“Aren’t you going to say hello to your sister?” Mom said softly, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Isabel let out a small, almost mocking smirk. Then, without a single word without so much as touching my hand, she turned and walked away. Just like that.
I stood there, my hand still hanging midair, fingers curled in for a handshake that never came. My mouth slightly open. Shock. Embarrassment. It all wrapped around me like a cold blanket.
I felt stupid. Like I’d just played myself in front of everyone. Like I’d expected too much.
“It’s okay, honey,” Mom whispered, putting a gentle hand on my back. “She’ll eventually warm up to you. Maybe she’s just a little shy.”
Shy? That wasn’t shyness. I knew shyness. I lived with shyness. That was something else. Something sharp. Something intentional.
She looked at me like I’d done something to her. Like we had a past. Like I’d wronged her in ways I couldn’t even imagine. But we had only just met. Not five minutes ago.
I thought she’d be excited to meet me. That we’d maybe laugh like she did with Dan. I’d even imagined she’d hug me. Really hug me. Instead, this cold dismissal. This rejection.
Why?