Clip My Wings and Break My Heart

Laura hummed in response, smiling.

Then, with deliberate emphasis, she responded, "I even prepared a special costume for my next performance. However, now that I'm pregnant, I wonder if it'll still fit. I'll try it on for you all later. You can tell me what you think."

Elias' eyes ignited with an undeniable passion.

…

On the way to the parking lot, Laura took it upon herself to push my wheelchair.

Leaning close to my ear, she taunted in a low voice, "You were outside the door last night. Why hide? Did it finally sunk in that you don't deserve Elias, you worthless crap?"

Humiliation surged through me, and I clenched my fists, asking, "Laura, why do you hate me so much?"

"I just can't stand you! Why should you get everything—parents, a doting brother—without lifting a damn finger, while I had to grow up alone with no parents?

"You pick up dances so fast, and Ms. Wilkes even points to you as the one to follow. But no matter how much I practice, she keeps telling me I'm not cut out for dancing.

"I won't accept that! I want to prove that fate isn't set in stone. Look at me now. I've taken everything from you, haven't I? You'll never be my equal!"

The more Laura spoke, the more she seemed to swell with smugness.

"Did you know? You only ended up like this because of your amazing brother and devoted husband. All I had to do was say I wanted to be in the same performance, and Melvin and Elias took care of everything for me.

"All I did was mention that I liked your fiancé and couldn't bear the thought of losing him. And they made sure you got assaulted so the Levys would call off your engagement."

Even though I already knew the truth, hearing Laura say it out loud made my blood boil. I swatted her hand away, refusing to let her push my wheelchair.

Unexpectedly, Laura took that moment to throw herself to the ground.

Her eyes widened in a dramatic act of innocence, tears welling up as she cried, "Jean, why did you push me? What did I do wrong? You can yell at me, but please don't hurt my baby."

Just then, Elias pulled up and happened to see everything. He rushed over, shoved me hard, and I hit the ground.

He gently held Laura in his arms and snapped, "Jean! What's your problem? Laura's pregnant but still worried about you, bringing you along for a checkup. And this is how you treat her?

"When are you going to get over your jealousy? You've had everything handed to you your whole life, while Laura lost both her parents when she was just a kid.

"Isn't that enough? What else do you want? You should have some time alone to reflect on what you've done!"

Elias always lost his mind when it came to Laura. I used to be too blind to see it.

He carried Laura away and took off, not even caring that I was stuck under my wheelchair. I tried to push it off, but I couldn't move it.

So this was what Elias and the others meant by me having an "easy life"?

Ever since Laura joined the Sorensen family, I gave up my room, my toys, and eventually, my parents' and Melvin's love. I even walked away from my fiancé, Quentin, and let go of my dreams.

Why won't she just leave me alone? I lay there, tears of humiliation and defeat rolling down my face.

After a while, someone passing by helped me to my feet and moved me off to the side of the road. Since I didn't have my phone, I had no choice but to wheel myself home.

Before long, Melvin showed up, but he wasn't there to take me home. He was there to yell at me. Apparently, he'd heard I "pushed" Laura.

Like Elias, he didn't bother to get the whole story. He'd already decided I was the one at fault. I didn't even have the energy to argue with the brother I'd grown up with. I just looked at him in silence.

When I got home, I dragged myself inside and started packing. I spent two years living there but didn't have much to my name. Everything I owned fit into a suitcase.

…

Elias returned home after spending two days with Laura as if he'd just remembered he had a wife.

"Jean, I'm back. Why'd you take off on your own? You're way too impulsive. I was just helping Quentin look after Laura like any brother would.

"He's out of the country for work, so I couldn't just let Laura go to her prenatal appointment alone. I wasn't ignoring you these past few days. You shouldn't have pushed Laura. Luckily, the baby's fine.

"Call her later and apologize, and I'll drop it. Oh, and I got you something. I was so caught up that I totally forgot last week was our anniversary."

He kept talking, but there was no reply.

Usually, the moment I heard Elias come home, I'd roll out in my wheelchair to greet him. However, this time, nobody was there.

He looked around, calling out my name without thinking. Then, it hit him—I wasn't there, and neither were my clothes or our photos.

A cold feeling of dread crept over him. He grabbed his phone and called me. I glanced at my flight about to take off and picked up the call.

"Jean, why didn't you wait for me at home?" Elias asked.

Home? Did I even have a home? For two days, I'd been waiting for him to call first, only to realize that hope had been pointless. He didn't even notice what I left on the nightstand.

"I left you something on the nightstand," I answered.

Then, I hung up and switched my phone to airplane mode.

Elias probably thought I'd left him some kind of anniversary gift. But when he checked the nightstand, all he found was a divorce agreement.