Deleted but Not Dead

Joel kicked the door open and pointed at me in accusation.

"Jocelyn, this is your real goal, isn't it? You deliberately lowered our guard just to pull this stunt and ruin Vivian's career?"

Before I could respond, my mother slapped me hard across the face.

"I never thought your heart could be this vicious. Vivian is your sister! Go to the hospital right now and apologize to her!"

Only on the way did I finally understand what had happened.

Vivian had recently branded herself online as a high-value jewelry designer. That afternoon, she had posted my design draft, and it quickly earned praise from her fans.

But some sharp-eyed netizens noticed it was the same piece I had once partially sketched and shared on X.

Accusations of plagiarism erupted. The controversy snowballed, and people flooded her account with insults and criticism.

Joel and my parents couldn't tolerate even the slightest grievance toward Vivian. That very night, they rushed over to confront me.

With my cheek still swollen from the slap, I was dragged straight to the hospital.

Tears streaming down her face, Vivian looked at me and said, "Jocelyn, we're family. Why would you do this to me?"

My father kicked the back of my knee, forcing me down onto the ground.

"Kneel and apologize!"

I remained on my knees, lifting my eyes to them. I felt no urge to defend myself at all.

Whatever they wanted—I would give it to them.

So I said exactly what they wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lent you my design draft, and I shouldn't have posted my process on X. I'll delete my account and clarify online that I was the one who plagiarized."

The room went silent for a brief moment. It seemed they hadn't expected me to obey so readily.

My mother was the first to recover.

"You've finally learned to be sensible," she said. "As long as you clarify online that you were the plagiarist, this matter will be settled."

My father nodded in approval.

"Jocelyn, you've finally learned to care for your sister. Seeing you two getting along like this… your mother and I can rest easy when we're gone."

Even my husband looked satisfied.

"You're my wife. Even if you can't continue as a designer in the future, I'll support you. You won't go hungry."

A faint, pale smile tugged at my lips.

It was precisely because of them that I had been pushed into a dead end.

Very soon, Vivian went live on her account, tearfully claiming she was the real victim of plagiarism.

"I never imagined the person who stole my work would be my own sister," she sobbed. "This design was something I drew at home. I never expected my sister to secretly take it and post it online, claiming it as her own."

Then she turned the camera toward me.

My parents and Joel all shot me warning looks, afraid I might say anything unfavorable.

I curved my lips slightly and spoke calmly.

"Yes. I plagiarized Vivian. The design draft I posted before belongs to her."

The moment I said it, all three of them visibly relaxed.

Almost instantly, the internet exploded with curses and abuse directed at me.

Seeing this, Vivian quickly wiped her tears and pleaded, "Please don't say that about her. No matter what, she is still my sister—my family."

She pulled me into her arms tightly, staging a perfect display of sisterly affection for the camera.

But leaning close to my ear, she whispered with a cold smirk, "Jocelyn, our parents, your lover, your career… everything is mine now. What exactly do you have left to compete with me?"