I Ate Ramen For Years To Pay My Sister’s Rent While She Secretly Owned A Bmw. I Exposed Her At Her Own Birthday Party And Now She’s Homeless. Am I The Jerk For Finally Choosing My Peace?
The Betrayal at the Birthday Party
When I walked into my sister’s birthday party early to help set up, I heard her tell her friends:
“I’m so sick of my pathetic sister thinking we’re close.”
“What did you just say?”
I stood in the doorway holding the custom cake I’d spent three days making, while my sister Victoria and her six best friends turned around, shocked. I’d used my key to come in early because she’d asked me to help decorate for her 25th birthday party, but apparently, she’d started the party without telling me.
“Oh my god, you’re here already.”
Victoria’s face went from laughing to panicked, but her friend Khloe was still giggling.
“Tell her what you just said about the Christmas thing.”
Victoria shook her head fast, but Khloe kept going.
“She was just telling us how you bought her that expensive necklace thinking it meant something.”
The Tiffany necklace I’d saved for six months to buy.
“And how you cried when she gave you a gift card.”
They all started laughing again. I set the cake down on the counter, careful not to damage the fondant roses I’d sculpted by hand.
“You asked me to come early to help.”
Victoria rolled her eyes and poured more wine.
“I asked you to drop off the cake. Don’t hang around trying to insert yourself.”
Her friend Becca nodded.
“She’s always complaining about how you try to act like your best friends.”
Always complaining? My sister, who called me every night to vent about her job, was complaining about me?
“But you call me every day.”
Victoria laughed harshly.
“Because you’re free therapy. Real therapists cost money.”
She turned to her friends.
“She actually thinks I value her advice about my love life.”
Everyone laughed, and Chloe added more.
“Remember when she offered to do your makeup for Brad’s wedding?”
Victoria groaned.
“She watched two YouTube videos and thought she was qualified.”
“You said my work was beautiful.”
Victoria sipped her wine.
“What was I supposed to say? You looked so proud of your little hobby.”
Her friend Janet jumped in.
“Is this the sister who made that weird scrapbook for your graduation?”
Victoria nodded and pulled something from under the coffee table. It was the scrapbook I’d spent three months creating with photos from our entire childhood.
“Look at this pathetic thing.”
She opened it to a page where I’d written about how proud I was of her.
“Listen to this caption: ‘My amazing sister inspires me everyday.'”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“I felt bad for you. You don’t have any real friends, so I pretend we’re close.”
She gestured to her friends.
“These are my real sisters. You’re just someone I happen to share DNA with.”
The Engagement Reveal
Janet poured more wine for everyone but didn’t offer me any.
“Tell her about the wedding thing.”
Victoria lit up with cruel excitement.
“So, I’m getting engaged soon.”
This was news to me.
“Brad’s proposing next month. I already know because I helped pick the ring.”
She looked at me with this mean smile.
“And you’re not going to be my maid of honor.”
Her friends all smiled, knowing this would hurt me.
“Chloe’s my maid of honor. Becca, Janet, and my college roommate are bridesmaids.”
She paused for effect.
“You’re not even invited to the bachelorette party.”
I’d been planning her future bachelorette party in my head for years.
“But I’m your sister.”
Victoria stood up and walked over to me.
“Exactly. You’re my sister, not my friend. There’s a difference.”
She picked up the cake I’d made and examined it.
“Like this cake. It’s trying too hard. Professional bakers exist for a reason.”
She ran her finger through the frosting, ruining the design.
“But you always insist on making everything about you.”
Becca chimed in.
“Remember when she threw you that surprise party you specifically said you didn’t want?”
I had thrown her a surprise party after she mentioned feeling forgotten on her birthday.
“You said you loved it. You cried happy tears.”
Victoria laughed.
“I cried because I was embarrassed. You invited all those random people from my high school I haven’t talked to in years.”
She looked at her friends.
“She actually thought I’d want to see them.”
