The Chen mansion was quieter these days.
Sara often returned from school to find her father locked away in the study, stacks of documents covering his desk. The light under his door burned late into the night, long after she had gone to bed.
One evening, she knocked softly before peeking in.
"Papa?"
Her father didn't look up from his papers. "Sara, what is it? I'm busy."
She stepped inside, clutching her schoolbag. "I just… wanted to spend some time with you. We haven't eaten dinner together in days."
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. There's too much work. The company is facing some difficulties. I can't afford distractions right now."
The word stung — distractions. Was that what she was to him now?
Before she could respond, Mrs. Chen glided into the room carrying a tray of tea. "Darling, you shouldn't overwork yourself," she said sweetly, setting the cup beside him. "I told you to leave these matters to me. I've already spoken to Mr. Li about potential solutions."
Sara stiffened. Mr. Li. That meant Daniel's family.
Her father gave her stepmother a tired but grateful smile. "Yes… you're right. I don't know what I'd do without you."
The words cut deep. Sara's presence seemed invisible in the room, swallowed by her stepmother's shadow.
That night at dinner, Sara sat across from Mrs. Chen, who carved her steak with elegant precision.
"You must understand, Sara," her stepmother began, her tone gentle but firm. "Your father is under a lot of stress. It's not the time to bother him with childish worries. Be a good daughter and give him peace of mind."
Sara lowered her fork, her appetite gone. "I only wanted to help."
Mrs. Chen's smile widened. "And you will. By focusing on your studies, on your friends. Leave the house matters to me."
The conversation ended there, but the message was clear: she was being pushed further to the sidelines.
At school the next day, the whispers continued. Emily and Hannah still clung to her, laughing and smiling as if nothing had changed, but Sara couldn't forget what she had overheard. Their voices echoed in her head, every giggle laced with hidden cruelty.
During lunch, she excused herself and wandered toward the library, where she found Daniel Li sitting alone at a table, reading.
He glanced up when she entered, his expression calm but curious. "Miss Chen."
Sara hesitated, then sat across from him. "Do you always spend lunch here?"
"Sometimes," he replied simply. "It's quieter."
The silence stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. For once, Sara didn't feel like she had to pretend.
Still, as she left the library, she couldn't shake the feeling that her world was closing in. At home, her father was slipping away, blinded by her stepmother's influence. At school, her friends' loyalty seemed thinner each day.
And for the first time, Sara wondered if she was truly alone.