"You… planned this all along?"
Claire's voice trembled as she stared at her sister. Her eyes were bloodshot, her breathing uneven. Pain crawled across her chest, but nothing hurt as much as the betrayal standing right in front of her.
Alina only smiled. That same smug, cold smile Claire had never seen before tonight.
"Of course I planned it," Alina said casually, leaning on the wall like they were discussing the weather. "Honestly? I'm surprised it took your smart self until now to notice."
Claire let out a hollow, broken laugh.
A laugh that didn't sound like her anymore.
"Why…?" she whispered. "Why would you do this?"
Alina sighed as if the question bored her.
"Why wouldn't I?" Alina snapped, taking a step closer. "How would you feel if you were always overshadowed? No matter what I did, they only saw you. Everyone's golden sweetheart, Claire!" She spat the name like it disgusted her. "Tell me why I shouldn't do this. I work just as hard as you! But who gets everything? You. The praises. The love. Even a fiancé. And now the top position in the company too? You really planned to have it all, didn't you?"
Claire's throat tightened. The tears she'd been holding back finally stung her eyes. Not because of the poison burning through her veins. Not because she was afraid of dying.
But because this was Alina.
Her sister.
The one person she believed would never throw her away.
"So you slowly poisoned me…. just because of this?" Claire whispered, stumbling as another wave of pain clawed through her chest. "You want me dead over something so trivial? After everything I've done for you? Alina, not once— not once did I ever choose myself over you. And you… you still complain?"
Alina only laughed. A low, ugly laugh.
"That's the problem, Claire. I don't want your pity. I don't want your charity. I don't want to be the sister you 'take care of' out of guilt."
Claire's vision blurred.
All these years, she'd believed that even if the world was unfair… at least she had someone who loved her.
She worked so hard, sacrificed so much, just so her sister would never feel the pain she once felt growing up.
How stupid.
"You won't… get away with this," Claire managed to choke out, clutching the table for support.
Alina smiled slowly before replying codly
"I'd like to see you survive first, sis."
She turned and walked out, leaving Claire collapsing to her knees.
Claire forced herself up. Her legs felt like they didn't belong to her anymore. Each breath scraped her throat. Her fingers shook violently as she grabbed her car keys.
I can't die. I won't die. I worked too hard. I built everything with my own hands. I'm not losing it to her. Not like this.
She staggered out of the house, every step sending sharp pain through her ribs. Somehow, she managed to get into her car and drive.
Her vision doubled. Her hands were numb on the steering wheel. Her heart felt like it was beating underwater.
But she calmed herself down. She was already close to the hospital.
As she struggled to drive foward,
Headlights flared behind her.
Bright. Blinding and Fast.
A car sped up, tailing her too closely.
Claire blinked hard. "What the fuck… …"
The vehicle swerved dangerously, trying to hit her from the side. She jerked her wheel, barely managing to avoid it. Her heart pounded in her ears. Her breath turned shallow.
Another hit.
Another shove.
They wanted her off the road.
"No, no—" Claire gasped, her hands trembled on the wheel as she swerved, trying not to lose control.
But she was already weak, dizzy and barely conscious. She tried her best to keep control but she couldn't.
Her car spun.
And before she knew it Finally, the vehicle crashed hard into a wall.
Claire was thrown out through the broken door, rolling onto the cold ground.
The world was fading as she heard footsteps slowly click towards her.
She didn't need to look to know who it was.
Alina crouched beside her, her shadow swallowing the dim alley light.
"You really thought I'd let you live?" she whispered sweetly. "Well i wish you'd be able to watch how your place as our parents' favorite… and every position you worked so hard for… becomes mine."
She brushed Claire's cheek with a mocking gentleness.
"But too bad. You won't."
Claire's eyes burned with tears and fury as she fought the darkness swallowing her.
"Alina…" she whispered, voice barely there. "I promise you… I'll make you pay…"
Her vision dimmed completely.
And everything went black.