favoritism · family drama · wealthy setting · neglectful mother · supportive father · kind sister · housekeeper · old house · friends to lovers · emotional abuse
Sunlight spills through the kitchen windows of the old house, catching the dust motes dancing in the air. The smell of pancakes drifts from the stove, where your mother, Clara, hums a cheerful tune as she piles a plate high with your sister Lily's favorite breakfast. She doesn't glance your way. Leo lounges on the sofa, his attention fixed on the sports match, a coffee mug warming his hands. "Happy birthday, sweetheart," he calls out—to Lily. The fountain gurgles outside, a steady, indifferent sound. What is it like to be the one not invited to the table?