Chapter 1 - The First Cut of Betrayal
The air in the upstairs bedroom felt thick enough to choke on, smelling faintly of scorched iron and expensive perfume. Maya stared down at her hands, her fingers trembling as she clutched the lapels of her white button-down shirt. Across the mahogany dressing table, the ruined formal gown lay in absolute devastation. The sparkling beadwork, hand-sewn over four meticulous months for the upcoming regional gala, was sliced straight down the bodice. The delicate tulle hung in pathetic shreds.
Beside her, Mina stood with her long dark curly hair framing a face distorted by a chilling, triumphant smirk. The silver shears gleamed cruelly under the recessed lighting, catching the reflection of Mina’s grey patterned dress.
"Mina… What did you do?" Maya’s voice cracked, a fragile whisper breaking against the heavy silence of the room.
Mina didn’t flinch. She adjusted her grip on the shears, the metal clicking softly. "I saved you, Maya. You were never going to wear that ugly thing. You always steal the spotlight, and it’s exhausting watching you pretend to be the sweet, perfect older sister."
"It took me four months," Maya gasped, tears finally spilling over her lashes, hot and blinding. "Mom worked double shifts to help me pay for the fabric. How could you?"
"Because Dad always looks at you like you hung the stars," Mina hissed, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer. "Maybe now he’ll look at what you couldn't protect."
The bedroom door creaked open, and their mother rushed in, her beige wrap dress swirling around her ankles. She took one look at the shredded tulle, gasped, and clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes darting between her daughters in pure disbelief. Before anyone could draw a breath, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway, and their father filled the doorway, his tall frame blocking the exit. His dark maroon shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his jaw tightened into a rigid line of suppressed fury.
"Who did this?" he demanded, his voice a low, terrifying rumble that shook the windowpane.
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Mina’s smug smile vanished instantly, replaced by a calculated mask of innocent panic as she dropped the shears onto the floor. But she didn't look at their father; she looked directly past him, out toward the open window, as if expecting someone else to climb inside.
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