Chapter 3

With Uncle Mark’s assurance, I didn’t think much more about the matter.

For the next few days, I saw Cindy around the house. She was either giving me cold looks or making passive-aggressive comments while watching TV.

“Some people really have no shame, living in someone else’s house like it’s their own. You can’t even kick them out,” she would say, clearly directed at me.

"Certain people think they’re some kind of pampered princess, like everyone adores them. But honestly, people can’t stand her."

I kept quiet, hoping Uncle Mark and Aunt Linda would handle it.

I had just started my new job and was swamped with work. I often stayed late at the office, only returning home long after everyone had gone to bed.

One night, I came home earlier than usual, but it was already dark. The house was silent as everyone had gone to sleep. I quietly made my way upstairs, wanting nothing more than to collapse on my bed.

But the moment I lay down, I heard a sharp scream: "Ouch!"

I jumped up, and the room lights came on.

There, lying in my bed, was Cindy, dressed in her nightgown, staring at me in shock.

Uncle Mark and Aunt Linda rushed in.

“What happened?” Uncle Mark asked.

I tried to stay calm. “Cindy, why are you in my bed?”

Cindy’s face turned cold. “This is my house. I can sleep wherever I want.”

I frowned, confused and irritated.

Aunt Linda pulled me out of the room, trying to smooth things over. “Sierra, I forgot to tell you. Cindy moved into your room.”

“When?”

“This afternoon. She said she wanted to enjoy the sunlight through the large window.”

My room, which my mother had designed especially for me, had a huge floor-to-ceiling window. When the sun rose, the room would be filled with light. In the winter, it was the warmest and coziest spot in the house.

I was upset. They had moved her into my room without even asking me.

Aunt Linda noticed my displeasure and softened her tone even further.

“Sierra, I’m sorry. We didn’t ask for your permission, but Cindy’s pregnant, and her morning sickness is really bad. She said the sunlight makes her feel better.”

I had friends who were pregnant. I knew pregnancy could make women act strangely because of hormonal changes.

Uncle Mark came out looking frustrated. “What is going on here? Everyone gets pregnant, but no one behaves like this. She can’t just take over your room! Cindy needs to move out of there.”

I quickly intervened. “It’s fine, Uncle Mark.”

Uncle Mark had always been protective of me, no matter what happened. I didn’t want to cause tension between him and Aunt Linda, so I said:

“Really, it’s okay. I’ll just sleep in another room. Cindy’s pregnant, and she needs the space more.”

Uncle Mark hesitated, looking conflicted. “But this is unfair to you.”

I smiled. “We’re family. It’s not a big deal. Besides, where did you move my things?”

Aunt Linda replied, “We put everything in the room on the far west side.”

The west room was the smallest in the house. It didn’t get much sunlight and had just one small window. It was originally meant for the housekeeper.

Moving from the best room to the worst one didn’t sit well with me, but seeing Uncle Mark’s troubled expression made me let it go.

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