The Game They Played, The Life I Lost Chapter 04

The Game They Played, The Life I Lost Chapter 04

As far back as I could remember, Mrs. Cooper had always been kind to me.

She seemed to genuinely like me as a future daughter-in-law. She’d even said she’d treat me like her own daughter someday.

Now she was on Serena’s side too.

Ethan hesitated.

“Isn’t that too unfair to Tara? We already promised her.”

“And—”

But Serena immediately came up with a noble excuse.

“You two are getting married. This is definitely the last time we’ll play the Invisible Game.”

“Ethan, you’re not going to refuse me this one small thing, are you?”

“Fine.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

Of course. Ethan had broken his promise again.

Before coming back, I’d planned to tell him the truth.

I was leaving. There was no need to discuss the wedding anymore.

We’d just end it here.

But in that moment, it hit me.

There was nothing left to say.

I’d play along one last time before I left.

Just as they wanted.

An insignificant person like me would disappear completely from now on.

The morning of the engagement party, I woke up early.

I tucked every document neatly into my bag and zipped it shut.

In the closet hung the little dress Ethan had personally dropped off the night before.

He’d said today was too important not to feel special.

Off-white, trimmed with delicate lace.

My sister’s favorite color. My sister’s favorite style.

Not mine.

I hung the dress neatly back in the closet, along with everything else he’d ever given me.

Three boxes of gummy bears in the flavors Serena loved.

I’d never opened them. They sat there until they expired.

An anniversary bracelet with Serena’s initials engraved inside.

I’d never worn it once.

One suitcase, holding twenty years of my life in that house.

It was light. That was all I had.

In the family group chat, Serena sent a location pin.

Serena: [Tara, head to the hotel and wait for us. We’ll be a little late.]

Serena: [There’s a surprise for you.]

I replied, “Okay.”

Mom and Dad replied underneath with a big cash transfer.

Mom: [Wishing our daughter a lifetime of love and happiness!]

That was the first time they’d said anything so kind to me since I was ten.

If I hadn’t overheard that conversation, I might’ve fooled myself into believing they still loved me.

But I knew the truth now. It was just a sweet little trap.

Then Ethan called. His voice was soft.

“Tara, you’re going to love the ring I picked out. See you soon.”

“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

Loving sister. Doting parents. Devoted fiancé.

Under the Invisible Game, they’d built me a ridiculous little dream.

And this time, I wasn’t playing along.

Right then, my coworker texted me.

Coworker: [The flight’s about to leave, Tara. Don’t be late.]

I started dragging my suitcase toward the door.

Passing the kitchen, I saw the fridge covered in Polaroid photos.

Serena’s smiles. Her pouting faces. Even the first time she’d peeled an apple—all documented.

In the corner was the most forgettable one. The only one of me.

I was hunched over, head down, face smeared with tears and snot.

No one had paid me any attention.

The white border was marked in black Sharpie: “1,000th Invisible Game—Achievement Unlocked!”

I reached up and pulled it off.

I slipped it into my coat pocket.

The last trace of me in this house, folded up and carried away.

As the plane lifted into the sky, I left the family group chat.

I deleted and blocked all four of them, one by one.

From now on, no matter where I went, no one would ever find me.