What Isn’t Mine, I Don’t Want Chapter 01

What Isn’t Mine, I Don’t Want Chapter 01

At the birthday party, my brother got everyone playing a game. You name something you have or something you’ve done. Anyone who can’t match it folds a finger. Last one with a finger up wins.

Whoever won got to ask him for one thing.

Everyone there knew I’d been back with the Sinclairs for three years and still hadn’t been recognized as one of them.

So they all kept letting me win, saying this was my brother giving me a chance.

Only the fake heiress came after me, line by line.

“Adrian gives me half a million a month just to spend.”

“He’s outbid a whole room at auction to get me jewelry.”

“I get to spend Christmas at home, like I belong there.”

“I’m officially listed as their daughter.”

Four sentences, and I was down to one finger.

She smiled and played her kill shot.

“And this whole game? Adrian set it up just to make me happy.”

Something in my chest went hollow. I looked at my brother.

He was smiling at her, soft and indulgent, the same way he’d taken her side every time for three years.

I folded my last finger and gave it up.

And just like that, I didn’t want to come home so badly anymore.

The room went strange and quiet.

Every eye landed on me, waiting to see how I’d react.

I just smiled, picked up my glass, and drank it down in one go.

“I lose.”

Someone couldn’t take the awkwardness and tried to smooth it over.

“Honestly, didn’t Sienna break the rules? Who brings up their own family like that?”

Sienna arched a brow at the girl.

“What’s wrong with it? That’s how you play, isn’t it?”

Then she turned to my brother, all sweetness.

“Adrian, did I break the rules or not?”

He gave her a fond, exasperated smile.

“You win.”

“The game was just to make you happy anyway.”

“Tell me what you want.”

Sienna looked at me, eyes daring.

“Then come shopping with me tomorrow, Adrian. I want a pretty dress. You’ve got good taste.”

I set my glass down.

Lowered my head with the motion, ducking away from the smug look on her face.

I’d been backing down like this for three years, so it came easy.

So natural that even my brother didn’t notice anything was off with me.

He frowned, like it was a bind.

“Tomorrow we’re supposed to help Nora move.”

Something pulled tight in my chest.

In the three years since I’d come to New York, I’d lived way out past the edge of the city, far from the Sinclairs.

Last month, my brother asked what I wanted for my birthday.

I said I wanted to be recognized. I wanted to be listed as their daughter publicly too.

He gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“Pick something else. You know how touchy Sienna is about that.”

“I’ve been working on her. Once she agrees, you can come home.”

I dropped my lashes and took a step back.

“Then could I live closer to you? It’s so far out , it makes everything hard.”

He didn’t say yes right away, just said he’d think about it.

I knew what that meant. He went and asked Sienna again.

The little princess who’d taken my place since she was a kid, soaking up everyone’s love.

Even Mom coddled her, propped her up, terrified of upsetting her.

Sure enough, yesterday my brother told me Sienna had agreed to let me move.

He’d already found me a place. After my birthday, I could move in.

I was over the moon. I begged him to come with me.

He said yes.

The lights flickered light and dark across Sienna’s face.

She knit her brows.

“What’s the rush to move? Day after tomorrow won’t do? The day after that?”

Seeing her get sulky, my brother jumped in.

“Buying a dress isn’t urgent either. Any day but tomorrow works.”

“I want tomorrow. That dress is in demand!”

Sienna raised her voice, and the whole thing got more awkward.

With this many people watching, my brother’s face cooled a little.

After a beat, his lips parted, like he was about to say something.

I spoke first.

“You two should just go shopping tomorrow.”

“I don’t need to move. I’m fine where I am.”