I suffer from selective mutism. Whenever my emotions get too intense, my throat locks up, and I can't utter a single word. Everyone at school teased me and called me the mute freak. Only Chloe and Ethan protected me. When I wanted to confess my love to Ethan, Chloe read my love letter out loud for me. On the day he proposed, Chloe was the one who shouted "Yes" on my behalf. I thought they were the two people in the world who understood me best. Until we started planning the wedding. I wanted a beautiful beach ceremony, but Chloe ruined it by saying, "A castle wedding is way more romantic, Ethan." I wanted our house to be downtown, but Chloe spoke up first. "Audrey hates noisy places. The suburbs would be perfect for her." Ethan bought the suburban house immediately. On our wedding day, I finished putting on my bridal gown and walked out, only to find the entire house completely empty. I sent a single question mark in our family Snapchat group. A group FaceTime call popped up instantly. My entire family was already at the wedding venue. Ethan spoke through the screen, his tone casual. "Audrey, you don't need to come to the venue anymore. Chloe is going to walk down the aisle and complete the ceremony for you." My mom, Sarah, joined in to pressure me. "Audrey, a wedding is a massive event. What if you freeze up and can't speak in front of everyone? Our family cannot afford to be embarrassed like that." Chloe smiled sweetly on camera. "Audrey, a wedding is just a formality. It doesn't matter who stands at the altar. Besides, I'm Sarah's daughter too. It's the same thing." In that moment, I, who had been silent for years, suddenly found my voice in front of everyone. "You two can have the wedding. I'm out."
The moment the words left my mouth, Ethan frowned. "Audrey, Sarah is right. A wedding is a high-pressure environment. You can't handle it." Chloe chimed in gently from the side. "Yes, Audrey. Just leave the ceremony to me. Don't force yourself." I opened my mouth. I wanted to tell them that I had practiced my wedding vows hundreds of times in front of the mirror. I wouldn't have messed up. But my throat felt like it was clogged with wet cement. Not a single sound came out. Sarah sneered. "A mute is a mute. Why are you guys even wasting your breath on her?" The call disconnected. A few minutes later, Ethan posted a livestream link of the wedding on his Instagram. By the time I clicked on it, the ceremony had already started. Chloe was wearing a wedding dress identical to mine. She held my favorite bouquet of white roses, walking down the aisle with a radiant smile. The live comment section was buzzing. "I knew Ethan would choose Chloe in the end!" "Chloe and Ethan are the perfect match. Period!" I typed in the chat: The bride is Audrey. Someone replied instantly. "So what? It's been like this for years, hasn't it? Chloe has to do everything for her anyway." "Lmao, the mute girl wouldn't even survive a day without Chloe." My hands shook violently as I stared at the screen. Back in high school, every time my mutism kicked in, Chloe would step up to speak for me. She yelled at the bullies for me. She answered the teachers' questions for me. She even took my place in speech competitions. As time went on, even though I could technically speak sometimes, everyone just assumed I was completely mute. Ethan and Chloe stopped waiting for me to speak altogether. They made every single decision for me. This time was no different. Nobody asked if I agreed. They just replaced the bride. On the giant screen at the venue, my pre-wedding photos with Ethan were still playing. But nobody looked up at them. Everyone's eyes were glued to Chloe. Ethan took Chloe's hand. Under the officiant's guidance, they exchanged rings and took their vows. When the officiant asked if the bride would take the groom as her husband, she blushed and nodded. "I do." Those two words should have been spoken by me. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Ethan's friends started chanting in unison, "Kiss her! Kiss her!" Chloe lowered her head with a crimson face, tugging at Ethan's sleeve as if she didn't know what to do. Ethan shielded her behind his back. "Alright guys, that's enough. Audrey is the real bride. Chloe is just standing in to help us finish the ceremony." "Oh, come on, Ethan! Stop acting. Who doesn't know you love Chloe?" "Exactly! The bride's already been swapped. Why keep up the act?" "You two probably wanted this wedding for a long time!" Laughter filled the venue. Not a single person in that room remembered me. After the ceremony, Chloe posted a photo on Instagram. In the picture, she and Ethan were leaning close to each other. In the background, my bridal cardboard cutout stood alone in a dusty corner. Her caption read: My first time pretending to be a bride! It felt pretty good. Wishing my bestie and my childhood friend a lifetime of love! Ethan was the very first person to like the post. Someone commented: "Chloe is too nice. If I were her, I would have just married him for real!" "You and Ethan are the ultimate match!" Tears splashed onto my phone screen. I lost track of how long I cried. Eventually, Sarah posted a short video in the group chat. In the video, Chloe had changed into an evening gown. She was walking table to table with Ethan, raising her glass to toast the guests. She was graceful, social, and drank every glass of champagne with ease. Sarah's voice could be heard in the background: "Having a daughter as wonderful as Chloe is the greatest blessing of my life." I always knew everyone loved her. Including my own mother. Chloe and I were from a blended family. Even though I was Sarah's biological daughter, she always favored her stepdaughter, Chloe. At the very end of the video, the wine glass in Chloe's hand suddenly slipped and shattered on the floor. She leaned heavily against the table, clutching her stomach, and began to dry-heave uncontrollably.
The video cut off abruptly. I looked up and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The wedding dress didn't fit. The chest was two inches too loose, and the waist was so tight it left painful red welts on my skin. It was Chloe's style. And it was tailored to Chloe's measurements. I began to strip the dress off my body. The zipper got stuck on my back. I had to tug at it roughly before it finally slid down. I suddenly realized how absurd my life was. As the actual bride, I had been completely excluded from my own wedding from start to finish. My phone screen lit up. A message popped up in the family group chat. "Congratulations, Chloe..." Before I could read the rest of the sentence, the message was instantly unsent. The next second, Chloe and Ethan both tagged me in the group. Chloe: Audrey, I'm so sorry. My stomach started hurting out of nowhere. Ethan and the parents are taking me to the ER right now. Ethan: Audrey, you've had a long day too. Are you hungry? I'll buy you something on my way back. Before I could even type a response, Chloe answered for me. Audrey loves those cinnamon rolls from the bakery near campus. Ethan replied instantly: On it. But I hadn't eaten those cinnamon rolls in years. I actually hated them. It was Chloe who loved them. She used to drag me to that bakery every week. Somewhere along the line, everything she liked became what I supposedly liked. Every detail she "remembered" about me never actually belonged to me. The family chat was buzzing, the unread messages quickly reaching 99+. I had known for a long time that they had another group chat, one that didn't include me. Sometimes, when someone accidentally posted something in our shared chat, they would quickly flood the screen with random messages to bury it. I started typing, wanting to ask what that "Congratulations" was about. But halfway through, I deleted it. The tears I had just stopped began to fall again. Whenever they talked, I could never get a word in. On the rare occasions I did text, everyone would collectively ignore me. I had tried to confront them about this before. Chloe had told me, "Audrey, you're just too quiet. You only say one or two words at a time. We honestly just don't notice." So, I tried to speak up more. If they didn't reply, I would repeat myself. But Ethan would just frown and cut me off. "Audrey, saying it once is enough. We can hear you." Of course they could hear me. They just chose to ignore me. They chose to treat me like a mute. My phone buzzed again. It was a direct message from my supervisor at the news station. Audrey, the UN-backed NGO team we're sending to Somalia is still missing a sign language interpreter. Are you interested? Ever since I heard about this deployment opportunity, I had been waiting to discuss it with Ethan. But now, there was no need. I clicked "Accept" and sent my application. Then, I threw myself into packing my things. Most of my important belongings had already been moved to the new suburban house. My room here was only filled with old clothes. All of them were hand-me-downs that Chloe didn't want anymore. I stuffed them all into a giant trash bag and threw them in the bin. Ethan and Chloe didn't return until very late into the night. And they weren't alone. Sarah, Andrew, and Ethan's parents, Rachel and David, were all with them. They thought I wasn't home. The whole family sat in the living room, talking. Just as I was about to walk out of my room, I heard Chloe's sobbing voice. "Ethan, what do we do? You and Audrey just got married legally... but I'm pregnant with your baby..." My brain went entirely blank. It felt like a bomb had exploded in my ears. The next second, I heard Ethan comforting her, his voice soft as he pulled her into his arms. "We will explain it to Audrey later. If we sit her down and talk to her gently, she'll understand." Sarah stared at Chloe's stomach, her voice tight with anxiety. "Chloe, sweetie, don't cry. You have to think about the baby." Rachel chimed in. "Well, you two already had the wedding ceremony anyway. Let's just have Ethan and Chloe sign the marriage certificate instead." Andrew and David shook hands, laughing. "Well, looks like we really are one big family now." "We've always been family. No need to be strangers." A cold dread crept up from the soles of my feet, freezing me to the core. I blinked away my tears, and suddenly, everything clicked. That deleted message in the group chat... they were congratulating my best friend for getting pregnant with my husband's child. I always knew I could never compete with Chloe for my family's affection. But I never expected that everyone, literally everyone, knew about their affair and kept me in the dark. I had been played like a fool, kept around just to watch them perform their happy family drama.
My throat ached with a burning tightness. I forced myself to stand straight, my eyes bloodshot, my teeth biting into my lip until it bled. Finally, I walked out of the hallway. I couldn't control my rage anymore. I grabbed a glass vase from the console table and slammed it onto the hardwood floor. It shattered into a million pieces. Ethan jumped up from the sofa, panic written all over his face. "Audrey!" Seeing my state, Chloe turned pale and rushed forward to grab my arm. "Audrey, I'm so copy. The pregnancy was an accident. I swear I never wanted to take Ethan away from you..." The suffocating pain in my chest made it hard to breathe. I couldn't say a single word. Forcing my tears back, I raised my hand and violently shoved her away. Using sign language, I demanded: Why? Why did you play me like this? Why did everyone lie to me? "Enough! What are you waving your hands around for?" Sarah rushed over and pushed me back hard. "If you can't speak, then keep your hands to yourself! Don't you dare stress Chloe out!" I stumbled backward, almost falling over the shattered glass. Ethan gasped, instinctively reaching out to catch me, but he stopped himself and looked away. Chloe began to cry hysterically, pulling out her phone. "Audrey, it's my fault. I'll make an appointment at the clinic right now. I'll get an abortion." Instantly, everyone rushed to stop her. Ethan held her tight, murmuring gently, "Chloe, don't do anything stupid. I will take full responsibility for you and the baby." Sarah pointed a finger at me, screaming, "Audrey, Chloe is your best friend! Don't be so heartless!" "Ethan and Chloe loved each other first. They only let you have Ethan out of pity! What right do you have to throw a tantrum now?" Rachel sighed, her voice dripping with guilt-tripping sweetness. "Audrey, I know you're a good girl. You wouldn't want Chloe's baby to grow up as an illegitimate child, right?" Everyone was cornering me, forcing me to nod, telling me: It's time for you to step aside. Slowly, I raised my hands and signed a single question: Why should I? My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant, icy hand. I gasped for air. Ethan walked over and tried to hug me, his voice softening into a pleading tone. "Audrey, I'm so sorry... I promise you, once the baby is born and Chloe is recovered, I'll divorce her and marry you. I swear." I was too exhausted and heartbroken to speak. I could only struggle against his grip, pounding my fists against his chest. But he only held me tighter, whispering "I'm sorry" over and over again into my hair. Eventually, I stopped fighting. I went completely limp. They took my silence as submission. They thought I had agreed. The dramatic crisis was finally resolved to their satisfaction. Chloe wiped her tears and smiled. "Thank you, Audrey. Don't worry, as soon as the baby is born, I'll leave Ethan. You will always be his true wife." Sarah's attitude softened as well. She didn't yell at me anymore. She even went to the kitchen and made me a grilled cheese sandwich, adding an extra slice of cheese. Growing up, I never got the extra slice of cheese. Only Chloe did. Now, I finally got my eggs. But I didn't want them anymore. On the drive back to our new house, Ethan kept apologizing. He said Chloe had a weak constitution, and an abortion would devastate her health. He said his parents had been begging for a grandchild and he couldn't bear to disappoint them. He even said his feelings for me would never change, and he would make it up to me tenfold in the future. But how do you make up for a betrayed heart? A crack in a mirror is permanent. Ethan dropped me off at the bedroom door, looking guilty. "Audrey, take some time to calm down. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight." He turned and walked away, his posture tense. The door shut. My tears finally fell freely. I remembered the day Ethan proposed. He had taken me for a walk by the river. Halfway through, fireworks had lit up the night sky. He had dropped to one knee, holding out a diamond ring. "Audrey, I love you. Let me protect you for the rest of our lives, okay?" My heart had beaten so fast, and I had cried tears of pure joy. I truly believed that to him, I was the only one. But now, while he claimed to love me, he cherished Chloe more. He couldn't bear to let her lose the baby, so much so that he was willing to sign a marriage license with her. My phone screen lit up on the nightstand. My application for the Somalia deployment had been approved. We were set to leave in two days. The NGO team would be stationed there for a minimum of three years. I opened the portal and changed my deployment duration to permanent. A relationship of three is too crowded. This time, I chose to walk away.
The next morning, I went to the news station to complete the handover paperwork. When I got home, Chloe and Ethan were both there. On the coffee table lay two signed marriage certificates. Chloe was leaning against Ethan's shoulder. "Ethan, am I being too selfish? If it weren't for the baby, we would never have registered our marriage." "Audrey is supposed to be your wife." Ethan wrapped his arm around her. "Then we'll just have to treat her even better from now on." I clutched my car keys tightly and walked in. Seeing me, they quickly pulled apart. Chloe stood up, panic in her eyes as she tried to explain. "Audrey, don't get the wrong idea. I..." I didn't even look at her. I walked straight past them into my bedroom to grab my packed suitcase. Chloe pushed the door open and ran inside. Seeing my suitcase, she grabbed my arm, tears streaming down her face. "Audrey, where are you going? If you want me to leave, I'll leave! Please don't do this..." I pulled my arm away and dragged my suitcase toward the front door. But she chased after me, blocking my path at the top of the stairs. "Audrey, I want you to be happy more than anyone else does! But I just can't let go of Ethan. I'm sorry, just give me some time..." She had slept with my fiancé behind my back and gotten pregnant. And now, she had the audacity to ask me for time. I laughed, a bitter, breathless sound. "Get lost." But she refused to let go, tugging at my sleeve as we struggled near the edge of the staircase. "Audrey, please..." I couldn't take her hypocrisy for another second. With every ounce of strength left in my body, I violently yanked my arm back. "Get away from me! I don't want to hear your voice!" Chloe lost her footing on the hardwood stairs. She fell backward. She rolled all the way down to the foyer. Very quickly, a pool of bright red blood began to seep through her clothes. Ethan rushed over like a madman, violently shoving me aside. "Are you insane?!" He scooped Chloe up into his arms and ran out the door. I was thrown against the wall, sliding down to the floor, my shoulder throbbing so hard my vision went black. Chloe lost the baby. She cried hysterically in the hospital bed. Both families gathered around her, whispering words of comfort. The moment I stepped into the room, Sarah's hand flew across my face. Slap! "How did I raise such a monster?!" Sarah screamed. Ethan sat by the bed, holding Chloe. He stared at me with pure coldness. "Audrey, you've disappointed me so much. You couldn't even tolerate an innocent child?" Rachel joined in, her voice dripping with venom. "Chloe promised she would divorce Ethan eventually! What more did you want? That was my grandchild..." I opened my mouth, trying to say, "I didn't push her." But Chloe beat me to it. "Don't blame Audrey... it was my fault. I just didn't stand firmly..." Ethan squeezed Chloe's hand. "Chloe, stop defending her! Haven't you done enough for her over the years?" His eyes were filled with pain and protective rage for Chloe. Yet, when Sarah slapped me across the face, he hadn't even blinked. Sarah glared at me. "Apologize to Chloe. Right now!" "Sarah, please, you're misunderstanding. Audrey really didn't push me!" Chloe cried out. But the more she "defended" me, the more convinced everyone became of my guilt. Because they had already decided I was the villain. I raised my chin, staring back at them. One clear, sharp word cut through the room. "Never." Sarah froze. Then, she lunged at me to strike me again. I fought back my tears, standing my ground. For the first time in my life, I talked back to her. "I will say it one last time: I did not push Chloe. I am your biological daughter, Sarah. Why do you never believe me?" "You..." Sarah's face flushed a deep, angry purple. She pointed a trembling finger at me, gasping for air, before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the floor. The hospital room descended into chaos once again. Nurses rushed in to wheel Sarah to the emergency room. Andrew glared at me, his voice filled with disgust. "Audrey... do you have to ruin this entire family to be satisfied? Are you trying to kill your mother?" The hospital door was wide open. In the hallway, several nurses and visitors peeked in, whispering and pointing at me. I heard someone murmur, "What an ungrateful brat." That label had been forced onto my head for as long as I could remember. I had spent my entire life enduring Sarah's favoritism and constant criticism, always accepting it in silence. I turned around, pushed past the gossiping crowd, and walked toward the exit. "Audrey!" Ethan yelled from behind me. "Get back here!" I didn't look back. Once outside, I hailed a cab and headed straight for the airport. A text from my colleague popped up: Audrey, our flight leaves in an hour. Don't be late. I replied: On my way. I shoved my phone back into my pocket, leaned against the window, and closed my eyes. This family, this relationship... I was leaving it all behind.
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