I’m Glad My Sister Stole My Boyfriend. He Gave Her An STD. I Found…

Her next statement made sense and made me feel nothing for her. The room was quiet save for Olivia’s tears.

My parents stood motionless, unsure whether to comfort her or stay away. Will kept his hands on my back as I watched my sister come apart, waiting for sympathy, fury, satisfaction, or anything, but there was nothing.

“Olivia,” My mom whispered, approaching the couch.

“Honey, it’ll be fine. We’ll resolve this. Things are now manageable. Medicine has advanced,” She said.

“You don’t understand,” Olivia gasped.

“None of you understand,” She added.

My tired, defeated dad continued. “Then help us understand. Explain to us how we got here.”

Olivia removed her head from her hands. Her face was puffy and blotchy, and mascara streaked down her cheeks like war paint.

She looked at me and her expression changed. Guilt like I’d never seen before.

“I need to tell you something,” She sighed.

“All of you, but especially Ella,” She said.

My stomach clenched. “What?” I asked, shaking.

She said, “The swap wasn’t random. It wasn’t a dinnertime whim. I planned it weeks ahead.”

I did not understand her words as I glanced at her. “You planned it?” I asked.

“Luke and I had been communicating for a month before the swap,” She said.

Ice formed in my blood. “Talking? How?” I asked.

“Texting, primarily,” She avoided my gaze.

“It started innocently. He complained about your relationship and I listened. That led to flirting. It increased,” She said.

Will’s hand tightened on my back. My mother made a small, wounded sound.

My father’s face hardened into something I’d never seen before. “You were pursuing my boyfriend,” I whispered softly, while with him.

Olivia pleaded. “I didn’t mean for it to happen! I realized I wanted him, really wanted him. But I couldn’t steal my sister’s boyfriend. That would make me the villain.”

“So I came up with the swap,” She said.

The pieces fell into place: the contract she’d already written, Luke’s quick agreement. “He knew,” I continued.

“Luke knew about your plan,” I said.

Olivia nodded sadly. “We discussed it. He was meant to be startled when I mentioned it during dinner. It was practiced,” She said, bitterly laughing.

“He wasn’t a good actor; agreed too fast. I feared you’d figure it out,” She said.

At dinner, Luke’s eyes lit up when Olivia mentioned the swap, and he signed that contract without looking at me. I believed he was checking out of our relationship, but he’d already checked into another.

The whole thing was a setup. “I continued,” I said, sounding distant.

“You manipulated me into handing over my boyfriend so you could have him without looking like the bad guy,” I said.

Olivia cried. “I’m sorry, Ella! None of this was my intention. I just wanted you… what you wanted,” She said.

I said, “You’ve always wanted what you wanted, and you’ve never cared who you hurt to get it.”

“That’s not true!” She sobbed.

“I adore you, my sister,” She added.

My remarks were cool and cold. “You don’t love anyone but yourself. You demonstrated that when you went behind my back with Luke.”

“You proved it again by sabotaging my connection with Will. Making this about your guilt instead of what you did to me proves it,” I added.

Olivia recoiled as if I’d smacked her. My parents were astonished.

Will said nothing, but I could feel his support via his touch. “I thought if I got Luke through the exchange, it would be okay,” Olivia said.

“I thought we’d be happy and you’d forgive me. I never expected this ending,” She added.

“You never imagined there’d be consequences,” I corrected.

“That’s different!” She cried again, shoulders heaving.

“I ruined everything! I plotted and controlled everyone and for what? A man who lied about his health! A man who infected me and chastised me for overreacting!” She shouted.

She gazed up at me with red-rimmed eyes. “Your millionaire treats you well. Got what I deserved,” She said.

I stared at my sister, my childhood closest friend who had betrayed me in the most premeditated way, and was only sad because her plan had failed. “Yeah,” I whispered.

“You did,” I added.

I held Will’s hand and headed out the door while my mother called after me. I had nothing else to say.

Olivia was clearly unapologetic.