Chapter 8 – Sister's Shadow
Nosi sat quietly on the porch steps, her fingers wrapped around a chipped mug of lukewarm tea. The sky was dull, coated in the kind of gray that matched her mood. Ever since her strange encounter with Fred days ago, she'd felt an unfamiliar pull—like gravity itself had shifted under her feet. She didn't understand it, and she definitely wasn't ready to talk about it.
Which was why she didn't notice Joy approaching until the sharp click of heels echoed down the stone walkway.
"Oh, so this is where you're hiding," Joy sneered, folding her arms across her chest.
Nosi didn't look up. "Not hiding. Just thinking."
Joy stepped closer, her perfume thick and sweet like rotting fruit. "Thinking about how to steal someone else's man?"
Nosi blinked and finally looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb, Nosi," Joy said, voice dripping with venom. "I saw you with him. That tall, dark, and rich mystery man. Fred, right? That's his name?"
Nosi's chest tightened. She hadn't even mentioned Fred to Joy. "You were spying on me?"
"Oh please," Joy huffed. "It's not spying when you're parading around like some lovesick schoolgirl. Do you even know who he is? He owns land, Nosi. Buildings. Businesses. The man has money—real money."
"And that's why you care?" Nosi said quietly.
Joy rolled her eyes. "Of course! What girl wouldn't want to be with someone like him? He's handsome, powerful, and clearly not blind. Though I have no idea what he sees in you."
Nosi stood slowly, setting the mug down on the step. "Fred and I barely know each other."
"That didn't stop you from clinging to him like he's the only man left on Earth." Joy's voice rose. "You always do this—slink around, pretending you don't want attention, and then snatch the one good thing meant for someone else."
"I didn't 'snatch' anything," Nosi said, anger flaring in her chest. "I didn't ask for Fred to look at me that way."
"But he did, didn't he?" Joy snapped. "And now you think you're better than me?"
"I never said that."
"You don't have to!" Joy barked. "It's written all over your face. You've always acted like the wounded little dove—poor Nosi, so mistreated, so sad. And somehow, people feel sorry for you. But you're not innocent. You're manipulative."
Nosi's eyes narrowed. "You think I want Fred for his money? You think I'd ever go after someone just to spite you?"
Joy scoffed. "Oh, please. You probably think he's your prince charming. But let me tell you something—he doesn't belong in your world. You're just a phase to him. A pit stop before he finds someone who actually fits."
"I don't care about his money, Joy."
"Then you're dumber than I thought," Joy spat. "Do you have any idea what life could be like if someone like him chose me? I could finally get out of this dump. No more begging Ruth for allowance. No more pretending to be happy while living in your shadow."
Nosi stepped back, stunned. "My shadow? You've always had everything. The nice clothes. The attention. Ruth's love."
Joy's lips curled. "But you've always had the one thing I couldn't stand—you make people care. You walk into a room, and even if you're quiet, people notice you. And now Fred noticed you too."
Silence stretched between them.
"I didn't ask for any of this," Nosi said softly. "And if Fred wants to walk away, he can."
Joy's expression faltered for just a second—something vulnerable flickering in her eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it came.
"I'm warning you, Nosi," she said coldly. "Back off. He's mine. And I don't care what I have to do to make sure he stays that way."
Then she turned on her heel and walked off, her footsteps echoing into the silence she left behind.
Nosi stood there for a long time, the chill in the air creeping into her skin. Her heart was pounding—not from fear, but from something deeper. Sadness. Confusion. A sharp, growing ache that she didn't know how to name.
She picked up her mug again and sat back down.
This time, her tea had gone cold.