I was in a horrific accident and left unconscious. The doctors called my parents—they said…

She began reading, her eyes widening. Mom? Dad? What is this about abandoning Rebecca at the hospital? My mother collapsed dramatically into a dining chair. It wasn’t like that.

We were in shock. The doctors were so pessimistic. It says here you told them she wasn’t your real daughter and you owed her nothing.

Allison’s voice shook. That you left without authorizing treatment. That’s taken out of context, my father blustered.

We merely explained that the adoption was complicated. Allison continued reading, her face growing paler. There’s a link to security footage.

She pulled out her phone and typed in the URL from the letter. For several minutes, the dining room was silent except for the tinny audio coming from Allison’s phone, my parents’ voices clearly stating I wasn’t their daughter, that they owed me nothing, that they wouldn’t authorize treatment. You left her to die, Allison whispered when the video ended.

Your own daughter. She’s not my mother began, then stopped herself. Not what? Not your daughter? Because according to these documents, she absolutely is.

Allison brandished the adoption papers included with the letter. You legally adopted her. You raised her for 28 years.

And then you abandoned her when she needed you most. You don’t understand the complexities my father started. I understand perfectly.

Allison cut him off. I’ve always known you treated her differently. I thought it was because she was so self-sufficient, so competent.

I never imagined it was because you didn’t consider her your real daughter. My mother straightened, reverting to the haughty demeanor she used when challenged. We gave her everything.

An excellent education. Every opportunity. Except love, Allison finished.

Except the one thing she actually needed. On the security feed, I watched my sister’s realization unfold. The pieces falling into place.

The recognition of patterns she’d observed but never understood. All those times you dismissed her achievements, she said slowly. All those times you made her feel less than.

It wasn’t because you had high standards. It was because you didn’t think she belonged. That’s not true, my father insisted.

We always wanted the best for her. The best. Allison’s voice rose.

You left her with brain trauma and broken bones to die alone in a hospital. How was that the best? My mother stood suddenly. We need to find Rebecca.

She’s clearly been poisoned against us. That Samantha person has always been a bad influence. She knows about the conservatorship filing, doesn’t she? My father realized, scanning the letter again.

She knows we’re trying to take control of mother’s estate. Is that all you care about? Allison asked incredulously. The money? The house? What about your daughter who nearly died? Of course we care about Rebecca, my mother said automatically.

But we have to be practical. In her condition. Her condition that you made worse by abandoning her, Allison interrupted.

Her condition that you’re now trying to exploit to steal her inheritance. My father’s face hardened. That’s enough, Allison.

This doesn’t concern you. Doesn’t concern me? Rebecca is my sister. Half-sister, my mother corrected reflexively, then pressed her hand to her mouth as if trying to push the words back in.

Allison stared at her. So it’s true. You really don’t think of her as family.

The realization seemed to physically pain her. She gathered the letter and documents with trembling hands. I can’t be here right now.

I can’t be near either of you. Allison, wait. My father called as she headed for the door.

I’ll be at my apartment. Don’t call me. I need time to process.

This? She gestured vaguely at them. All of this. After she left, my parents stood in stunned silence.

Now look what you’ve done, my mother finally hissed. You’ve turned Allison against us too. Me? You’re the one who called Rebecca her half-sister.

Well, she is. And now both our daughters hate us and Rebecca is going to use this letter and that video to destroy us in court. My father paced the dining room, running his hands through his thinning hair.

We need to call Gerald. They’re a lawyer. He’ll know how to spin this.

We can say we were distraught, not thinking clearly. The video, Richard. The video shows us perfectly calm, perfectly clear…