Evan rushed to my side, his hands steadying me as I struggled to remain upright. “Tara, are you okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with panic. I nodded, although I wasn’t sure if it was true. My vision was clouded by both pain and tears, but I managed to focus on Maya, who remained unharmed, albeit frightened.

The guests at the party were in chaos, some trying to intervene, others frozen in shock. I looked up to see my sister standing there, her face a mixture of triumph and horror. Brianna, the sister I once shared secrets and dreams with, had become a stranger in that moment—a stranger whose jealousy and lies had torn our family apart.

My mother, the woman who had once been my source of comfort, stood with the statue still in her hand, her expression unreadable. The realization hit me like a second blow: this was no longer my family. Whatever bonds had existed were now shattered, and there was no going back.