Honestly, youre our perfect one, Blythe snapped. Do you want to know why? Because Im sick of always being secondbest! She slammed her laptop shut and flopped back in her swivel chair. In school you were the head girl, every teacher gushed over you. At university you graduated with firstclass honours while I wrestled through retakes. At work you keep getting promotions and bonuses, and Im stuck at the same grade. I want a high salary and the respect of the bosses too, understand? I want to be first!
***
Great, another dressingdown from the boss, Harriet muttered, pushing the laptop away and hurling herself onto the chairs backrest.
Blythe glanced up from her screen, a wry smile playing on her lips.
You made a mistake in the report, didnt you? Did they give you a pat on the head for that?
Blythe pursed her lips and turned toward the window. Her cheeks flushed with hurt. Harriet ignored the younger sisters sour look and began gathering her things. The workday finally ended; the files were neatly filed, the coffee mug was washed.
Blythe kept silent as they walked down the corridor. Only after the office doors shut behind them did the younger sister speak again.
You make it sound easy. Youre our perfect one.
Harriet sighed. These arguments had been happening far too often lately. Blythe used to shrug off the bosss criticism with a joke and move on. Now every word seemed edged with bitterness.
Im just doing my job well, Blythe. You can too.
Sure, of course.
They had both been part of Brightline Retail Ltds purchasing department for three years. Harriet had joined first, and six months later helped Blythe get her foot in the door. The sisters were always close, supporting each other in everything, but their approaches to work could not have been more different.
Harriet stayed late, poring over supplier markets, comparing terms from dozens of firms before making a decision. Blythe preferred a laidback rhythmgetting the minimum done by deadline, then spending the rest of the day scrolling on her phone or chatting in the kitchen. Harriet never judged Blythe for her different outlook; each to their own.
A month earlier, something that should have been a family celebration happened. The senior management called Harriet into the directors office and offered her a promotion to Senior Purchasing Manager with a substantial pay rise. Harriet was startled but accepted instantly. Years of meticulous work had finally paid off.
Blythe hugged her and congratulated her, but Harriet noticed how quickly Blythes smile faded and her tone grew strained. That evening they went to a café to mark the occasion, yet the atmosphere felt off. Blythe kept steering the conversation toward salaries, asking how much more Harriet would now earn and how many overtime hours shed have to clock.
Youre just lucky the bosses noticed you. Otherwise youd still be stuck, Blythe said between sips.
Lucky? Harriet echoed. I spent two months on that project without a day off.
Right, of course.
Six months later Harriet was appointed head of the entire department. The news rippled through the office. Colleagues shook hands, offered congratulations, wished her success. Blythe was the last to arrive, wrapped Harriet in an embrace and whispered, Congrats. Youre a real star now. The words held no warmth. Harriet stepped back and looked into Blythes eyes, seeing something cold and alien, as if a snake coiled there.
In the weeks that followed, Harriets office life began to shift subtly but steadily. First, small things: Tanya stopped inviting her to team lunches, Oliver from the neighbouring department no longer dropped by with a morning coffee. Colleagues greeted her with terse nods and quickly turned away. Behind her back, whispers and muffled giggles rose whenever she passed. It seemed as if everyone pretended to be busy.
Harriet was baffled. What had changed? She had always been open, helpful, willing to share her expertise. Could a promotion really sour peoples attitudes so much? She hadnt altered her management styleshe never shouted at subordinates, never made unreasonable demands, never set traps.
One evening, as Harriet was about to leave, Marinanow Meganknocked on her office door, pacing nervously.
Come in, Harriet called. Whats wrong?
Megan shut the door and sank into the chair opposite. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.
I have to tell you something, and Im ashamed to do it, but you deserve the truth.
Harriet set down her pen and stared at Megan. The colleague swallowed hard.
Blythe has been spreading rumours about you for months. She tells everyone that the ideas in your projects are actually hers, that you stole her work, that you only got the promotion because youre a brownnoser. She says you look down on us, treat us like idiots.
Harriet stared, stunned. Her own sister, the one she had helped into the company, was turning the whole office against her?
Are you sure youre not mixing things up? Harriet asked, voice tight.
Absolutely. At first I didnt want to believe it. I thought maybe it was a misunderstanding. But she repeats it to anyone who will listen. People are starting to believe her. You know how fast gossip spreads, and when the story is outrageous you eventually start to accept it
Harriet left the office that night feeling a knot in her stomach. A car ride home turned into a whirl of thoughts. Why? How could Blythe, who she had always protected, betray her like this?
When she arrived at Blythes flat, the door opened and surprise flickered across her sisters face.
Harriet? Whats wrong?
Harriet stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, turned to face her, and met her gaze.
Why? she asked.
What? Blythe replied, confused.
Why are you turning the whole office against me? Why are you spreading lies that I stole your ideas? Why the rumours? Harriet said, her tone cold and detached.
Blythe flinched, crossed her arms, and her face flushed with angry colour.
Did someone tell you something? she snapped.
Who cares who told me! Just answer the question! Harriet snapped back.
Dont shout at me in my own house! This is business! Blythe shouted.
Im not shouting, Blythe. Im demanding an explanation. How could you do this? Were sisters!
Blythe lunged forward, her eyes flashing with something Harriet had never seen beforeraw resentment, a bitter cocktail of jealousy and hurt.
You want to know why? Because Im tired of always being second! Blythe exploded. In school you were the head girl, all the teachers adored you. At university you got top marks, while I scraped through retakes. At work you keep getting raises and bonuses, and Im stuck here! I want a big salary and the bosses respect too, understand? I want to be first!
Harriet stayed silent. Blythe kept going, relentless.
You were always ahead, always perfect. Blythesmart, Blythebeautiful, Blythehardworking. And what am I? Just a shadow, a useless little sister who always messes things up!
Then you should have worked for it, Harriet replied calmly. Put in the effort, not waste time watching videos at work or gossiping in the kitchen. If you wanted respect, earn it. But dont drag me through the mud to get it.
Blythe opened her mouth, but Harriet cut her off. She turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind her. Tears streamed down Harriets cheeks, but she brushed them aside. She had to keep moving.
The next morning Harriet submitted a transfer request to a Brightline branch in Bristol. The HR manager was surprised but signed the paperwork without much questioning. Harriet was a valued employee; the company didnt want to lose her. The transfer was approved within two days.
Blythe learned of the move from a colleague, called Harriet that evening, and waited for her to pick up.
You transferring? Blythe said, no greeting.
Yes.
So youre running away.
No. Im just going where no one will plot against me.
Youre betraying me! Traitor! Sister, youre a liar!
Harriet said nothing, hung up, and let the line go dead.
Three months in Bristol flew by. The new team welcomed her warmly, projects ran smoothly, and Harriet began to let the nightmare recede. One night, Megan called.
Harriet, did you hear? Blythe got sacked.
Harriet froze, phone pressed to her ear.
What? she whispered.
Last week. She missed deadlines on three contracts, made errors in reports. Management gave her endless chances, then finally let her go. Without you, everything fell apart. She couldnt cope without your backup.
Harriet set the phone down and sat in silence.
The following day Blythe appeared at Harriets doorstep, hair disheveled, eyes red, clothes rumpled. She burst into the hallway and shouted:
Are you happy now? You got me fired! You moved just to sabotage me! Did you do it on purpose?
Harriet looked at her calmly.
What am I to blame, Blythe? You had a chance to prove yourself and you blew it. What did you do? Destroyed everything.
This is your fault! You!
No, youre the one responsible for what happened. Now leave my house.
Harriet opened the front door wide. Blythe froze, unable to believe her sister was actually sending her away. Blythe turned and fled down the hallway, the door slamming shut behind her.
An hour later their mother, Martha, called, her voice exploding through the receiver.
Youve ruined Blythe! You threw her out! Youre selfish! You should have helped, not run off to another office! Youve destroyed our family!
Harriet tried to explain, telling the truth about the rumours and Blythes own role in her dismissal. Her mother shouted, blamed, demanded she fix everything.
Youve betrayed the family, Harriet. Remember that. Its a sin.
The line clicked.
Alone, Harriet felt the weight of abandonment. Her family had turned away the moment she chose to protect herself instead of sacrificing endlessly for a sister who had turned on her.
She opened an email from senior management: a promotion to head the national purchasing team in London, with a salary increase to £120,000. If she had ever doubted whether to accept, now she answered with confidence.
When everyone had turned their backs, there was nothing left in that city to hold her. It was time to think only of herself.
Weeks of hectic moving later, Harriet settled quickly in London. She didnt look back, didnt try to mend the broken ties. The family relationships remained limited to polite holiday cards. Yet Harriet felt a steady calm. She had learned that selfrespect and personal boundaries are worth more than any sisters approval, and that true strength lies in knowing when to walk away.
In the end, the greatest lesson was simple: you cannot pour from an empty cupprotect your own worth before you can ever hope to protect anyone else.
