You’re perfect in my eyes, Lily shouted, You want to know why? Because Im fed up always being secondbest! Always, everywhere! In school you were top of the class, every teacher raved about you. At university you graduated with firstclass honours, while I was just scraping through resits. At work you keep getting promotions and bonuses, and Im stuck in the same role! I want a high salary and the respect of the bosses too, got it? I want to be number one!
***
Great, another scolding from the boss, Lily muttered, snapping her laptop shut and flinging herself back into the swivel chair with a sigh.
Emma glanced up from her screen, a smirk playing on her lips.
Didnt you just botch the report? Were you supposed to get a pat on the head for that?
Lily pursed her lips and turned toward the window, her cheeks flushing with hurt. Emma ignored her sisters sour look and started gathering her things. Finally the workday was over the paperwork neatly slid into the folder, the coffee mug clinked into the sink.
Lily stayed silent as they trudged down the corridor. Only after the office doors shut behind them did Emma speak again.
You find it easy to laugh. Youre my perfect sister, after all.
Emma sighed. These arguments had been happening a lot lately. Lily used to brush off the bosss remarks with a joke, but now every word seemed tinged with bitterness.
I just do my job well, Lily. You can too.
Sure, why not.
Theyd been in the procurement department of a big retail group for three years. Emma got the job first, and six months later helped Lily land a spot. The sisters were always close, always backing each other up, but their work styles were worlds apart.
Emma stayed late, poring over supplier markets, comparing terms from dozens of firms before making a decision. Lily preferred a more relaxed rhythm do the minimum by the deadline, then spend the rest of the day scrolling on her phone or chatting in the kitchen. Emma never judged Lily for seeing things differently; each to their own.
A month ago something should have been a family celebration. Management called Emma into the directors office and offered her a promotion senior procurement manager with a tidy raise of £15,000 a year. Emma was startled but accepted straight away. Years of grinding finally paid off.
Lily hugged her and congratulated her, but Emma saw how quickly Lilys smile faded, how the words sounded strained. That evening they went to a café to mark the occasion, but the vibe was off. Lily kept steering the conversation to salaries, asking how much more Emma would now earn, how many extra hours shed have to put in.
Youre lucky the bosses noticed you, otherwise youd be stuck in the same rut, Lily tossed in between sips.
Lucky? Emma repeated. I spent two months on that project without a day off.
Exactly.
Six months later Emma was made head of the whole department. The news raced through the office. Colleagues shook her hand, offered cheers, wished her luck. Lily was the last to come over, gave Emma a hug and whispered in her ear:
Congrats. Youre the top dog now.
There was no warmth in that whisper. Emma stepped back, met Lilys eyes they were cold, almost snakelike.
In the weeks that followed, office life around Emma shifted, subtly but steadily. First, coworkers stopped inviting her to lunches. Oliver from the neighbouring team never brought his morning coffee over anymore. People greeted her with a flat morning and turned away. Behind her back, whispers and muffled laughs floated around. Whenever she turned, everyone pretended to be busy.
Emma wondered what had happened. Shed always been open, helpful, willing to share knowledge. Had a promotion really changed how people treated her? She hadnt become a tyrant, didnt demand the impossible, never threw a fit.
One evening, as Emma was about to leave, Sarah from accounts slipped into her office, looking nervous, shifting from foot to foot.
Come in, Emma said. Whats up?
Sarah closed the door, sat opposite Emma, her face flushed with embarrassment.
I need to tell you something. Im ashamed, but you deserve to know the truth.
Emma set her pen down and looked at Sarah. She swallowed and went on:
Lilys been spreading rumours about you for months. She tells anyone wholl listen that the ideas in your projects are actually hers, that youre stealing her work, that you got the promotion only because youre a brownnoser. She says you look down on the rest of us, call us idiots.
Lily? The little sister Emma had helped get a job, the one shed covered for behind the scenes? Lily was turning the whole office against her?
Are you sure? Youre not mixing things up? Emma asked, a little desperate.
Absolutely. I didnt want to believe it at first. Thought maybe it was a misunderstanding. But she repeats it all the time, to everyone. People start believing it. You know how fast gossip spreads. Even the wildest stuff eventually feels true
Emma left the office that night feeling a knot in her stomach. The drive home was a blur of thoughts. Why? How? Theyd always been a team. Emma had always protected Lily, helped her out. And now this betrayal.
When Emma knocked, Lily opened the door, surprise flashing across her face.
Emma? Whats wrong?
Emma walked in without waiting, turned and met Lilys gaze.
Why are you turning the whole office against me? Why lie that Im stealing your ideas? Why spread those rumours? Emma said, her voice cool, detached.
Lilys shoulders hunched, arms crossed, her face flashing with angry colours.
Did someone tell you something, Sarah?
It doesnt matter who said it! Answer me!
Dont yell at me in my own flat! This is personal!
Im not shouting, Lily. Im demanding an explanation. How could you do this? Were sisters!
Lily lunged forward, eyes flashing with something Emma had never seen anger? Hurt? Something else entirely.
You want to know why? Lily screamed. Because Im sick of always being second! Always, everywhere! In school you were the star, teachers adored you. At university you got firstclass honours, I was just scraping by. At work you get promotions and bonuses, Im stuck. I want a big salary and the bosses respect too! Got it? I want to be number one!
Emma stayed silent. Lily kept going, breathless:
You were always ahead. Perfect. Lilysmart, Lilybeautiful, Lilyhardworking. And I? Just a shadow, a useless little sister who messes everything up!
Then you should have worked harder, Emma replied. Put in the hours, not spent watching videos at work or gossiping. You wanted respect? Earn it. Dont drag me through the mud for it.
Lily opened her mouth, but Emma cut her off, turned and walked out. The door clicked shut. Tears slipped down Emmas cheeks, which she swiped away fiercely. Hold on, she whispered to herself, youve got to hold on.
The next morning Emma submitted a transfer request to a branch in another part of the city. HR was surprised but signed the paperwork without fuss. Emma was a valuable employee; they didnt want to lose her. The transfer was approved in two days.
Lily heard about it from colleagues, called Emma that evening. Emma stared at the name flashing on the screen before picking up.
Youre moving? Lily said bluntly.
Yeah.
So youre running away then.
No. Im just going where no one will plot against me.
Youre betraying me! Traitor! Sister, youre a
Emma didnt answer. She hung up. There was nothing left to say.
Three months in the new branch flew by. The team welcomed her warmly, projects ran smoothly. Emma started to forget the nightmare. Then one night Sarah rang.
Emma, have you heard? Theyve sacked Lily.
Emma froze, phone pressed to her ear.
What?
Last week. She missed deadlines on three contracts, made mistakes in reports. Management gave her many chances, finally decided to let her go. Without you, everything fell apart. Thats what happened
I didnt
Emma, you covered her slips for years. It was invisible. When you left, everything came crashing down. Lily couldnt cope without your backup.
Emma put the phone down and sat in silence.
A day later Lily showed up at Emmas flat, hair dishevelled, eyes red, clothes rumpled. She burst into the hallway and shouted:
Youre happy, arent you? They fired me! You moved just to sabotage me! Did you do it on purpose?
Emma looked at her calmly.
What am I to blame, Lily? You had a chance to prove yourself. I didnt stop you. What did you ruin?
Its your fault! You!
No, youre the one responsible for what happened. And now stay out of my life.
Emma opened the front door wide. Lily froze, unable to believe her sister was actually pushing her out. Lily turned and fled down the stairwell. The door slammed shut with a deafening thud.
Later, their mother called, voice cracking.
What have you done?! Youre the reason Lily got sacked! You abandoned her! Youre selfish! You should have helped, not run off to another office! Youve destroyed your own sisters life! Its all your fault!
Emma tried to explain the rumours, the betrayal, Lilys own role in her dismissal but her mother kept shouting, accusing, demanding Emma fix it immediately.
Youve betrayed the family, Emma. Remember that. Its a sin.
The line clicked.
Emma was left alone. The family turned their backs the moment she defended herself, the moment she stopped sacrificing for Lily.
Shed manage. Emma had always been strong, and now she needed that strength more than ever.
She opened an email from the head office. A transfer to London, a new senior role, a fresh start. If before shed hesitated about taking the offer, now she replied with confidence.
Everyone had turned away, so there was nothing holding her back in this new city. Time to think only about herself.
Weeks of moving chaos passed. In London Emma settled quickly, didnt look back, didnt accommodate the old drama. Relations with family stayed distant, reduced to polite holiday messages. She no longer worried about their thinskinned affection. Shed survived, and shed thrive.
