Forget the Feud, I Just Want a Big Sister

Growing up, I never wanted a bigger house or a faster car. What I wanted was a big sister who'd make me snacks at midnight.

No such luck. Mom had three boys before she adopted me. One stole my food, one tricked me into doing his homework, and the youngest ate the last bag of spicy chips I'd hidden under my bed.

So when the Hales showed up and told me I was the daughter they'd lost in a hospital mix-up, and that the girl they'd raised instead was eleven days older than me, I only had one question.

"Can she cook?"

Their butler blinked. "A little."

"Then what are we waiting for? Take me to my sister."

At the Hale mansion, my biological brother blocked the door. "Audrey is the only sister I'll ever have."

I walked right around him, straight to the nervous girl on the sofa. "Sis, can you make hot honey chicken?"

She nodded.

I turned and pointed at my brother and her fiancé behind me. "You hear that? This is my real sister."

The living room went dead quiet.

The man at the door was Ethan Hale, my biological older brother. He looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

The other one had to be Julian Shaw, Audrey's fiancé. He looked me up and down, from my plain white hoodie to my canvas sneakers, and laughed.

"Nora, don't think sucking up to Audrey buys you a place in this family."

I looked from him to Ethan. "Can either of you make hot honey chicken?"

Silence.

"Then move."

I squeezed past Ethan and sat down next to Audrey. Up close, she looked even more nervous. She was holding her teacup with both hands, like one wrong move would count against her.

I took one of those hands. "I'm not picky. Hot honey chicken, birria tacos, baked feta pasta. I'll eat anything."

"I only know how to make a few simple things."

"Simple is perfect."

I meant it. Mom had raised three boys before I came along. Adrian, the oldest, had banned snacks after ten since I was six. Blake once paid me one chocolate bar to copy out a whole notebook of his homework corrections. And Cole, the youngest, was the criminal who stole my spicy chips.

Now the universe had finally paid me back with a big sister who could cook.

Ethan's voice went colder. "Audrey isn't your sister. She's been with us for twenty years. We raised her. We love her. You may be the biological daughter, but you're not walking in here and taking her place."

I glanced back. "Didn't you just say she's the only sister you've got?"

"Yes."

"Great." I patted Audrey's hand. "Then she's mine now. You two can have each other."

A vein jumped in Ethan's temple.

Julian sneered. "You really were raised in some small-time household. No manners at all."

I thought about it. The Weston place only took up half a mountain, and the garage barely fit eighty cars. Last year Mom wanted a bigger pool, but it would've cut into the riding grounds, so she dropped it. Next to Grandma's private island, we really were pretty small-time.

"Fair," I said.

Julian clearly hadn't planned for me to agree.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Richard and Margaret Hale came down together.

Margaret's eyes went red the second she saw me. "Nora."

She reached for my hand, then stopped half a step away and looked back at Audrey, as if touching the daughter she'd lost would hurt the daughter she'd raised.

I didn't mind. Before I came, Mom had held me and cried for three days straight. She blamed the Hales, blamed herself, and tried to send me with a lawyer, a doctor and six bodyguards. I only got to come alone because her protecting me was more exhausting than any danger.

Richard looked me over and nodded. "Good to have you home. You'll need to drop your sloppy habits and learn how this family does things. Next month we'll introduce you properly at a big dinner. But Audrey is still our daughter. You will not go after her, and you will not compete with her for anything."

I turned to Audrey. "What time do you usually make dinner?"

She twisted the hem of her skirt. "We have chefs. I don't really cook."

My face fell.

She saw it right away. "But I can cook for you. If you want."

"I love you already!"

I hugged her before anyone could stop me. She went stiff. After a few seconds, one hand came up and patted my back, careful, like she wasn't sure she was allowed.

That night, she actually made me hot honey chicken.

I took nine photos of the plate and sent them to my parents, my brothers and the whole family group chat.

I have a big sister now. She cooked this for me herself.

Adrian answered first: Go easy on the sugar.

Blake: Plating's mediocre. Come home and I'll fly in a Michelin chef.

Cole video-called. "Are you doing this just to annoy me?"

I flipped the camera to Audrey. "Audrey, meet the thief who stole my spicy chips."

Audrey laughed before she could stop herself. She put another piece of chicken on my plate. "Slow down. There's plenty."

Cole went quiet. Three seconds later he said, "Nora, stay right there. I'm booking a flight tonight."

I hung up on him.

Across the table, Ethan watched us. "Done with the show?"

Audrey's smile disappeared. She put down her fork and sat up straight like a reflex.

"Ethan, I just made Nora dinner."

"You're not well enough to stand over a hot stove because she ordered you to." He turned on me. "We have staff. You've been here one day and you've already got Audrey waiting on you. What exactly is your game?"

"Eating my sister's cooking."

"She's not your sister."

I put my fork down. "Say that again."