You’re perfect in our eyes, I said, because I was fed up with always being secondbest. You want to know why? Because Im tired of never being first! Ellie shouted. Always and everywhere! In school you were the top pupil, every teacher sang your praises. At university you graduated with firstclass honours, while I barely scraped through resits. At work you keep getting promotions and bonuses, and Im stuck in the same role! I want a good salary and the respect of the boss too, understand? I want to be number one!
***
Look at that the boss just gave me another earful, Ellie muttered, slamming her laptop shut and flinging herself back into her swivel chair.
Claire looked up from her screen and gave her a wry smile.
You made a mistake in the report, didnt you? Did they pat you on the head for that?
Ellie pursed her lips and turned toward the window, her cheeks flushing with irritation. Claire ignored her sisters sour expression and began gathering her things. The workday finally ended. Files were neatly stacked in a folder, her coffee mug drifted toward the sink.
Ellie stayed silent as they walked down the corridor to the exit. Only when the office doors were firmly behind them did the younger sister speak again.
You find it easy to laugh. Youre our perfect one.
Claire sighed. These arguments had become far too common lately. Ellie used to brush off the bosss criticism with a joke and move on. Now every word was tinged with bitterness.
I just do my job well, Ellie. You can too.
Right, of course, she replied.
They had both been at the same large retail firms purchasing department for three years. Claire had joined first; six months later she helped Ellie get a foot in the door. The sisters had always been close, backing each other in everything, but their approaches to work were poles apart.
Claire stayed late, poring over supplier markets, comparing dozens of contracts before signing off. Ellie preferred a more relaxed pace doing just enough to meet the deadline, then spending the rest of the day on her phone or chatting with colleagues in the breakroom. Claire never judged Ellies outlook; everyone has their own way.
A month ago the company called Claire into the managers office and offered her a promotion senior purchasing manager with a solid bump in her £ salary. Claire was taken aback by the surprise but accepted immediately. Years of painstaking work had finally paid off.
Ellie hugged her and congratulated her, but Claire saw the smile fade quickly from Ellies face, heard the strained tone in her words. That evening they went to a pub to celebrate, yet the atmosphere felt off. Ellie kept steering the conversation toward money, asking how much more Claire would now earn and how many extra hours shed have to put in.
Youre just lucky the bosses noticed you; otherwise youd still be stuck in the same spot, Ellie remarked casually.
Lucky? Claire asked. I spent two months on that project without a day off.
Sure, right, Ellie replied.
Six months later Claire was named head of the whole department. The news spread like wildfire through the office. Colleagues shook hands, offered congratulations, and wished her success. Ellie was the last to arrive. She hugged Claire and whispered in her ear:
Congrats. Youre finally the bigshot around here.
There was no warmth in those words. Claire stepped back, looked Ellie straight in the eye, and saw something cold and foreign there, like a snake coiled in waiting.
In the weeks that followed, the office dynamics shifted subtly but steadily. Claire stopped being invited to lunch outings. James from the neighbouring team no longer swung by with his morning coffee. People greeted her curtly, without a smile, and turned away as soon as she looked. Behind her back, whispers and muffled chuckles echoed. If she turned around, everyone pretended to be busy.
Claire wondered what had happened. Shed always been open, helpful, and willing to share her knowledge. Had the promotion really altered how her colleagues saw her? She hadnt changed she still didnt shout at subordinates, didnt demand the impossible, and never put a stick in anyones wheel.
One evening, as Claire was about to leave, Megan knocked on her office door, fidgeting nervously.
Come in, Claire said. Whats up?
Megan closed the door and sat opposite her, looking embarrassed.
I need to tell you something. Im ashamed, but you deserve the truth.
Claire set her pen down and gave Megan her full attention. Megan swallowed hard and began:
Ellie has been spreading rumours about you for months now. She tells anyone wholl listen that the ideas in your projects are actually hers, that youve stolen her work, that you got the promotion only because youre a brownnose. She says you look down on the rest of us, call us fools, and so on.
Ellie? Her own younger sister, the one shed helped get the job? The one shed tried to protect? And now she was turning the whole office against Claire?
Are you sure youre not mixing things up? Claire asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Absolutely. At first I didnt want to believe it. I thought maybe it was a misunderstanding. But she repeats it to everyone, all the time. People are starting to believe her. You know how quickly gossip spreads, and the more outrageous it is, the more people start to accept it
Claire didnt recall how shed said goodbye to Megan and walked to her car. The drive home was a swirl of thoughts about Ellie. Why? Why now? Theyd always been together. Claire had always backed her sister, protected her, corrected her mistakes quietly. And now the gratitude seemed turned into venom.
Ellie opened the front door, surprise flashing across her face.
Claire? Whats wrong? Anything happen?
Claire stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, faced her sister, and met her gaze.
Why? she asked.
About what? Ellie replied.
Why are you turning the whole office against me? Why lie that Im stealing your ideas? Why spread those rumours? Claire said, her tone cold and detached.
Ellie flinched, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face flushed with a sudden burst of colour.
Did someone tell you something, Megan? she snapped.
It doesnt matter who said it! Answer me!
Dont shout at me in my own house! This is personal! Claire shot back.
Im not shouting, Ellie. Im demanding an explanation. How could you do this? Were sisters!
The younger sister lunged forward. In her eyes sparkled something Claire had never seen before anger, hurt, something else entirely.
You want to know why? Ellie yelled. Because Im sick of always being second! Always everything! In school you were the star pupil, teachers adored you. At university you got firstclass honours, and I barely scraped through resits. At work you keep getting promotions and bonuses, and Im stuck in the same role! I want a good salary and the bosss respect too, understand? I want to be first!
Claire stayed silent as Ellie pressed on, not stopping.
You were always ahead. Always perfect. Claire brilliant, beautiful, hardworking. And me? Just a shadow, a clumsy little sister who always messes things up!
Then you should have worked harder, Claire said. Put in the effort, not spend the day watching videos and chatting in the kitchen. You wanted respect? Earn it. But dont drag me through the mud for it.
Ellie opened her mouth, but Claire cut her off, turned, and walked out of the flat. The door clicked shut behind her. Tears ran down Claires cheeks, which she brushed away fiercely. She told herself she had to hold on.
The next morning Claire submitted a transfer request to a branch in another part of the city. The HR manager was surprised, but signed the paperwork without fuss. Claire was a valuable employee; the company didnt want to lose her. The transfer was approved within two days.
Ellie learned about it from colleagues and called that evening. Claire stared at the caller ID before picking up.
Youre moving? Ellie asked, no pleasantries.
Yes.
So youre running away then.
No. Im just going where no one will plot against me.
Youre betraying me! Traitor! Youre a sister, you know that!
Claire said nothing, hung up, and didnt look back.
Three months in the new branch flew by. The team welcomed her warmly, projects ran smoothly, and she began to put the nightmare behind her. Then, one evening, Megan called.
Claire, have you heard? Ellies been sacked.
Claire froze, phone pressed to her ear.
What?
Last week. She missed deadlines on three contracts in a row, made errors in reports. Management had been patient, but finally decided to let her go. Without you, everything fell apart. Thats how it went
How could that be?
Claire, youd been fixing her mistakes for years, quietly. When you left, the cracks showed. She just couldnt cope without your safety net.
Claire put the phone down and sat in silence.
The following day Ellie appeared at Claires doorstep, hair dishevelled, eyes red, clothes rumpled. She stormed into the hallway and shouted:
Youre happy now? Theyve sacked me! You moved just to set me up! Did you do it on purpose?
Claire looked at her calmly.
What am I to blame, Ellie? You had a chance to prove yourself. I didnt stop you. What did you do? Ruined everything.
This is your fault! You! Ellie screamed.
No, youre the one responsible for what happened. And now youre out of my house.
Claire opened the front door wide. Ellie froze, unable to believe her sister was actually evicting her. Claires stare was cold, resolute. Ellie turned and fled down the stairwell. The door slammed shut with a deafening bang.
An hour later their mother called, voice trembling.
What are you doing?! Youre to blame for Ellies dismissal! You abandoned her! Youre selfish! You should have helped, not run off to another office! Youve destroyed our family!
Claire tried to explain the rumours, the betrayal, how Ellie herself had driven the situation to the point of dismissal. Her mother shouted, blamed, demanded that everything be fixed immediately.
Youve betrayed the family, Claire. Remember that. Its a sin.
A short buzzing sound ended the call.
Claire was left alone. Her family had turned their backs the moment she chose to protect herself, to stop sacrificing herself for her sister.
She would be fine. Claire had always been strong, and now she needed that strength more than ever.
She opened an email from senior management: a transfer to London, a new role, a fresh start. If before shed hesitated about the offer, now she replied with confidence.
When everyone else turned away, there was nothing holding her back in this new city. It was time to think only of herself.
Weeks blurred into a hectic move. In London, Claire settled quickly. She didnt look back, didnt try to mend the broken ties. Family relations stayed limited to formal holiday greetings. But Claire no longer worried. They hadnt loved her deeply enough to stay when she needed them most.
