Pauline's POV
I never expected to see her face again.
When her name echoed through the microphone, my heart stopped. For one desperate second, I prayed it was someone else entirely.
Whispers rippled through my classmates. "She's gorgeous," someone murmured nearby, each word slicing through me. The students from the South turned in their seats, their eyes finding me instead of her.
They all knew the truth. Their stares made sure I understood exactly what they were thinking. That my sister would always outshine me in every possible way.
My body turned to stone.
She commanded that stage like it had been waiting for her arrival. What was she even doing here? My thoughts raced frantically. Her internship was supposed to keep her away for months. She was meant to be gone. Far enough away that I could forget the sound of her voice and the cruel twist of her smile when she used words like weapons against my soul.
