Chapter One

"Always put your sister and family first." "Never run away from the chance to help the Lancaster name." Those were just some of the many rules Stephanie was taught to abide by as the second daughter of the Lancaster family. 

 She had truly believed in those rules, that is until they led her into her current predicament. Betrayed, embarrassed and excluded were a few words that described what she had gone through within the last year or so.

 The rain poured down on her as Stephanie stood in front of her family home, soaking wet with a baby in her arms who was crying uncontrollably.

 The cries of the baby were drowned out by the thunder that struck occasionally and the sound of the rain hitting the ground around them.

 Stephanie was jaded about her surroundings, as the events of that night had completely shattered her. 

 "How did it come to this?" She muttered to herself under her breath as she looked into her parents' old decaying mansion and the inhabitants who were still making merry despite her situation.

 As if on cue, she could see the outline of the newly engaged couple come towards the door and open it, revealing her sister Hailey and her former lover Peter looking at her with the most wicked of smiles.

 "Stephanie, what are you still doing here?! You're making the atmosphere uncomfortable for the rest of us. Do well to leave please." Hailey said to her sister dismissively. From the way she spoke one would think Stephanie was the deceptive one of the two. 

 Her demeanor portrayed just how disgusted she was at the sight of Stephanie. Although they were sisters, you wouldn't be able to say they were best of friends.

 Stephanie had always needed to convince herself that Hailey actually loved her the way she loved Hailey. If Hailey did ten terrible things to her and one good thing she would use that good thing to forget about the rest of the wicked things she had done to her.

 "She has a hard time explaining her feelings." Or "I could have handled the situation better as well, we were both wrong." Those were things she would always use to convince herself of her sister's love for her.

 But now, there was nothing she could do to deceive herself any longer. Her sister absolutely detested her, and it was evident. 

  "Hailey, how could you do this to me? Sob… you're my sister? sniff." Stephanie said between breaths as the weight in her chest had finally taken over and she had given up trying to stay strong. 

 "You shameless woman! How dare you say something like that to your sister after disgracing your family the way you have." The man beside Hailey spoke, and his words cut deeper than any knife possibly could.

 "Peter… I… can't you at least hear my side of the story?" Stephanie asked while reaching out to Peter who dismissed her advances with a wave of his hand.

 "Save it, I don't want anything to do with a woman who goes around spreading her legs for any man who comes her way." Peter said with a look of dismay visibly painted across his face. 

 At this point, Stephanie couldn't take it anymore. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground while holding the baby in her arms, the umbrella she was holding tilted slightly but she didn't care that little droplets were hitting her. 

 As far as she was concerned the world could end right there and she would be happy with it. "Ugh, you plan on making this a bigger scene than it is huh?" Hailey asked impatiently once again. 

 "It's okay babe, I'll take care of this." Peter said as he walked down the steps towards where Stephanie was sitting down before bending down to her level. 

 'Finally! Is he going to ask me how this happened?' Stephanie prayed within herself that Peter had decided to give her a chance to explain her side of the story. 

 "I assume the only reason you're still here is because you probably don't have a place to go. So to make this annoying situation come to an end, I'll give you this." Peter said as he reached into his coat and brought out a bundle of hundred dollar bills.

 Stephanie's heart broke all over again. "Do you really think I'm still here… just because I want your money?" She asked with her tears welling in her beautiful blue eyes. 

 "What other reason would you have for being here if not that?" Peter asked plainly. "Otherwise I don't know why someone who has brought this much Shame to their family would be making such a fuss to leave them be." He continued as he counted the dollar bills and placed a stack on her crouched legs.

 "That's about five thousand dollars. It should be enough for you to get an apartment for a few months and buy some food and items for your bastard child." Peter said without a care.

 Stephanie was shocked, she had never seen this side of him before. Yet here he was throwing money at her and calling someone else's child a bastard. The man she once loved was completely gone and it seemed as though she would never get him back.

The worst part of it all was the fact she wasn't even guilty, she was oblivious to haileys evil plan from the beginning. If only she had never said yes to her sister… maybe things would be different right now.