Dad’s Secret Daughter Stole My Boyfriend

Dad brought his old friend's daughter home. I was the outsider.

Dad Brought His Old Friend's Daughter Home. I Was the Outsider.

An old friend of my father's had entrusted his daughter to our family.

She was outgoing and full of life. I was the quiet one, always studying for another exam.

Dad doted on her as though she were his own daughter. My two older brothers drove her to all the places trending on Instagram and bought her the latest gadgets.

Even my boyfriend, the guy everyone on campus had a crush on, only complained about how clingy she was.

At every club event, though, his attention kept drifting toward her. Then, for the student showcase celebrating the university's anniversary, he replaced the song he'd promised to sing with me with a piano duet for the two of them.

I hadn't found out until I arrived backstage that evening. Tyler had told the student organizers we were changing our act, without ever asking me.

I looked down at the updated program in my hand. My name had been crossed out.

“We're done,” I said calmly.

——————————

Tyler Reed froze with one hand still raised. He stared at me, unable to believe what he'd heard.

Before he could answer, Lily Parker began to tear up behind him. Her white tulle dress looked almost exactly like the one I'd picked for my performance.

“Claire, please don't blame Tyler. It's my fault. I just… I wanted to perform so badly. He felt sorry for me, and…”

I ignored her and kept looking at him.

“I said we're done.”

Tyler frowned, already impatient.

“Claire, stop it. It's one song. You're really doing this over one song?”

“Lily just transferred here. It's her first showcase here. What's wrong with an upperclassman helping her out?”

“You're boring enough most of the time. Since when are you this petty, too?”

I looked at him for another moment, then turned and stepped off the stage.

The auditorium was loud and crowded. No one noticed the argument off to one side.

I dropped the useless program in a trash can. Outside, I sent Tyler a text.

I'm not asking for your permission. I'm telling you. We're over.

By the time I got home, the living room was brightly lit. Dad, both my brothers, and Lily were gathered around a replay of the livestream. Tyler and Lily were on the screen, playing their duet.

The music was lovely. They did look good together.

“Our Lily has so many talents!” My oldest brother started clapping. “Listen to her!”

“Better than spending all day with your nose in a textbook,” my other brother said, giving me a pointed glance.

Dad looked away from the screen and studied me.

“Why didn't you come back with Tyler?”

I took off my shoes.

“We broke up.”

The room went silent.

Lily got up first and hurried toward me, her eyes full of tears.

“Claire, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. Please don't break up with him. I'll go explain everything!”

Dad's expression hardened. He struck the floor with his cane.

“Enough of this nonsense! You're too old to behave like a spoiled child.”

“Lily's younger than you. Of course Tyler should look out for her. You should be setting an example, and instead you're breaking up over nothing. Is that how you were raised?”

I lifted my head and met his eyes.

“My mother raised me to know I didn't have to put up with being treated badly.”

I went upstairs and began packing.

A few minutes later, my oldest brother pushed the door open and leaned against the frame.

“What now, Claire? You're running away? What are you, three?”

I folded a few shirts and put them in my suitcase.

“Give it a rest. Go downstairs, apologize to Dad, and we can forget this happened.”

“Lily's a guest. She's his old friend's daughter. Of course we're going to be nice to her. Why can't you stand having her here?”

“She's not the one I can't stand.”

I looked at him.

“It's you. All of you.”

His face darkened.

I rolled my suitcase past him.

Downstairs, my other brother blocked my way.

“What is wrong with you? Do you have to make this ugly?”

I looked at him, then at Dad sitting grimly on the couch. Lily was beside him, crying without a sound.

“I'm tired. I don't want to keep being the understanding daughter, the easygoing sister, the one who never asks for anything.”

“Just let me go.”

I pushed past my brother, opened the front door, and walked out without looking back.

Dad shouted after me.

“You walk out that door, don't bother coming home!”

I kept going, out into the night.

They all thought I was throwing a tantrum. They expected me to crawl back as soon as I ran out of money and places to stay.

They were wrong.