sugar into his coffee as though preparing to offer kindness instead of an insult. Beside him, my stepmother Diane wore a cold smile. My half-siblings—Mason, Claire, and Lily—glanced at their phones, grinning as if sharing an expensive secret.
Dad cleared his throat. “We’ve booked a trip to Italy. Just the five of us. You understand, right?”
I raised my eyes from breakfast. “The five of you.”
Diane smiled wider. “It’s a family bonding trip.”
I nearly laughed. “I’m not family?”
Claire rolled her eyes. “Don’t make it dramatic, Ethan. You
