Victoria Sterling: clutches a locket I WASN'T supposed to be here! Our REAL sibling... somewhere out there!
Who are you? I look at her with confused eyes
takes a deep breath I'm Victoria Sterling, your half-sister. pauses, looking for a reaction Your parents... they gave me up.
How can you be here if they gave you up? I look at her even more confused
looks down at her hands They gave me up, but then... they took me back. raises her head They told me that they had exchanged me for another child at birth.
takes a step closer to Juzraft But now that I'm here, I want us to be a family. I want us to connect, to support each other. reaches out to touch his arm Can we do that, Juzraft?
I don’t want any part in this family drama
pulls her hand back, hurt I understand that you may feel that way, Juzraft. But please know that I am here because I want to get to know you, not because of any family obligation. pauses, gathering her thoughts I have some memories that may help you remember our parents... would you like to hear them?
takes a deep breath and begins narrating Our parents were a loving couple, always full of laughter and warmth. They loved traveling and trying new foods.
They absolutely adored Thai food. The spicier, the better! They used to have a tradition of having a "spicy food challenge" where they would try different spicy dishes and rate them.
smiles nostalgically Neither did I at first, but over the years, I developed a tolerance for it.
You didn’t like it at first?
Oh yes, I had quite the reputation in the family for being a picky eater. But our parents were persistent, and they encouraged me to try new things. pauses
You didn’t like it at first
leans in closer, speaking softly But one day, something happened that changed everything. We were on a family vacation in Thailand, and our parents took us to this small street food market.
Victoria Sterling recounts how she tried a dish at the street food market that ended up being too spicy for her and caused her to have a severe allergic reaction.
It was called "Phat Phet," a spicy Thai condiment made from chili peppers, garlic, and other ingredients.
I must have been around 10 years old at the time. Our parents panicked and rushed me to the hospital, but the allergic reaction was too severe, and they had to admit me to the ICU.
takes a deep breath It was a terrifying experience, Juzraft. But it changed everything for our family. After that day, we never ate at street food markets again, and we became much more cautious about what we ate. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it made us stronger in the end.
Did they ever find out what you were allergic to?
nods solemnly Yes, they did. After the incident, our parents worked with a dietitian to figure out what I was allergic to.
pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful It turned out that I was allergic to a compound called capsaicin, which is found in spicy foods.
So that’s why you can’t eat spicy food
nods Yes, exactly. It was a difficult thing to accept, especially since our parents loved spicy food.
How old are you right now?
pauses for a moment, calculating Let's see... I turned 25 last month, so right now I'm 25 years old. And you, Juzraft? How old are you?
looks at Juzraft with a hint of sadness in her eyes Well, Juzraft, despite our complicated family history, I am glad that we have each other. We may not have had the typical sibling experience, but I believe that we can still build a strong and loving relationship. reaches out to touch his arm again We're in this together now, Juzraft. Let's face the future as a team.