My Sister’s Idol, Our Family’s Nightmare

An internationally famous actress sparked controversy after attending an exclusive Crazy Horse show for the social elite. People online couldn’t stop talking about it. Why would a star of her stature take part in such a degrading performance? My younger sister, Chloe, was furious. “How can they say that about Emily? They’re just jealous!” She posted a nude photo of herself online, with only her hair covering her private parts. The caption read: “Standing with Emily! Long live women’s freedom to dress however we want!” “Lily, take a look at this!” My roommate, Megan, hurriedly sent me a link. “Isn’t this the actress your sister loves?” I opened it, and a familiar, beautiful face filled the screen. It was her. Emily. Emily was my younger sister Chloe’s favorite actress. According to Chloe, Emily had grown up poor. Her parents favored their other two children, and she’d never had enough food or warm clothes. Yet Emily had managed to escape that life. She’d gone from a kid in the slums to an international star. You could call her rise a miracle. A legend. Chloe talked about Emily so often during our phone calls that even my roommates knew she was a fan. The article had bright “HOT” and “TRENDING” tags beside it. I read it carefully from beginning to end. Basically, Emily was taking part in an event called the Crazy Show. I’d never heard of it before, but fortunately, the article explained it in detail. The Crazy Show was an overseas production featuring women chosen for their exceptional looks and figures. The performances were daring and provocative. Nudity and revealing outfits were their main draw. Tickets were almost impossible to get, and the audience consisted mostly of the rich and powerful. One detail stood out: a famous singer had once revealed on a TV show that she’d performed there too. She’d given other women a warning. Unless they had absolutely no other choice, they should never take part in a show like that. The article was only a few hundred words long, but it took me ten minutes to finish. I started worrying about my sister. How would she react when she heard? She’d loved Emily for years and always looked up to her. I was afraid she’d be devastated. To my surprise, Chloe wasn’t upset when she heard the news. Instead, she was… angry? “How can they do this?!” Even over the phone, I could feel her fury. I tried to comfort her. “Don’t get worked up yet. Maybe Emily has her reasons.” “Lily, what are you talking about?” Chloe sounded confused. “I’m not blaming Emily!” “Huh?” Now I was the confused one. I’d assumed Emily’s decision would break Chloe’s heart, but apparently not. “Those people online actually have the nerve to question her decision! Who do they think they are?” Chloe kept ranting. “I get it now. They’re just jealous, so they’re trying to smear her. Otherwise, why isn’t anyone supporting her? Why isn’t anyone congratulating her for getting into such an exclusive event?” For a moment, I had no idea what to say. My sister actually seemed proud that Emily was taking part. “Chloe, do you know what the Crazy Show is?” I asked. “Of course I do!” She sounded incredibly pleased with herself. “It’s the most exclusive show in that country. They only invite women with amazing faces and bodies, and everyone watching is rich or powerful. This is the most prestigious event Emily has ever been part of!” For a moment, my own sister felt like a stranger. “Chloe, do you understand what kind of show it is? Emily won’t just be singing and dancing. She’ll be taking off—” “Oh my God, I know. She’s taking her clothes off. So what?” Chloe didn’t sound bothered in the slightest. “Doesn’t that just prove she has a great body? Besides, women can wear whatever they want now. What’s wrong with showing off your figure? Don’t tell me you think Emily’s decision is wrong too.” “Yes,” I said. “I do think it’s wrong.” The other end went silent for a moment. Then Chloe hung up on me.Megan had been sitting beside me and had heard our entire conversation. She gave me a worried look. “Lily, are you okay?” She’d only sent me the article out of concern. She’d thought Chloe might be heartbroken. That she might cry. Neither of us had expected Chloe to support Emily’s decision. Or to think it was right and feel proud of it. “Am I getting old? Am I that out of touch with teenagers?” Megan muttered. That was exactly what worried me. Chloe was only fifteen. She’d just finished middle school and hadn’t even started high school yet. I’d always believed a good role model could give fans healthy values and inspire them. I used to be relieved that, out of all the celebrities in the world, she’d chosen someone as accomplished as Emily. Chloe had started liking her back in fifth or sixth grade. Now she was about to enter high school. She followed every new song Emily released. She knew what Emily liked to eat and what she hated. She even loved the brand of hand cream Emily used. But it seemed Chloe had never really known who Emily was. “I’m so glad I’ve never been obsessed with celebrities.” Megan was indignant on my behalf. “It’s just like people say online. You can know someone in real life for decades and still not see their true colors. How could you possibly know someone through a screen?” Then she tried to reassure me. “Don’t worry too much. Your sister’s loved Emily for years. It makes sense that she can’t let go overnight.” “Give her a few days to calm down. Maybe she’ll come around.” “I hope so,” I said. If my college hadn’t started the semester early, I could have stayed home with Chloe. After turning it over in my mind, I sent Mom a message. I asked her to keep an eye on Chloe for the next few days and make sure she didn’t do anything extreme. Somewhere deep down, I had a bad feeling.Over the next few days, the arguments online only grew more heated. Almost all the comments were against Emily. Nobody understood why an international superstar would insist on doing a show like that. Someone of her stature didn’t need it. More importantly, she’d gone from a woman who’d worked her way to the top to someone willingly becoming a stripper. Even casual observers couldn’t accept it, much less her fans. In just a few days, she lost followers in droves. Occasional comments supporting her were quickly buried. I thought that would be the end of it. “Lily, your sister’s missing!” I was lying on my dorm bed playing a game when Mom’s message came through. I shot upright. Then my phone rang. “Mom, tell me exactly what happened.” I opened WhatsApp to request emergency leave from my classes while I listened. Mom was crying. “Your sister’s been upset about that actress for days. Last night, she went straight to her room without even eating dinner.” “I just got home from work and saw that she hadn’t touched the breakfast I left her, so I went to check her room.” “But she’s gone. I keep calling, and she won’t answer.” My parents had divorced years ago because of Dad’s drinking problem. Mom had been granted custody of both Chloe and me. She’d worked herself to the bone raising us. We mattered more to her than her own life. Chloe’s disappearance had completely broken her. “Mom, try not to panic.” I did my best to comfort her. “Go to the police right now. I’m getting permission to leave, and I’ll be home as soon as I can. We’ll find her together.” I’d deliberately chosen a college close to home so I could come back every weekend and help Mom. After I explained the situation, my adviser approved my leave without hesitation. Megan said, “Go. I’ll handle anything that comes up here.” I gave her a grateful look. I didn’t even stop to change. I grabbed my phone, portable charger, and wallet, then rushed home.It was already getting dark when I reached the police station. Mom was sitting on a bench outside, crying into her hands. I ran over and wrapped my arms around her. “Mom, it’s okay. I’m here.” Despite her distress, she forced herself to explain. “The police checked the cameras. They don’t think your sister has left Northside yet. They’re still going through the footage.” I knew they’d done everything they could in the hour they’d had. “Mom, you have work tomorrow. Go home and get some rest.” She clutched my hand, her eyes wet with tears. “No. What if your sister’s in danger? I have to find her.” I knew she was too worried to rest. “Mom, listen.” I held her hand and spoke softly. “Work already wears you out. What happens if you collapse from exhaustion? I’ll ask Ethan to help me look. I promise I’ll bring Chloe home safe.” Hearing that Ethan would be with me seemed to ease her mind. She reminded me to be careful. Ethan Bennett and I had grown up together. His parents and mine had all been childhood friends. Their little group of four had eventually turned into two couples. Even after my parents divorced, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had stood by Mom. Decades later, their friendship was as strong as ever. Ethan’s semester hadn’t started yet. He was playing basketball in our apartment complex. When I called, he didn’t even stop to change. He jumped on his bike and came straight over. I’d just finished leaving my number with the police when he called to me from outside. I hopped onto the back of his bike. “Riverside Park!” I had no idea where Chloe was. All I could do was check the places she usually went.A breeze brushed past us. I could smell Ethan’s sweat, but I didn’t so much as wrinkle my nose. “What exactly happened to your sister?” he asked. He’d watched Chloe grow up too. When she was little, she’d followed him everywhere, calling his name. I gave him a quick explanation. His brow furrowed. He sent Chloe’s picture to his friends’ group chat and asked them to let him know if they saw her. Then he swore. “Has she lost her damn mind?” Ethan rarely insulted people so bluntly. Under any other circumstances, I might have found it surprising. “I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I just hope nothing’s happened to her.” He snorted. “Maybe a little trouble would teach her a lesson. You and your mom spoil her too much. That’s why she thinks she can do whatever she wants.” I had no words. I pinched his waist hard. His hands jerked on the handlebars, and the bike nearly tipped. “Stop! We’re going to fall!” I let go and leaned against his back, trying to think of anywhere else Chloe might have gone. By then, it was almost completely dark. Older people sat around Riverside Park chatting over drinks. The running track was full of walkers and joggers. I showed Chloe’s photo to everyone I could. After an entire lap, not one person had seen her. I sank onto the grass, exhausted. For the first time, I felt completely defeated. “What are you thinking about?” Ethan pressed an open bottle of ice water against my cheek. The coolness eased some of the heat. I sat up and leaned against him. A long drink helped calm my nerves. “I’m thinking about how useless I am. If I’d noticed something was wrong with Chloe sooner, maybe none of this would have happened.” Chloe wasn’t easy to get along with, and she didn’t have many friends. That was part of why she was so devoted to Emily. She’d once told me Emily was what kept her going. “This isn’t your fault,” Ethan said. “She’s fifteen. Don’t assume kids that age don’t know anything. She understands more than you think.” “Come on. There are mosquitoes everywhere, and you’re wearing shorts. You’ll get eaten alive.” I took his hand, and he pulled me to my feet. “Where next?” I thought for a moment. “Forest Internet Café.”