This New Year's Day was my first time back—to the apartment I'd paid to renovate, helped pay off. Those two years had been bitter and exhausting, but I never complained. As long as I was contributing to Raymond's happiness, to the family, it was worth it.
They were my blood. This was my sanctuary.
Now they were telling me docking at this sanctuary required an exorbitant fee.
My sacrifice. My sincerity. The family bond I took such pride in.
All of it—a sick joke.
Raymond seemed stunned, unable to meet my gaze.
I didn't let him look away. "Raymond, I paid for the renovation. Five thousand dollars a month for two years toward your mortgage. If I cared about money, would I have poured everything into this family?"
Shame flickered across his face.
Before he could respond, Diana cut in.
"Sarah, what exactly do you mean? Trying to settle old scores?"
She crossed her arms. "Yes, you put up money, but this apartment is under your brother's name. It's our marital home. You paid, we're grateful—but business is business."
She gestured dismissively around the room. "You came back to live here. Water, electricity, food—aren't those expenses? We charged market rate. Not a penny more. Do you really have to be so petty?"
Rage turned my blood to ice. My fingertips tingled.
Emboldened, Raymond nodded. "Yeah, Sarah. You can't use the past to dictate the present. You volunteered to pay for the renovation and mortgage. We accepted the favor. We thanked you."
His face hardened. "But even siblings settle accounts clearly. You're living in my house, so you pay. Only natural."
Accepted the favor.
Only natural.
I sucked in a breath, forcing down bile. The betrayal tasted like ash.
Slowly, I turned toward Margaret—my mother—who had remained silent throughout.
"Mom." My voice came out a whisper. "Do you agree with them?"
Growing up, she'd always favored me. In winter, she'd warm my freezing feet against her chest. When I got good grades, she'd slip me extra pocket money—don't tell Raymond. Whenever we argued, she'd stand by my side, scolding him for bullying me.
I needed her to speak. To tell them they were wrong.
She was the one person I believed would always be in my corner. Her opinion mattered far more than Raymond's or Diana's.
Margaret looked up and sighed heavily.