Betrayed by Blood The House That Stole My FamilyChapter 1
I stood by my parents' side, attending a wedding I had no desire to witness. The bride and groom were the "impoverished students" my parents had sponsored for years.
On the stage, the young couple choked back tears, voices trembling as they thanked my parents for their benevolence. It wasn't just tuition for high school and college. No, my parents' generosity had culminated in a commercial apartment worth over a million dollars—deeded entirely to them.
My father walked onto the stage and claimed the microphone, basking in the spotlight.
"Alex Woodward and Maya Swanson are exemplary young people," he announced, his voice projecting the authority of a tenured academic. "Their grades are excellent, and they possess the fortitude to endure hardship. I simply did my small part. I trust their future will only get brighter."
When the couple finally descended from the stage, I stared at them. Confusion curdled into something cold and tight in my stomach.
My mother noticed my gaze and leaned in, a flicker of guilt crossing her face. "Gabriel, think of the apartment as a loan. We wrote an IOU. They're about to get married—we couldn't very well let them sleep on the street, could we?"
I couldn't wrap my head around their logic.
"But that apartment..." My whisper came out harsh. "It was bought with twenty thousand dollars from Grandpa and Grandma, plus the twenty thousand I gave you. I'm dating someone too. Why didn't you consider *my* marriage?"
My father turned to me. His expression hardened into a mask of indifference. "You aren't married yet, are you? Besides, what we're doing is building good karma for you."
——
"Building karma for me?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Am I supposed to thank you for giving away my future?"
My mother tried to soothe me. "Gabriel, the apartment can be taken back. Don't worry about it."
"Taken back? How? With a flimsy piece of paper?"
My questions only fueled my father's irritation. He glared at me, eyes dark with warning. "There is a wedding happening right now. Do not cause a scene."
My mother chimed in, clearly thinking I was being petty. "Didn't you say you wanted to focus on your career? You aren't in a rush to buy a house. Besides, whether your relationship even works out is another matter entirely."
I stared at them blankly. Words failed me.