After cutting ties with my family, I'm doing better than all of youChapter 1
On the eve of my engagement, I handed over a payroll card with $300,000 in savings to my family with both hands.
Mom counted the zeros without even lifting her eyelids, then let out a snort of laughter.
"You've calculated this pretty precisely."
My chest tightened. "What do you mean?"
"You bring back this little bit of money and want to play the hero. Retirement, medical bills—are you planning to just dump all that and never care again?"
She flung the card into my face, eyes full of wariness and disgust.
"Not like your sister. She didn't want a single dollar and just went with someone—that's real character. Not like your cold-blooded scheming, using money to buy out family ties. Stop always throwing money at people like it proves how capable you are. You reek of it."
The sharp edge sliced the corner of my eye. Blood ran down my cheek.
I covered the wound and slowly bent to pick up the card.
It wasn't like that.
The truth was, I had severe depression. That $300,000 was the retirement money I was leaving them—because I wasn't planning to live past this winter.
1.
"Georgia Coleman, cut it out with the pathetic act. Three hundred thousand? Who are you trying to brush off, a beggar?" She crossed her arms. "Isn't that Colin Delgado running a company? I heard the bride price he gave was several times this number. You've climbed up to a high branch yourself, and you bring back this little bit—are you trying to buy off us poor relatives?"
Pain shot through the top of my foot. My chest twisted tight. Blood smeared my vision as it ran along my eyelids.
"Mom, this is everything I saved from five years of work… and part of it is from Colin too. It's all here. For your retirement…"
"Pah!"
Spit landed by my foot.
"Retirement? Your dad and I aren't dead yet! Already cursing us to need coffin money?" She grabbed my collar, the smell of kitchen grease hitting my face. "Your sister is still drifting around out there, and you're the one who's great—locking the money under 'retirement.' You're just guarding against her, afraid she'll benefit from you even a little!"
"Mom! Georgia's back?"
The front door slammed open. Caroline rushed in wearing a hip-hop coat, carrying two bags of fruit. Her face was frozen bright red. Behind her trailed a man with bleached yellow hair.