Chapter 1

I hit the $100 million lottery jackpot. I came home for the holidays, ready to share the news with my family.

But Mom beat me to it with an announcement of her own:

"I sold the rental property for top dollar! I'm giving Derek two million, and Jessica two million!"

She glanced at me sideways.

"You'll stay here with me. Take care of me in my old age."

I was confused.

"What about me? What's my share?"

She frowned impatiently.

"That's four million total. It's already been split... Family resources should go to those with the most potential."

"You're just a high school dropout with no future. How dare you compare yourself to them? Derek has his Ivy League PhD, and Jessica has her MBA from a top business school. Only they deserve it."

I clutched the lottery ticket in my pocket and asked:

"So if you become worthless in my eyes, does that mean I don't have to care for you when you're elderly?"

Mom shot to her feet and pointed at my head, screaming:

"Clara, you ungrateful brat! Over some money from selling a property, you won't even care for me in my old age!"

I sat there, looking up at her. "You abandoned me first!"

"How did I abandon you? Didn't I raise you? Didn't I pay for your high school?" Mom's expression turned dark.

I actually laughed, I was so furious.

"Mom, you left me with Grandma when I was in elementary school. I only came back after Grandma passed away when I was in middle school."

"When I started high school, all you gave me was a set of used bedding from Jessica. I paid for tuition and living expenses myself by working summer jobs and part-time gigs."

When I was in kindergarten, Mom forced me to complete the entire elementary school curriculum.

But in my last year of kindergarten, I couldn't grasp physics and chemistry no matter how hard I tried.

Mom pointed at my nose and called me mentally challenged with an IQ of only 70. Said I couldn't hold a candle to Derek and Jessica.

She tossed me aside like garbage to Grandma's place in the countryside.

She decided I had no potential and wasn't worth investing in.

Mom still looked down at me with that condescending attitude:

"Didn't I visit you in the countryside? Didn't I bring you food and clothes?"

My nose stung and I felt even more hurt:

"When I was in the countryside, you visited once a month. Each time you brought 15 loaves of bread and some hand-me-downs."

"Did you really think half a loaf of bread a day was enough to keep me full?"

"I followed Grandma around collecting cans and recyclables just to barely put food on the table!"

"And those old clothes you gave me—did you think they even fit? I got made fun of by my classmates all through elementary school!"

Mom rolled her eyes. "You're just holding a grudge! Don't you know I was teaching you to be resilient and work hard!"

"Besides, I fed you, didn't I? How is that not raising you?"

Hearing this made me even angrier:

"You raised me? By making me do endless chores every day just to earn scraps of leftovers?"

"You raised me? By sending Derek and Jessica to extracurricular classes while I collected recyclables to save up for my own textbooks?"

Mom glared at me again. "Their IQs are almost 140. Can you even compare?"

I broke down crying. "Just because my IQ isn't as high as theirs, I don't deserve to be your child?!"

Mom remained unmoved. "Cut the drama! The fact is they're better than you and more valuable."

"Mom! Enough!" I completely lost it.

Mom snorted and sat down, crossing her arms. "You idiot, go wash the dishes in the kitchen. Don't distract Derek and Jessica from studying!"

I wiped my tears and looked at my brother. "You think this is fair too?"

Derek glanced at Mom and mumbled, "I... I don't know, don't ask me... I just do what Mom says."

I laughed bitterly and turned to my sister. "What about you?"

Jessica frowned and stated flatly, "I listen to Mom too."

"Besides, that property was Mom's. She can distribute the money however she wants. I respect her decision."

I laughed again, but there was no humor in it.

I slowly stood up, clutching the multimillion-dollar lottery ticket in my pocket, and looked at them:

"Fine. You all respect her, so I will too. I won't fight over that money."

I took a deep breath. "But if you're taking all the benefits, don't expect me to care for her in her old age."

"Let's cut ties from now on!"

The moment I finished speaking, Mom jumped up and slapped me hard across the face:

"You ungrateful brat! You're just being bitter because you don't want to care for me, aren't you?"

"Get out of this house right now!"