The Daughter You Left in the Dust

Synopsis

In my parents' eyes, my brother was their only child. When he won math competitions and my essays were praised by teachers, Mom would only say, "Don't get cocky. Your brother is the only one who's truly talented." When I was fifteen, they sold everything they owned to take my brother to a top college abroad. Before they left, I knelt on the floor and begged them, "Please take me with you. I don't want to be alone." My father didn't even look back. "You're just mediocre. Taking you would be a waste of money, and we can't afford any more dead weight." Just like that, I was left behind with my grandmother. Twenty years later, they returned. My brother had cut off all contact with them. They were old, sick, and in need of care. They tracked me down and demanded to move in, telling me it was time I fulfilled my duty as their daughter. As I closed the door in their faces, I only said one thing.