Chapter 3
"Here's the invoice from the financial advisors—eight hours, 15 thousand dollars," I said.
"This is the prepayment slip from family counseling—twenty-four sessions, 60 thousand dollars.
"This is the consultation fee from the law firm—70 thousand dollars.
"And this is the phone invoice.
"Every expense is clearly itemized," I added.
Francis didn't reach for them. His hands hung at his sides, his fingertips trembling.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Haven't we always been fine? Why did you hire a divorce attorney?"
"Is it just because I gave Karen 420 thousand dollars?
"Sirena, when did you become so ruthless, so unreasonable?"
I looked at him, silent for a long time.
"Francis, do you honestly think this is the first time?
"Over the past five years, how much money has your sister taken from our family? Don't you really know?"
He didn't say a word, just pressed his lips together.
"I've done the math for you," I said.
"In the second month after we got married, Karen claimed her computer was too slow and needed a new one—she took 10 thousand dollars."
"Six months later, she said she wanted to go on a trip abroad—she took 15 thousand dollars."
"In the second year, she said she wanted to start a dessert shop—she took 70 thousand dollars."
"In the third year," I continued, "she claimed her dessert shop was losing money, and she was feeling depressed, so she wanted to travel around Europe to clear her head—she took another 100 thousand dollars.
"Then in the fourth year, she said some so-called financial guru scammed her, and she lost 170 thousand dollars.
"Just in the first half of this year, she came up with all kinds of excuses and took nearly 240 thousand dollars from you.
"And now, add this latest 420 thousand dollars.
"That brings the total to 1.03 million dollars."
I gently placed the stack of receipts on the kitchen island.
"And that's just the big transfers I could track down. I haven't even counted all those smaller amounts you sent her every now and then—one, two, ten thousand dollars at a time," I said.
"If you add it all up, it's definitely over 1.2 million dollars."
"Our total savings over five years? 1.4 million dollars."
"Your sister alone has almost wiped us out."
As I rattled off the numbers, Francis's face turned even paler.
"Those... those were all emergencies, times she really needed help..." he tried to defend himself.
"She's my only sister. If I don't help her, who will?
"My parents are getting older and their health is failing. I'm the only son—if I don't step up, who will?"
"Yeah, you sure stepped up," I nodded.
"You use our hard-earned money to cover your sister's mess, and you say it like you have every right to.
"But what about me? I'm my parents' only daughter. When they got sick and needed money, did I ever ask you for a single dollar?
"Last year, my dad had heart bypass surgery in Berwick. The whole thing, including the hospital stay, cost almost 70 thousand dollars. I used up all my savings from before we got married, and even borrowed 20 thousand dollars from friends just to make it work.
"Did I ever bring any of this up to you?"
Francis was completely speechless, just staring at me with a look that was both unfamiliar and chilling.
"You really never asked, not even once," I said.
"Your mom, Andrea, did call once—just offhandedly asked how my dad was doing.
"I told her he was fine, the surgery went smoothly.
"But the very next day after my dad's surgery, you sent your sister Karen 15 thousand dollars, because she had her eye on a Hermès bag."
I turned and walked back to the living room, settling onto that Italian minimalist sofa—the one I insisted on getting when we first got married. It cost 20 thousand dollars.
"Francis, I didn't just start thinking about divorce today," I said.
"This idea has been spinning in my head for three years straight.
"Ever since the third year, when you said you wanted to help her start a business and gave her 70 thousand dollars in one go, I've lost count of how many times I've thought about it.
"But every single time, I forced myself to hold it back.
"I kept telling myself that once we had kids, everything would magically fall into place.
"I stupidly believed that if we ever got our own place, things would finally start looking up.
"And I even fooled myself into thinking that once your sister grew up and got her head on straight, things would actually change."
I looked up, my gaze drifting across the empty living room and landing on him. He was still standing there, rooted to the spot at the kitchen doorway like a statue.
"But in the end, I never got it," I said.
"That 420 thousand dollars was the last straw that pushed me over the edge.
"No, it wasn't just a straw—it was a whole mountain, one that suffocated me and drove me to the brink.
"It showed me, plain as day, that in your heart, Francis, your sister Karen will always come first.
"Your mom Andrea is always second in your heart.
"And what about me? Where do I stand?"