Chapter 1

Mom handed over my five-year savings to my cousin, Claire Grant, as her wedding gift.

"Claire's parents pave passed away. She's a poor girl. This 150 grand is just to help her look good," Mom said.

But when I got married, Mom only gave me an old envelope. "There's 600 bucks in there. Don't complain it's not enough."

I smiled as I took it. "Mom, between Claire and me, who do you really want as your daughter? Pick one."

Mom froze. "Are you crazy?"

*****

"Claire, take this card," Mom said.

I had just stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of freshly sliced fruit, when Mom said that.

When I spotted that familiar bank card, I was stunned.

It held all my savings from five years of work—a solid 150 grand.

Every cent was earned from endless late nights and weekends sacrificed, saved up little by little.

"Aunt Ella, this is too much," Claire said in a soft voice, barely pretending to refuse.

"Just take it," Mom pressed the card into her hand, speaking gently. "Your parents left early, so I'm just like your mom.

"Your wedding gift has to look good. We can't let your in-laws think any less of you."

I stepped forward, gripping the fruit plate so tightly that my knuckles turned white. "Mom, are you sure that's the right card? I think that is my card."

Even I was surprised at how calm I sounded.

The living room fell silent.

Claire cast a timid glance at me, and then at Mom.

Mom's smile stiffened for a moment, and then she frowned. "What's the difference? We're family, aren't we?"

I said, "I opened that card five years ago, and you said you'd keep it for me."

I set the fruit plate down on the coffee table with a crisp sound. "That card holds everything I've earned—my wages and bonuses from the past five years."

"Julia!" Mom raised her voice. "Claire is your cousin. She's about to get married, and her fiancé's family runs a business. If she doesn't have many wedding gifts, they'll look down on her."

"So you're going to use my money to make her look good?" I heard my own voice trembling.

During the past five years, I left home at seven in the morning and didn't get back until ten at night every single day.

At work, my boss made my life hell, but I gritted my teeth and endured it.

I pulled three all-nighters in a row for a project bonus, and I powered through.

I lived like an ascetic, saving every cent, just so I could finally buy a little place of my own.

And now, with a few words, Mom was about to hand all of that over to someone else.

"Why can't you be more considerate?" Dad's face turned serious. "Claire lost her parents, and it's only right that we take care of her. Money comes and goes, but once you lose family, it's gone forever."

I looked over at Claire.

She dropped her gaze, gently fiddling with the card in her hands, but there was a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips that she couldn't hide.

More than ten years had passed. Ever since Claire was ten, when her parents died in a car crash and she moved in with us, I'd watched this same thing happen again and again.

This time, it was my hard-earned savings from the past five years.

"Give me back the card," I said, holding out my hand to Claire.

She edged away, looking at Mom for help. "Aunt Ella..."

"Julia!" Mom stood up, blocking my way protectively. "Do you have to make a fuss today?"

"I'm not making a fuss," I replied, staring at the card. "I just want to take back what belongs to me."

"What do you mean, 'what belongs to you'? I raised you and let you stay at my house until you turned eighteen. This money is just you paying back for raising you," Mom snapped.

Those words pierced right through me, cold as ice.

Suddenly, I remembered when I was twelve, I burned up with a high fever.

Mom was with Claire at her piano competition.

I called Mom, and she said, "Just take some medicine and take a rest. Claire is about to go on stage."

It was our neighbor from next door who ended up taking me to the hospital. The doctor said if I'd waited any longer, I might've developed pneumonia.

I remembered the day of the SATs. Claire was freaking out, so Mom stuck by her side the whole time and told me to grab a cab to the exam center by myself.

The traffic jam nearly made me late. I was this close to missing it.

All these memories came flooding back, drowning me until I could barely breathe.

"Alright," I said, nodding and pulling my hand back.

Mom's face softened a bit. "That's better. We're family..."

"We're not family," I cut her off. "From today on, I'm done with this family. We're even. I'll find a way to get that money back."

Mom was stunned.

I turned around and went to my room to start packing.

Honestly, there wasn't much left to pack. Most of my things were already at the apartment I shared with Eric Cole. All I had left here were a few old clothes and some books.

From the living room, I heard them talking in hushed voices.

"Aunt Ella, is Julia mad? Should we give the card back to her?" Claire said.

"Don't worry about her. She's just throwing a tantrum. She'll be fine by tomorrow," Mom replied.

"But..."

"Don't worry. Just focus on getting ready for your wedding. This 150 grand is more than enough to make you look good. And your uncle will pull some strings to get you a nice car later."

I zipped up my suitcase and tuned them out.