Chapter 1

When I drew the $126,000 mortgage in the family raffle, everyone laughed.

My own brother even forced me to sign an agreement to pay off the mortgage, but what they didn't know was that this would become the key step in getting my house back.

Later, they knelt on the floor and begged me to spare them just once, for the sake of family.

I said calmly, "I stopped having a family the moment you set me up."

Section 1

I'd just closed a $150,000 advertising deal.

Right then my mother messaged me saying this month's mortgage still hadn't been paid, and asked me to front $5,600, promising to pay me back next month.

I looked at our chat history. Aside from asking for money, there was nothing else.

When I didn't reply, she sent another line: The house back home is getting a light-rail line built, it's going to be bought out. Three hundred thousand total.

Don't worry, once the buyout payout comes in, I'll pay you back everything I owe you too.

Oh, and come home for the Thanksgiving family reunion. It's been so long since we all had a meal together.

I still didn't reply, staring off at the pothos on the windowsill.

A light-rail line back home? How had I never heard of it? Were they lying to me, or deliberately keeping it from me?

I dug out my phone and called a college classmate of mine who now worked at the city planning department.

"Bruno... is there a light-rail line going in at 63 Dickerson Village?"

"Cassandra, you're pretty well-informed, huh? You even know about that. Yeah, there really is a plan like that."

"But don't get too excited... it could still be adjusted."

"Okay... got it, thanks. Let me know if anything comes up." I hung up.

So Mom and Dad hadn't made up a lie to trick me after all.

For the sake of family, I transferred her the $5,600, with the note: September mortgage, paid on her behalf.

She sent back a voice message, all cheerful: "Cassandra, come home early for Thanksgiving, there's a surprise."

A surprise? As long as it wasn't a nasty shock. As long as they stopped squeezing me dry, I'd thank my lucky stars.

After all, the crown prince of the Dickerson family was my brother, Kevin.

Thanksgiving came around fast. I gave my staff a few instructions and hurried back.

In my hands I carried a few boxes of premium health tonic, some ginseng supplement someone had given me, and the high-end holiday pies my company had handed out.

I pushed open the door. Mom and Dad were busy in the kitchen, while Kevin and his wife sat on the couch scrolling their phones.

Expensive fruit was laid out on the coffee table, the peels tossed all over it.

"Babe, isn't this watch nice? Only eighty-eight hundred..."

"Sis is back? What'd you bring?" He darted over and snatched the gift boxes out of my hands.

Then he started rummaging through them. "The health tonic's not bad, but the ginseng's probably farm-grown, right?"

"Holiday pies? A dog wouldn't even eat these!"

I glanced at him and said nothing.

He'd been spoiled rotten by my parents. Anything good in the house always went to him first, which was why he'd grown up this arrogant and overbearing.

I peeked into the kitchen. The food looked pretty good today, fish and shrimp.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mom, Dad." I slipped each of them a five-hundred-dollar red envelope.

They didn't turn it down. My mother told me to help with the cooking. "Irma's pregnant, so put in the work, would you."

I looked over at Irma. Her feet were propped up on the coffee table, her hair freshly styled, her nails done up nice—she didn't look pregnant at all.

Soon the food was on the table.

We'd barely taken a couple of bites when my dad picked up his wine glass. "It's Thanksgiving today, the whole family's together. Let's play a little game to liven things up."

Right on cue, my mother carried out a box draped in black cloth from her room.

"You've all heard our place is getting bought out soon. Three hundred thousand is more than your mother and I could ever spend. Inside this box is how the buyout payout gets split up. Whatever you draw is what you get."

"Every one of you gets a chance."

Irma feigned surprise, sneaking a glance at me. "Me... can I do it too?"

My mother smiled gently. "Of course. You're part of this family too."