Chapter 2

After she finished, she glanced at me. "Cassandra, you can't blame us for playing favorites. It's your own fault for not being married."

Kevin jumped right in. "Exactly, sis. If you brought a brother-in-law home for me, you'd get two draws too."

I sneered inwardly. It all sounded better than a song.

Who knew what nasty little scheme they were cooking up.

My dad cut them off. "Enough, both of you. Cassandra, you're the older one, you draw first."

I declined with a smile. "Ever since we were kids, he's always been the first to get the good things. Let Kevin draw first this time too."

My mother's face went awkward, her smile slowly fading.

My dad was quick on his feet. He clamped a hand down on the box. "Fine. Kevin, you go first."

Kevin didn't draw right away. Instead, he set up his phone on a stand to record.

"We're all family here. Whatever we draw, good or bad, it's all luck. Nobody gets to turn on anyone, and nobody gets to welch on it. The video's our proof."

He looked at me. "Right, sis?"

I really wanted to see what game they were playing, so I nodded along. "Sure."

Only then did he reach in, feel around for a bit, and pull out a slip of paper, grinning. "Let's see how lucky I am!"

The slip unfolded slowly, and my heart climbed right up into my throat.

"Startup support fund, one million," Kevin read softly, his face lighting up.

Irma clung to his arm, thrilled. "Honey! You've got such good luck!"

"Your turn, sis." Kevin watched me, amused.

My dad's hand had never once left the back of the box.

I slid my hand in through the opening, then held it there inside the box for two seconds.

Five? I felt around again. There really were five.

Kevin had drawn one, so by rights there should only be four left.

What did this extra slip mean?

I was almost certain the remaining slips in that box all said the same thing.

But I still only drew one.

What if they didn't? I clung to one last sliver of hope.

I unfolded the slip. Written plainly on it: "Mortgage payment, 1.26 million."

A slight shudder ran through me, and I forced myself to stay calm.

I'd figured I'd draw some consolation prize, or at worst walk away without a single cent.

I'd never counted on anything anyway.

I never imagined my dear parents meant to chew me down to the bone. My trembling fingers nearly tore the slip to pieces.

Kevin took one look and immediately burst out laughing. "Hahaha, holy crap… big sis! Your luck is one of a kind in this whole world."

"That one was for Dad himself, actually. Didn't expect you to draw it away."

Irma couldn't hold back either. "Heh… sis, you really are lucky."

My mother's tense expression finally eased. "Cassandra, you're the advertising director, three hundred thousand a year. A little mortgage like this won't be a problem for you, right?"

The rage in me was already jammed up in my throat. My whole family, ganging up to scheme against me.

And acting like they were entitled to it.

But I had no proof, and blowing up now would fix nothing.

"Why should I be the one to pay it?" I forced the words out through gritted teeth.

"I put down the down payment! I haven't lived in that house a single day, and I've paid more toward that mortgage than all of you. And now you want me to cover the other million-plus?"

Every eye in the room snapped to me. Kevin's face darkened. "You drew it yourself, so who's there to blame? We've got it on video, so don't even think about welching."

My mom rushed to play the sweet one. "Cassandra, aren't you the successful one? What's wrong with giving your brother a hand? You're his sister."

"You're almost thirty and still not married. Your brother's wife is pregnant, and Kevin doesn't have a real job. Later on, when you settle down and start a family, we'll help you the same way, won't we?"

Kevin sprawled on the sofa like some deadbeat, leisurely lighting a cigarette. "Don't worry, sis. Once I make it big, I'll help you out too."

The veins in my neck were pounding. Him, make something of himself? A spineless freeloader living off his parents.

Since you don't treat me as family, then I don't need to bother with family ties either.

This mortgage — wasn't it an opportunity, too.