Chapter 4

The hotel ballroom was packed with guests.

Ethan's family, our friends, and our colleagues had all arrived.

But the tables reserved for my family were mostly empty.

Ethan squeezed my hand. "Do you regret it?"

I shook my head.

The seeds of regret had been sown years ago. Today was just the harvest.

To my surprise, just before the ceremony started, my parents showed up anyway.

Helen was wearing a fancy dress I had bought for her, and Richard had a grim look on his face.

Austin followed behind them like he was ready to start a fight.

After the vows, it was time for the parents' speeches.

Richard took the microphone, but instead of offering blessings, he glared at me.

"Today is my daughter's wedding. We should be happy. But there are some things I must say."

He raised his voice so the whole room could hear. "Just for a house, she dragged her own brother to the police station and threw his family out on the street. Is this how a sister should behave?"

The crowd gasped.

Helen snatched the microphone, tears streaming down her face. "Chloe, I know you think I've been unfair to you."

"But your brother was struggling. What's wrong with helping him?"

"I’m apologizing to you in front of everyone, okay? Do you really have to embarrass our family like this on your wedding day?"

The guests began to whisper. Some looked sympathetic, while others just watched the drama unfold.

Austin shouted from below the stage, "Chloe, do you have to be like this? Are you happy now that you've humiliated our parents?"

Ethan stepped forward to stop them, but I pulled him back. I walked to the center of the stage myself.

Taking the microphone, I looked at the crowd of people whispering.

"I wanted today to be just about blessings, but since they brought it up, I have some things to share."

I smiled at my parents. "Mom, Dad, I actually prepared a special gift for you."

Hearing this, their eyes lit up.

Austin looked up expectantly, probably thinking I was finally backing down and giving him the house.

I took out my phone and connected it to the projector.

Images, bank transfer receipts, and Snapchat screenshots flashed across the giant screen.

"These are my bank transfers over the past seven years. I sent $500 to my parents every single month, plus an extra $1,000 to $2,000 for holidays. It totals over $60,000."

"This is the $15,000 I gave Austin for his wedding and apartment renovation."

"This is the $3,000 gift I gave when his baby was born, plus the $200 I sent monthly for baby formula for two years."

"And this is when I wanted to buy my own house. My mother texted me saying the family had no money and told me to figure it out myself."

"My down payment was $100,000. Every single dollar came from my own savings and Ethan’s."

"And finally, this is the 'solution' my mother offered after Austin stole my master bedroom. He gets the master bedroom, and she pays me $50 a month."

The ballroom fell dead silent. My parents' and Austin's faces drained of all color.

Ignoring them, I continued, "Since we were kids, Austin got whatever he wanted. I had to work for every single thing I owned."

"I thought if I worked hard enough and gave enough to this family, I would finally earn your love and fairness."

"But today, I finally realize that in your eyes, I will never be anything more than a cash cow to be sacrificed for your golden boy."

I looked directly at my parents, speaking clearly into the mic.

"As of this moment, I am legally and personally cutting ties with Richard, Helen, and Austin Miller."

"From now on, your lives, your sickness, and your deaths have absolutely nothing to do with me."

"And not a single cent of my estate will ever go to you."

`[This is the paywall]`