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An Unfounded Debt

An Unfounded Debt

Short Story · Emotional Realism
By:  Perfect TimingCompleted
Language: English
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10Chapters
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Synopsis

Family Emotions

Face Slapping

Regret

Hypocrisy

Bias

Familial Bond

Plot Twists

Just because I refused to help my nephew, Albert Wesley, pay for his wedding, my very own sister took me to court. When my sister, Jocelyn Guthrie, appeared in court, she wept as she spoke. "I worked myself to the bone, taking every job I could find just to support your college education. I endured endless humiliation, and it even ruined my health." "You have an annual income of a million dollars, yet you won't even spare a fraction to help me! You're even talking about cutting ties with me? Do you even have a conscience?" Seeing me sitting in the defendant's seat, unmoved, she trembled as she revealed the grotesque scars covering her body, even pulling out a disability certificate. "I was even injured because of you. I was struck by a falling object at a construction site, leaving my leg permanently disabled. Now... I can't support my son anymore, so I'm asking you to repay the tuition. Isn't that the least you should do?" My mother, Samantha Lawrence, and my brother, Andrew Guthrie, nodded along, backing Jocelyn up, condemning me for my ingratitude. The entire courtroom erupted in anger, voices rising against me. "What a monster! Her education has gone to the dogs!" "Don't insult dogs! She's even worse than an animal!" "Three hundred thousand dollars is too little! Your Honor, she must repay it with interest!" Watching their righteous fury, I could only feel a bitter sense of irony. She claimed she had sacrificed everything to put me through four years of university. But the truth was... I had never even been to college at all.

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10 Chapters
Chapter 1
"Yara Guthrie, I gave you everything I had, and this is how you repay me?"Jocelyn Guthrie, my elder sister who once treated me like her own child, was shouting in court, completely losing all composure."I sacrificed everything for you! I'm only asking you to give up a small portion of your income to sponsor my son's wedding and for him to start a family, yet you won't even do that? Are you even human?"She was trembling from agitation, tears and snot running freely down her face.The people in the courtroom saw her patched-up clothes and deeply lined face, and their sympathy turned into sharp, condemning looks directed at me.Looking at Jocelyn, worn down by half a lifetime of hardship, looking more like someone in her sixties or seventies, I let out a helpless sigh."Jocelyn, I've told you so many times. I never went to college, and I never received a single cent of tuition from you."My grades were quite good when I was in my senior year of high school, but Mom said the fami
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Chapter 2
Faced with the sheer number and frequency of the transfer records, everyone in the courtroom was stunned."Isn't Yara an able-bodied adult? Couldn't she at least work part-time? What about student aid? This is just downright shameless.""She's treating her own sister like a walking ATM.""Alas… Nice people really do get taken advantage of. The sister was too kind and ended up sacrificing herself."Amid the rising chorus of condemnation, Jocelyn raised her phone."Even then, Yara was never satisfied. She would ask me for money almost every other day. Sometimes when I truly had nothing left, she would call and curse me out, saying that I was useless, and that I didn't even deserve to be called her sister."She pressed play.From the recording came my voice: sharp, venomous, and unrecognizable."Jocelyn, you work every day. How could you possibly have no money? Don't you dare pretend to be poor. If you do, I'll come to your workplace and make a scene, telling everyone you don't ev
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Chapter 3
Mom's words were met with nods of agreement from everyone there. The judge looked at me sternly."Yara, do you have anything to say for yourself?"When I remained silent, my younger brother, Andrew Guthrie, immediately jumped in to accuse me."Hmph, nothing to say, huh? Feeling guilty now? Let's see how you argue your way out of this now that we have witnessed and supporting evidence!"I let out a chuckle. "Nothing to say? Andrew, you should know better than anyone who actually took Jocelyn's money!"A flicker of unease passed through his eyes, but he quickly stiffened and shot back,"What nonsense are you spouting? Jocelyn sacrificed her health and money for your college tuition. Now, she's just trying to get justice for herself!"I sneered."Fine. Since you're so sure I went to college, why don't you tell everyone which college I attended? What major did I study?"He clearly had not expected that question.After a brief pause, he blurted out, "You've always resented Mom for
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Chapter 4
When Jocelyn raised the compensation amount, Andrew looked positively gleeful."That's right. A heartless ingrate like her deserves a proper lesson. We can't let her off easy!"Mom nodded solemnly."Jocelyn, you're doing the right thing. Otherwise, who knows what worse things she might do in the future?"My sister looked at me, her eyes filled with sorrow, her emotions spiraling out of control."Yara, the way you've squandered my hard-earned money… You might as well have stabbed me with a knife. Didn't you always say you wanted to cut ties with this family? Fine. I'll cut ties with you!"No matter how much I tried to explain, she refused to believe me. In the end, I let out a weary sigh."Jocelyn, I'll say it one more time. I never went to college. When I said I wanted to cut ties, I meant with this family. Not with you."Andrew sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. "Of course. How could you ever bear to cut ties with Jocelyn, someone you see as a walking ATM?"Seeing th
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Chapter 5
"So, after all that, she never even went to college? Then, where did all that money end up?""Could it be an error in the student records system? I've seen news stories about database bugs.""Did we misjudge her? Maybe she actually never took her sister's money.""That seems unlikely. Her own mother and brother both testified. Could they really be lying?"Faced with this sudden twist, the courtroom erupted into hushed discussion.At that moment, I took out an official letter of dropping out of school and handed it to Jocelyn."Look. I didn't even finish high school. How could I possibly have gone to college, and how could I have spent your so-called tuition money?"Jocelyn trembled. The belief she had clung to for years was beginning to crack."H-how is that possible?"No matter how hard it was for her to accept, the official seal on the letter, along with my name and photo, left her no choice but to believe it.She turned to our mother at once."Mom, didn't you tell me Yara
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Chapter 6
The crowd that had been mocking and cursing me just moments ago now split into two camps.One side still stood firmly with Jocelyn, convinced I had taken the money. After all, there were both witnesses and evidence.The other side began to defend me, sensing something was not right. After all, who would deny receiving money if it had clearly been deposited into their account?Some had already started to question the credibility of the so-called witnesses, our mother and Andrew.Under the weight of those probing stares, Mom's expression turned sour. She lowered her head and said nothing. Andrew did not even dare to meet my gaze.I let out a cold laugh and pressured her."Mom, weren't you just urging me to understand Jocelyn's hardships and to quickly repay the tuition? You were also the one who told her I was a promising student, so why are you suddenly silent now? Feeling guilty?"She stiffened her neck, clearly unwilling to back down. "What do I have to feel guilty about? Was
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Chapter 7
Mom could no longer hold back.She pointed at me and shouted hysterically, "Keep making things up! Go on! Yara, I never thought you'd fabricate a person who doesn't even exist just to escape responsibility!""I didn't make it up. This person is real," I explained."Who are you trying to fool? Who would just give you money for no reason, and why would you help someone you don't even know? Fine. If this person really exists, say their name!""I promised him I wouldn't," I responded."You won't say it? Did you all hear that? Her lies are getting more and more ridiculous."The judge put on a serious expression."Yara, let me make this clear. In civil proceedings, false statements not only interfere with the case but can also lead to severe legal consequences like fines, detention, or even criminal charges, with a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison."Hearing that, Mom grew even more smug."Think about it, everyone. Jobs are so hard to come by these days. Yara has no co
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Chapter 8
Everyone turned toward the voice.An elderly man walked in. He was simply dressed, yet he carried an unmistakable air of authority.He said calmly, "I was the one who funded Yara's MBA."Someone in the gallery immediately recognized him."Isn't that Lyon Grey, the chairman of Alpha Corp? The richest man in Hallor? What is he doing here?"Alpha Corp is the multinational corporation Yara works for. How could someone who didn't even finish high school have connections like that?"I had just opened my mouth to explain when Andrew burst out laughing."What a joke! She can't even get through the alphabet, and you're saying she went to study for an MBA? That's just ridiculous!"Mom quickly chimed in, "That's right, Your Honor. Even if she has the chairman backing her, you must judge fairly. You can't just take his word for it."The judge frowned slightly."This is a court of law, where things are handled in a fair, open, and impartial manner. Mind your words. Do not speak recklessly
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Chapter 9
The entire courtroom fell into silence.Albert was the first to break it, his voice anxious."If everything Mr. Grey said is true, then where did my mom's money go? I need it back. I have to get married!"I turned to look at Mom and Andrew as I replied, "You'll have to ask them."Everyone looked confused. No one could believe that the seemingly plain and unassuming mother and son could have taken over a quarter of a million dollars without a shred of conscience."Yara, this is a courtroom. Don't spout nonsense!"Mom, clearly flustered, pulled Andrew back a few steps.Andrew sized me up with a smug, streetwise look."Yara, you really know how to twist things around. An old man spending huge amounts of money on a young woman out of gratitude? Just think about it... Does that even sound believable?"I raised my hand and slapped him across the face."Andrew, you bastard! You're a lazy good-for-nothing living off others. After stealing hundreds of thousands from Jocelyn, you put t
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Chapter 10
At that moment, Albert raised one last objection."Then, what about those harsh, abusive words toward my mom? Weren't those said by you?"I shook my head."No, Albert. That wasn't me. That was your uncle, Andrew. He used AI voice synthesis to fabricate them. Even those messages your grandmother sent in my tone, they were all part of their scheme to frame me."With both testimony and evidence laid out, the truth was no longer in dispute.Following the leads provided by Lyon, the judge quickly gathered supporting evidence. Then, in a solemn voice, he delivered the verdict."After thorough investigation, the defendant, Ms. Yara Guthrie, did not receive a single cent from her sister, Ms. Jocelyn Guthrie, nor did she commit any act of illegal appropriation or extortion."The moment the gavel struck, it felt as if a weight lifted from my entire being.Jocelyn rushed toward me in tears, apologizing over and over."I'm so sorry, Yara. I was wrong to doubt you. I was so foolish… I shou
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