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Chapter 6
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IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 9
"Your brother has no restraint when it comes to money. Every month, he blows through his entire paycheck in just a few days! And your sister is even worse. She spends all her allowance, then secretly charges purchases to my credit card!" Dad griped."No one is keeping track of the household expenses anymore. The budget is a complete mess, and everyone's just fighting all day. Your mom has thought it over, and she wants you to put your studies here on hold and come home to manage the finances and run the house."Seeing my expression darken, Dad quickly added, "Your mom and I realize our mistake. From now on, you won't have to sign IOUs anymore. Whatever your siblings have, you'll have too!"I scoffed inwardly.This wasn't them missing me at all. They just missed having someone at home who would work tirelessly, without complaint, and for free—someone they could control and manipulate however they liked.Dad offered the paper bag to me. "Your mom specifically prepared these pastries
IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 8
A few days later, the college administration informed me that someone claiming to be my mother had contacted the office asking for my apartment address.I immediately told the staff that if any of my family members came asking for my information again, they were to refuse outright.But the next day, when I arrived at the coffee shop, I found Sam standing right by the door. His eyes were reddened, and he was still wearing the same designer suit Mom had bought him last year."Mom bought me a plane ticket and specifically sent me here to convince you to come home. She said she had been too hard on you before, and now she really regrets it.""She doesn't regret being too hard on me," I said flatly. "She just regrets losing her personal punching bag."Sam opened and closed his mouth several times, but he couldn't come up with a single rebuttal."I'm not going anywhere with a person who spread lies about me," I continued. "None of you deserve me."Hearing that, he fell completely sile
IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 7
The day our midterm grades were posted, my paper received the highest score in the entire class.After class, several students gathered around my desk, asking about my research and writing process.In the past, no matter how well I did on my exams or how many chores I completed at home, my parents always found a way to belittle me and tear me down. Sam and Jill would often deliberately exclude me and mock me, too.For the longest time, an innate sense of insecurity followed me everywhere, and I was terrified to strike up conversations.Now, having peers come to me for advice, the inferiority that had weighed me down for so many years began to melt away bit by bit.That evening, after finishing my shift at the coffee shop, I walked to a street bench and sat down. I bought myself a hot dog and loaded it up with a generous amount of hot sauce.Back when I still lived at home, even asking for extra sauce meant signing an IOU. But now, with the money I had earned myself, I could eat w
IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 6
I stood there frozen as a deeply buried childhood memory suddenly resurfaced.Back in elementary school, our teacher had assigned us to write about the meaning behind our names.Excited, I brought my assignment home and asked Mom.She was washing Sam's toys at the time. Without even looking up, she answered me dismissively."When you were born, everyone at home was swamped, so we sent you off to live with your grandma in the countryside for a few years. You eventually felt like a complete stranger to us—like there were miles of distance between us. To keep things simple, we just named you Miles."Growing up, no one in my family had ever complimented my name. They only used it to tease me about the distance between the rest of the family and me.Now, hearing a simple compliment from a classmate I had only just met sent a bittersweet warmth spreading through my chest.I lowered my head and quietly said thank you, then slowly sipped my hot cocoa.…The next day, I officially star
IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 5
Dragging my suitcase behind me, I took a taxi straight to the airport.My phone was still blowing up nonstop with notifications from the family group chat.I found an empty seat by the window in the departure lounge and opened the chat group.The tide in the group had completely turned. The very relatives who had sided with my parents and criticized me earlier had all changed their tune.Aunt Becky was the first to send a long message."What kind of mother keeps a ledger and makes her own son sign IOUs for his medical bills and IV treatments?"Uncle Trevor followed with a voice message, his voice fuming with rage."You two used to complain to everyone how wasteful Miles was with money. Turns out you were just twisting the story all along. Who wouldn't be completely heartbroken over this?"A cousin chimed in as well."When I was a kid, I personally saw Miles hand over his Christmas money to his parents. Then they'd turn around and use the money to buy Lego sets for Sam."I scr
IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out Chapter 4
I looked at my parents' expressions. I thought at least one of them would say something to stop me.But after a long silence, Mom simply pulled an old notebook out of her bag. She flipped to a page, and rows upon rows of dense handwriting came into view."You want to threaten us with cutting ties? Fine. Then let's settle the accounts first."With that, she spread the ledger open in front of me."Every penny you've asked us for since you were little is written down here. You think you've been treated unfairly? Then let's look at the facts."Sam ducked behind Dad and rolled his eyes. "Who doesn't know how calculating you were even as a kid, Miles?" he said, scoffing. "As soon as you got your Christmas money, you went sucking up to Mom and Dad. And now that you're not getting anything out of it, you want to cut ties with us? Since when can you put a price on family?" "Let me tell you something, Miles—the more you behave like this, the more Mom and Dad will look down on you!"I c
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