Chapter 1

If you scrolled up through my chat with Mom, you'd find one payment link after another.

Normally, I would have quietly paid the $4,000 and moved on.

But this time, I decided to ask.

"Mom, are you sure you want this bracelet? The listing says all sales are final."

A little while later, she replied, "I'm sure. I really like this one."

I read the message and put my phone down.

I didn't pay.

The next afternoon, Mom texted me again.

"Claire, don't forget to pay for my bracelet."

I asked the same question.

"Are you sure? You can't return it once it's paid for."

This time, irritation crept into her reply.

"Yes! I'm sure! Just pay for it already. Why do you keep asking the same thing over and over? It's annoying."

I still didn't answer.

And I still didn't pay.

By the third day, Mom was furious.

She sent me a string of voice messages.

"Claire! What is wrong with you? It's been three days and you still haven't paid!

"You keep asking me the same stupid question. If you don't want to buy it for me, just say so. Nobody's forcing you!

"Forget it! I don't even want the stupid bracelet anymore. I'm sick of acting like I'm begging you for something!"

I listened calmly, then typed back.

"You're the one who said you don't want it. I didn't force you.

"Good thing I never paid. Otherwise, that would have been $4,000 down the drain."

Two hours later, Mom made a Facebook post.

The caption read: That's my sweet girl. Love you, baby.

The photo showed her wearing the exact gold bracelet she'd just told me she didn't want.

The comments were full of relatives telling her how lucky she was.

One of them wrote, "Gorgeous. Did your oldest daughter buy this one too?"

Mom replied with a pointed little jab at me.

"Not this time. I can't count on her anymore. She's gotten far too important for the rest of us. My younger daughter saw it on my wish list and bought it for me all on her own."

I stared at the comment, then opened my banking app.

Exactly as I expected, there was a $4,000 charge on the family card I'd linked to my account for Chloe.

Mom knew perfectly well whose money had paid for that bracelet.

Chloe had been out of college for years and had never worked a single day.

I'd paid for her food, clothes, bills, and everything else.

And every year, I'd raised the spending limit on the family card she used.

A wave of disgust rolled through me.

Without hesitating, I froze Chloe's card.

Less than ten minutes later, she called.

Her voice was sharp with panic.

"Claire! Put more money in your account or fix the card. My payment won't go through!

"Hurry! The guy I like said he'll date me if I buy him these limited-edition sneakers."

"Of course your payment won't go through," I said. "I froze your card."

She hung up before I even finished speaking.

I faintly heard her curse under her breath.

A few minutes later, Mom called.