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They Spent My Lifeline

They Spent My Lifeline

Short Story · Emotional Realism
By:  Mimi WinterrestCompleted
Language: English
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8Chapters
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Synopsis

Familial Bond

Feel-Good Story

Plot Twists

Biological Family

Male POV

From the time I could count coins, my parents hammered one lesson home—if a boy did not start saving young, he would never have enough to win himself a wife. They opened a bank account in my name, vowing that money would only ever flow in, never out. And so, every birthday bill and crumpled allowance found a home in that card. I kept funneling every hard-earned paycheck into that same old account even after I moved to the city to chase my own future. At that point, that habit was done more out of reflex than reason. However, I was blindsided by acute kidney failure after years of working myself to the bone. Suddenly, that money was not just savings—it was my lifeline. My dad's voice trembled on the phone. He claimed he had forgotten the password and urged me to just take out an online loan for now. I hauled myself to the bank, my feet still shaky from my dialysis treatment. I clutched my ID, determined to file a loss report and reset the password myself. The teller's words froze me in place. "Sir, this account was emptied six months ago." Panic surged through me. I demanded a full printout of every transaction. The statement of the most recent transfer glared up at me from the paper, stating, "Wedding fund for our precious daughter, Natalia Callahan, plus the down payment for her luxury car."

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1 They Called It Borrowing

When my brain registered what I was reading, I immediately gripped the bank statement so hard that my knuckles turned white. My grip continued to tighten as my nails threatened to break skin.

A piercing ring flooded my ears, swallowing the bustle of the bank lobby until it all faded into a distant blur.

My body trembled uncontrollably. I desperately dialed my dad's number, my eyes wide and wild.

The phone rang for quite a while before he picked up. I could hear laughter in the background. I could vaguely hear voices and the sharp slap of people playing cards.

Then, my dad's familiar voice came, slow and languid. I could tell that he was talking with that faint smile he always wore. "Hey, Noah, what's with the call in the middle of the day? I'm a little busy right now. What is it? You feeling homesick?"

I parted my lips, but all I could taste was the metallic tang rising in my throat. My voice came out hoarse and ragged. "Dad, where's the 800,000 in my account? What does this transfer note mean by 'Natalia's luxury car down payment'?"

The noise on his end stopped for a second. Then, his tone shifted. Now, he sounded annoyed and condescending, sounding not unlike those uppity adults when they spoke with a child they think was overreacting.

"Oh, that's it? And here I thought something serious had happened. It's for your sister. She's about to get engaged, and the groom's family insisted she show up with a car nice enough to make a statement. I needed the money.

"I figured you'd be fine if I took some from you since you don't even have a girlfriend. Besides, you're not getting married anytime soon. What's the problem of me taking some of your funds just to help your sister out?"

I shot back, "Is that what 'borrow' means in this day and age? You took every dollar I had without telling me!"

I drew in a shaky breath. Before I knew it, tears streamed down my cheeks before splattering the cold marble floor.

"Dad, I have acute kidney failure. I need that money now. I'll die without it!" My voice broke free, rising so sharply that strangers in the lobby turned, their curious eyes landing on me.

Unfortunately, my dad sounded unruffled. There wasn't even a single fluctuation in his tone as he sighed and slipped into that familiar, maddeningly calm lecture he reserved for moments he thought he was being the voice of reason.

"Noah, you've always been dramatic. What do you mean you're going to die? Don't talk like that, and don't believe everything doctors tell you. They just want to scare you into spending more money.

"You're a grown man. You've always been healthy. You're probably just worn out from working too hard. Right now, your sister's engagement is the most important thing in this family.

"What do you think is going to happen to her big day if you take the money back and make us return the car? Do you really want to be the reason her marriage falls apart before it even begins? You're her big brother. You've always been the sensible one.

"You've always cared about Natalia the most. Haven't you?"

"Dad, I'm not making this up. I'm serious. I might not survive this time." My tears blurred everything as I pleaded, searching for any trace of fatherly warmth in his voice.

He replied blandly, "Alright, I know life's been hard for you out there. Here's what you should do: borrow a loan or ask some coworkers for help. I'll pay you back after your sister's wedding, and we'll get some of the wedding money back.

"I'll also take you to the best hospital for a full checkup, and your mom will make you something nice to help you recover. Okay? Be good. So, listen to me and don't make things harder for the family right now."
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8 Chapters
Chapter 1 They Called It Borrowing
When my brain registered what I was reading, I immediately gripped the bank statement so hard that my knuckles turned white. My grip continued to tighten as my nails threatened to break skin.A piercing ring flooded my ears, swallowing the bustle of the bank lobby until it all faded into a distant blur.My body trembled uncontrollably. I desperately dialed my dad's number, my eyes wide and wild.The phone rang for quite a while before he picked up. I could hear laughter in the background. I could vaguely hear voices and the sharp slap of people playing cards.Then, my dad's familiar voice came, slow and languid. I could tell that he was talking with that faint smile he always wore. "Hey, Noah, what's with the call in the middle of the day? I'm a little busy right now. What is it? You feeling homesick?"I parted my lips, but all I could taste was the metallic tang rising in my throat. My voice came out hoarse and ragged. "Dad, where's the 800,000 in my account? What does this trans
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Chapter 2 My Sister's Dream Car, My Death Sentence
The call disconnected right after that.He never once asked if I was in pain, or even cared enough to find out which hospital had given me the verdict.A vicious nausea twisted inside me. I staggered to the nearest trash can and spat blood, the taste sharp and metallic on my tongue.I used to think my parents loved me. Perhaps they didn't love me as fiercely as they loved my sister, but at least they loved me enough to matter.Now, the truth was as clear as day. I had only ever told myself that story to keep the loneliness at bay.My vision blurred. As the world faded, my father's gentle warning echoed in my ears, 'don't make things harder for the family right now.'...I woke to a hospital bill shoved in my face.A stranger had called the ambulance, but I couldn't afford to linger. So, I tore out the IV and walked out.I wanted to keep living, if only to look them in the eye and demand what my life meant to them. Survival became my only rebellion.I dragged my half-dead self
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Chapter 3 My Last Fifty Thousand
I looked at the three of them.One face wore a mask of affection, but I could see the calculation flickering in the eyes. Another radiated authority, never even bothering to hide her heart of black ice. The last seemed guileless, but her eyes shone with a quiet cruelty.They didn't shout or raise a hand. Instead, their gentle and honeyed words all told me one thing. They wanted me to disappear forever.A bitter laugh escaped me. Whatever fragile ember I had left inside was finally snuffed out."I'm tired." I spoke quietly. "I want to go lie down.""See? That's more like it," my dad said with a sigh of relief, his smile returning to his face. "That's my boy. You've always been the reasonable sort. Go ahead, get some rest. You'll feel better afterward."I returned to the room that once belonged to me, now overflowing with Natalia's belongings. I was now a stranger in my own room. Everything in here was so alien that I could barely remember the time I'd spent here.Home had become
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Chapter 4 They Celebrated While I Died
The door clicked shut behind me, sealing away the house's warmth and the laughter that waited just beyond the door.I stood shivering in the biting wind, clutching the 200 dollars as if it could shield me from the cold.This was the price of my dignity, paid for by my parents with the currency of my life....That day marked a milestone for the Callahan family: Natalia's engagement party, the house overflowing with guests and laughter.Meanwhile, I never made it to the hotel. I needed one last glimpse of the family I had poured my life into. I wanted to witness their happiness without me.My body grew heavier with every passing minute, my legs turning to concrete beneath me.A stabbing pain in my lower back made it nearly impossible to stand straight. Every step was agony. I felt like a mermaid in those Grimm Tales, feeling as if I was walking barefoot on broken glass.Natalia's gleaming car caught my eye just as I passed a luxury hotel downtown.I glimpsed the ballroom aglow
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Chapter 5 My Ashes Came Home
The cheers rose to a crescendo inside the hotel.Natalia wrapped her arms around her fiance, their kiss sparking another wave of jubilation. My parents glowed with pride, their smiles shining as if they ruled the world.Fireworks burst overhead, crowning the happiest, proudest moment of their lives.I lay curled up next to a dumpster in the alley behind the hotel, taking my last breath. In my hand, I still held the unclaimed 200-dollar transfer.Snow fell heavily, swiftly enveloping my fragile frame.It resembled a white blanket, softly hiding my pain, humiliation, and the ugliness I've had to endure in life.That was how my story came to an end, buried under the falsehood that they loved me.Natalia's engagement party had been a grand success, and my family, the Callahans, became the talk of the entire neighbourhood overnight....The next morning, my dad sent me a message through his pounding hangover.It wasn't to ask how I was feeling or where I had slept the night before
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Chapter 6 They Threw My Ashes Away
My father instinctively took a step back. Instead of reaching for the box, he let out a sharp cry."What? Dead? That can't be! He was perfectly healthy just days ago! He even sent money to his sister! Are you certain you've identified the right person? Or is that little troublemaker working with you to con me out of more money?"Those words washed over me, leaving only emptiness behind.So, this was how my parents saw me. I was someone so desperate that I would bribe the police just to swindle them out of a few dollars.One officer took a deep breath, clearly struggling to control his anger. "The medical examiner confirmed the cause of death was end-stage acute kidney failure complicated by severe hypothermia."In simple words, he died from exposure to the cold. When his body was discovered, he was curled up next to a dumpster in the alley behind the Grand View Hotel."Only a single wall separated my cold, lonely end from their warm celebration that night.A heavy, suffocating s
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Chapter 7 Blood Money on Wheels
I eventually understood why my soul lingered on this mortal plane. I was meant to watch their reckoning play out before my eyes. When Natalia's fiance, Aiden Porter, learned of my death, he visited our house to express his sympathies to my parents. A stack of papers in the corner snagged his attention. He scooped them up, curiosity growing as he flipped through each page. They were bills and records for Natalia's car, Natalia's house, and various major purchases. However, every payment was made from an account under my name, Noah Callahan. Aiden's instincts kicked in right away. 'Something's off. Why has Noah covered all the major expenses in that family?' He kept reading. Then, he found my diagnosis report stating in black and white that I had been suffering from acute kidney failure. The dates on the report matched almost exactly those on the bills. As my body failed, my family quietly drained my savings to buy Natalia a car and a house. The realization hit Aiden so
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Chapter 8 Their Punishment Began
Natalia survived the fall. Perhaps the heavens decided that death would be far too merciful an end for her. However, she was imprisoned in the driver's seat, unable to escape. Her legs were a mangled mess that was beyond saving. The crash also shattered her kidneys, leaving her body to fail from within. The doctor at the hospital told my parents, "Your daughter is in critical condition. Her kidneys are nearly nonfunctional. Without a transplant, she probably won't make it through the month." "We'll do it! We'll do the transplant!" my dad exclaimed, falling to the floor and gripping the doctor's coat. "Doctor, I have the money! I have a car! We'll pay for her treatment! All of it! Just save my daughter!" The doctor sighed and shook his head. "This isn't about money. It's about finding a donor. Kidneys are in very short supply at the moment, and the wait could take years. The only reliable hope is for a match within the family." He flipped through the file and casually adde
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