All Chapters of My Sister’s Instagram: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

I wanted a home where I could be myself without any pretenses. I wanted somewhere I would not have to walk on eggshells around other people.Reality struck me square in the face.Some people were simply born with a safety net.They could earn a low salary or even fail to make money because their parents would always have their backs.In my case, no matter how hard I tried, I could not even get a fair start.I took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and sent a message.[Mr. Jenkins, I’m willing to take on that overseas project you mentioned.]...By the time I returned home, it was already the early hours of the morning.To my surprise, the living room lights were still on. My parents were sitting rigidly on the couch. They even had dark expressions on their faces.Daphne was nestled close to our mother. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had just been crying.My father was the first to speak.He said harshly, “Oh, so you finally decided to come home?”I wearily slipped

In the past, although my salary was not very high, I consistently transferred money home each month. I covered Daphne’s incidental expenses which amounted to a significant, steady financial drain.That income had vanished abruptly. Compounded by the fact that purchasing that luxury apartment for Daphne had nearly depleted our family’s savings, their financial situation became immediately precarious.No matter how they tried to contact me, I completely ignored them.I knew this seemed cruel. But compared to over two decades of their dual exploitation, both emotional and financial, this level of “cruelty” was merely necessary self-preservation. I needed to make them understand, clearly and unequivocally, that the old me, the one who meekly submitted and gave endlessly, was gone.The current me had only one regret, which was not having fought back sooner.I still had some time before my departure abroad. I also knew they would never easily let go of their “cash cow.”Sure enou

I studied their faces. I had known them my whole life. At that moment, I did not recognize them at all.“You really think this will force me to give in?”I strode to the door and yanked it open.Just as I expected, Mr. Jenkins stood right outside. His expression was conflicted.“Mr. Jenkins, don’t worry. I won’t put you in a difficult position. Regarding my father’s accusations, I’m requesting an immediate internal audit to clear my name.”My father’s face turned pale.“Mr. Jenkins, this is a family matter. We’ll handle it internally.”Mr. Jenkins looked at me for a long moment before finally granting my request.“Lina, report to Finance for the audit. The overseas project is on hold until the results are in.”The audit lasted three days.During those three days, I stayed at a hotel near the company and cut off all contact with the outside world.The finance team remained professional throughout, but their scrutinizing glances still stung.Every single transfer record had t

I opened the email. It was from my mother.Between the lines, there was no trace of her former self-righteousness. Instead, there was a belated sense of remorse.It was because of this email that I learned about all the struggles my family had gone through over the past year.[Back then, we always said you were the strong one and that you could handle anything. Daphne was delicate; she needed looking after. So we gave her everything. We gave her all our attention and money, forgetting that you were our child too. We forgot that you also needed to be loved, and to be supported.[You must’ve felt so heartbroken on that day you saw your sister’s post. I’m only now starting to understand. It took me this long. And now it’s too late.[Lina, I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’m not after your money. I just... I need you to know that I know I was wrong. Terribly wrong.[You carved out your own future through sheer effort. I’m proud of you for that. We’re the ones who messed up. We lost