All Chapters of The ATM Daughter Retired: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

My fingers curled tight. I folded down my first finger."Come on, keep going." My cousin Tessa tried to save the mood.A few rounds later, it was Sophie's turn again."I have twenty grand in my account that Mom gave me separately. She said it's for my financial security."Her voice was soft, but it hit me like a blade.Our relatives kept looking between Mom and me.I put a second finger down. My fingers went ice-cold.Mom still wouldn't look up.The game kept going, but the vibe was off now.My heart slammed in my chest, every beat dull and heavy.Then Sophie spoke again, a smug edge creeping into her voice. "When I turned sixteen, Mom secretly took me to the biggest theme park for the day. Just us. She didn't tell anybody."Memories slammed into me.That day was my senior-year practice exam. When I got home, Mom and Sophie were gone.I called, and Mom said she'd taken Sophie to the library.So I studied alone in the empty apartment until late that night. I even made them

"Easy for you to say." I turned to her, my voice shaking. "Then pay me back. Give me my ten grand."The room went dead silent.Then—A slap cracked across my face.My ears rang. My cheek burned."Who the hell do you think you are?!" Mom's face twisted with rage. "Maybe it's time I reminded you who runs this house."She yanked out her phone and started furiously typing.A second later, my phone blew up.Messages flooded the family group chat.Voice Message from Mom: "Everyone come look at this. Look at the kind of daughter I raised. She goes to the city for a few years and suddenly she thinks she's too good for her own family. She came home just to demand money from me. I spent a little of her money and now she wants me to pay it back. After everything I've done for her!"Replies poured in right after, full of criticism and fake advice.I sank onto the floor and covered my face.Sophie crouched beside me, acting all concerned, and tried to help me up. I jerked my hand away.

"What are you talking about..." Mom forced a smile. "I'm sick. How am I supposed to think about this right now...""You could give Sophie twenty grand while you're sick. Why can't you give me six?" I didn't back down. "I'm your daughter too. Shouldn't we be treated the same?"Aunt Nora cleared her throat. "Marlene, you really gave Sophie twenty thousand?""That was... that was..." Mom's face went pale. "It was for Sophie's future. I just gave it to her early—""Then give me my six thousand early too," I cut in. "Seems fair, doesn't it?"Sophie suddenly shot to her feet. "Elayne, Mom's this sick and you're still pressuring her? Seriously? What's wrong with you?""What's wrong with me?"I turned to her, years of anger finally boiling over."Where was your decency when you two tried to trick me into cashing out my twenty-thousand-dollar CD? Where was it when Mom faked being sick and made me run around paying all her hospital bills? And where was it every time the best stuff went t

Mom froze.Her eyes dropped to the cardboard box in my hand, then snapped back to my face. Panic flashed across her expression. "W-Why are you carrying that?""I quit." My voice stayed flat. "Just like you wanted. I don't have a job anymore.""I-I didn't..." She stumbled over her words, then turned to the crowd. "I didn't want her to lose her job. I just wanted her to admit she was wrong! Where's her supervisor? I'll explain. I'll tell them I was joking—""No need," I cut in.Mom's face twisted with resentment. "This is all your fault. You did this. If you weren't so heartless, always so bothered by what I gave your sister, none of this would've happened. You're the one who tore this family apart."Heat rushed to my head.Twenty-eight years. Twenty-eight years of swallowing it, backing down, telling myself, 'She's Mom. She's struggling.'But not today."Bothered by what?" I let out a bitter laugh. "A room that was supposed to be mine? One birthday alone with my own mom? Basic

"Mom, isn't this a little—""A little what?" she cut in. "I raised her. Of course she should take care of me. Besides, she's successful now. Eight or ten grand means nothing to her. If I don't ask for more for you, what are you supposed to do later?"I closed my eyes as the world tilted around me.So that was the truth.Even now. Even dying. Even actually sick.She was still using me.My concern, my care, my money—everything was just a way to secure Sophie's future.Even my responsibility and competence had turned into excuses to make me her free caregiver.I pulled out the card with the twenty grand on it, stared at it, then let out a laugh.Right then, my phone rang."Elayne..." Her voice sounded weak and miserable. "W-Where are you? I want to see you... one last time..."I took a slow breath. "I'm downstairs at the hospital."There was a pause, then sudden surprise. "You're here? Come upstairs. I have so much I need to tell you—""No need," I cut her off. "I already hea