All Chapters of They Love My Money, Not Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Not a single person had replied.A moment later, Mom texted me."Forgot to mention, your dad's been craving some banana bread."I knew what she was doing. She was testing me, checking to see if I'd noticed that message.My fingers flew across the screen."Why, Mom? I'm your son too. Your own flesh and blood. Why does getting married suddenly make me an outsider? Don't you love me anymore?"But in the end, I deleted every word. All I sent was, "I've got something tomorrow. I'm not coming."The moment the message went through, Mom called again. The second I picked up, she launched into me."What is wrong with you? Saturday dinner is a family tradition. How can you just not show up?"I don't care what you have going on. You're coming to dinner!"I couldn't hold it in anymore. I shouted back at her. "Mom, I saw the message you sent."The other end of the line went quiet, but only for a second before she recovered."That was an accident. I sent it to the wrong person. And beside

Chapter 2

Brooke could always tell right away when something was off with me. Her expression shifted immediately, and she asked in a rush of concern, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"And tomorrow's the family dinner too. Why are you here tonight?"I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.Brooke and I had been married for two years, and she had been nothing but good to me. We lived in different cities because of work, and she used to make the trip to see me every weekend.She never complained, not even when my family treated her like she was invisible at those dinners. Lately, her job had gotten so demanding that she could barely carve out any time for us at all.I didn't say anything. She seemed to understand what had happened without needing me to explain, and she didn't push.The next morning, Brooke was up early. She called in to work and told them she was taking the day off so she could spend it with me.She made me my favorite breakfast—scrambled eggs, pancakes, and crispy bacon.

Chapter 3

We were sitting in the pool at the spa when I turned to Brooke and asked, "Do you know what I like to eat?"She didn't even have to think about it."You like your eggs over easy with hot sauce on the side. You love a good steak, but it has to be medium rare because you always overcook it when you grill your own.You're a big fruit person, but only if someone cuts it up for you first. And you put hot sauce on basically everything."I stared at her. She remembered every single detail."How do you know all that?"She smiled and nestled into my arms. "Because you're my husband, dummy. Because I pay attention."So that was what it felt like to have someone actually care.The contrast only made my family's indifference cut deeper. To them, I was just the son who left. I was an outsider, nothing more.On Sunday evening, I headed back home. Brooke's words at the station were still echoing in my head."Don't try to shoulder everything alone. You've got me."When I got home, I spotted

Chapter 4

I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.Mom's eyes went wide. "What are you doing?""Calling the police."Her face drained of color and she lunged at me, trying to grab the phone. "Don't you dare!"I stepped out of her reach and said into the phone, "I need to report a trespassing and an assault."Dylan's expression changed. "Alan, have you lost your goddamn mind?"I ignored him and gave them the address.The police showed up ten minutes later. A group of neighbors had already gathered in the hallway to watch. When the officers questioned Dylan, he was still trying to talk his way out of it."I'm his brother! Since when is it a crime to discipline your own family?"The officer frowned. "I don't care who you are. You put your hands on someone, that's assault."Mom started crying. "Officer, please, this is a family matter. It's really not that serious."Dad spoke up too, his tone noticeably softer than before. "The boys got a little carried away. We'll handle it at home. Sorry t

Chapter 5

My phone didn't stop ringing the whole time I was packing, but I didn't look at it.I already knew the rotation. It would be Mom crying, then Dylan cursing, then Jenna with her passive-aggressive jabs. After all these years, I knew the playbook by heart.I turned the phone off and the room went quiet. I looked at my half-packed suitcase and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me.It had been two whole years of this. Every Saturday, I woke up early to go buy everything the family wanted to eat. By the time I finished making the rounds, half the day was gone. And when I got to my parents' house, nobody so much as poured me a glass of water.Dylan would be sprawled on the couch playing video games, Jenna would be in the bedroom scrolling through her phone, and Mom would be watching cartoons with Tyler.Dad would be out on the balcony fussing over his plants, only turning around long enough to ask, "Did you get the shrimp? Make sure it's fresh."It was just me, alone in the kitchen

Chapter 6

I took the phone from her. Mom had just put up a post. The photo was of the living room in my parents' house, a few dishes spread out on the coffee table.It wasn't a big gathering, just Mom, Dad, Dylan, Jenna, and Tyler. The caption read, "Family dinner. Everyone who matters is here. Life goes on just fine without the ones who don't show up."There were already a dozen comments underneath, all relatives and neighbors chiming in with likes and sympathy."That's right, all that matters is being together as a family.""If certain people don't want to come, let them stay away. Their heart clearly isn't in this family anymore.""That's what happens when a son moves away. It's just how it goes."I handed the phone back to her. "Let her do what she wants."Brooke hesitated. "Where's your phone?""In my bag. I haven't looked at it.""You should. She posted more than one thing."I dug my phone out of my bag and turned it on. The notifications flooded in all at once. There were 47 m

Chapter 7

"You're lazy and you've never held down a real job. How many years do you think your wife put up with that?" I shot back.Dylan's face went scarlet and he came at me with his fists up. "Say that again, you son of a bitch!"I braced myself."Stop!"The shout came from the doorway. Brooke was standing there, and the look on her face was terrifying.She crossed the room in a few quick strides and shoved Dylan back. He stumbled and staggered several steps before catching himself."Get out," Brooke said.Mom blinked, then quickly plastered on a smile. "Oh, sweetheart, you're home. Perfect timing. We should all sit down and talk this out as a family.""I said, get out." Brooke spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice low but leaving absolutely no room for argument.Dylan straightened up. "Who the hell do you think you are? This is between our family. Stay out of it."Brooke looked him dead in the eye. "I'm his wife, and this is my home. If you're not gone in the next ten seconds,

Chapter 8

"The whole town's been talking about it. She can't even step outside without people staring and whispering," Brooke said.I sat there in silence until my phone suddenly rang. It was a number I didn't recognize, but the area code was from my hometown. I hesitated for a moment, then picked up.A few seconds of silence, and then I heard Mom's voice. "Alan..."I didn't say anything. She started crying, hard."Alan, I was wrong... Your brother's been arrested, Jenna's gone, the neighbors won't stop talking about me... I know I was wrong, I really do."Alan, please come home and see me. You're all I have left."I listened to her sobbing and felt nothing. It wasn't that I'd stopped being angry. I was just numb.When I finally spoke, my voice was completely calm. "Mom, do you remember when we were kids and Dylan used to take my things? You told me he was older, so I should let him have them."When he hit me, you said he didn't know any better and I shouldn't hold it against him."Wh

Chapter 9

Dylan was still in jail. He never even got to say goodbye.Dad's funeral was a quiet affair. Only a handful of old neighbors and distant relatives showed up. Mom sat through the whole thing in a daze, not saying a word.After the service, I went back to the house with her to sort through what was left. The apartment had been gutted by the fire, the walls blackened with soot from floor to ceiling. Mom walked into the bedroom and started digging through the wreckage.She eventually found a metal box, warped from the heat but still possible to open. Inside were photographs of me as a kid, a few of me and Dylan together, and a family portrait.She handed me the portrait. In it, Dad was still young, Mom was holding me, and Dylan stood beside us."Things were good back then," Mom said.I took the photo and remained silent.That night, I stayed with her at the hospital. She was in bed and I sat beside her. She woke up suddenly in the middle of the night and looked at me."Alan, do y

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP