บททั้งหมดของ Refund Warrior: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 9

When I got back to the dorm, there was a bag of bread on my bed.Mia Wilson sat cross-legged on her chair. "What Jack is doing isn't livestreaming. It's selling something. And that something is you."I said nothing. I tore off a piece of bread and stuffed it into my mouth. It was close to its expiration date. The moment I swallowed it, my stomach cramped sharply, and I bent over, bracing myself against the corner of the desk.Mia was startled and dragged me to the campus clinic.The doctor pressed on my stomach, then glanced at my age on the registration form, his expression complicated."You have chronic gastritis, and you've also been having low blood sugar lately. Go pay at the front desk, then pick up your preion."The medication cost $18.I stared at the payment screen for half a minute before closing it.The moment I stepped out of the exam room, Dad called. The first thing he asked was why I hadn't accepted Jack's apology statement."Jack took time off work and came all

Every month, Mom transferred $10,000.Dad gave $2,000 to Jack, leaving $8,000. The numbers matched perfectly, like a production line that had been laid out long ago.Everyone in the family had their assigned role. I was the only product dissatisfied with its treatment off the assembly line.Mom video-called me that night. She kept her voice low, probably afraid of waking her employer."Brielle, don't send those documents anywhere yet. Your dad was just being foolish. Men have business pressures. Playing a few rounds once in a while is normal.""$8,000 a month for six months, and you call that once in a while?""He's still your father."I asked her, "Then what about the $1,800 Jack took?"Mom paused. "Jack has a girlfriend. He needs money. When he gets married and buys a house, which of those things won't cost money? You have financial aid at school. You can get by if you spend less."And besides, the family will have to rely on Jack to support us when we're old."I understood

The livestream audience was still growing, but this time, the comments weren't attacking me anymore.They kept asking the same question over and over: "Where did that $18,000 actually go?"Jack finally reached out to pull the screen-sharing cable. His hands moved faster than the comments, but his reaction was one step behind the truth.Mia had been monitoring the stream from the table next to us. She immediately used a backup account to save a recording of the livestream."Enough!" Dad shouted from the screen. "Jack is at a critical point in his career right now! So what if he spent a little of your money? Once he makes something of himself, do you really think he won't take care of you?"I clicked to the next page."Did any of you ever ask me whether I was willing to sacrifice what I have today to invest in Jack's future?"I displayed the messages Dad had sent me over the past six months."You spent $4.60 on lunch? What did you eat?""Stomach medicine isn't a necessity. Stop

The next day, I received a transfer.The memo contained the words: "Enough. Stop this."I stared at it for a long time before accepting the payment. It was my money. There was no point refusing it just to prove I had principles.The last thing a poor person should pretend is that money means nothing.I saved the deposit record and replied: "Money received. I'm still checking the accounts."She called me almost immediately."I gave you all the money. What more do you want?" There was exhaustion in her voice, along with a sense of grievance.As though returning the money should automatically erase the harm they had caused."I want you to publicly admit that the $18,000 was a lie.""Brielle, I already made up the money to you.""This is money you owed me. It was never a favor."She fell silent. "Then what else do you want?""From now on, don't touch my accounts. Don't decide who my money should go to. And don't use my name to prove that we're a family.""I'm your mother.""T