All Chapters of The Vanishing Allowance: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

When my younger brother, Leo Miller, got into college, my parents made a deal.Dad would transfer his $10,000 monthly allowance directly to me. My job was simple, send every last cent straight to Leo’s campus card account.I did it every single month, right on schedule. Not a single penny short.I was sitting at the coffee table, grinding through project files, when the front door flew open.Leo slammed his way inside. He hurled his backpack onto the floor, his face twisted in raw fury."I'm so sick of this!" he yelled. "$1,000 a month is a joke! I'm starving at school. I can't even buy snacks, and my roommates are making fun of me!"I looked up from my laptop, completely baffled.I sent him $10,000 every month. Why on earth was he claiming he only got a thousand?Seeing me focused on work, Leo stomped over and crouched beside me."Chloe Miller, my phone is completely trashed," he said. "Give me a few grand so I can get a new one."I frowned."It's only the seventh of th

I sat at the breakfast table the next morning, swallowing back my frustration while trying to figure out how to address the elephant in the room.I had barely scooped a spoonful of oatmeal into my bowl when Leo chimed in from across the table, his tone dripping with sarcasm."Some people have nerves," he sneered. "Stealing allowance money and still showing up to eat."I tightened my grip on my spoon. "I didn't take your money."The words had barely left my mouth when Mom yanked the bowl out of my hands and dumped it straight into the dog dish.She glared at me with pure disgust. "You steal your own brother's allowance to splurge on yourself, and you still have the audacity to eat my food? Have you no shame at all?!"The rage I had bottled up all night finally burst."I told you, I didn't take it! I sent Dad the transaction receipts every single month! I'll show you right now!"I reached into my pocket for my phone.Leo leaned back, watching me with a cold smirk. "Who'd belie

Right below each $10,000 deposit, a recurring auto-debit of $9,000 went out just minutes later.The recipient's name was printed in black and white.[Angela Zach.]My parents hovered over the screen, their eyes shrinking in total bewilderment."Angela Zach? Who the hell is that?!"Leo had been standing there acting smug and entitled, but the second he heard that name, every drop of color drained from his face. He scrambled forward, trying to grab my phone.Grandma hurried to her feet, dusting off her trousers as she pushed her way into the center."Angela Zach?! Is she a friend of yours, Chloe? Did you team up with some outsider to steal your brother's money?!"I let out a cold laugh and glanced up at Leo, who was practically squirming in his skin."Ask him. He knows her very well."Every head snapped toward Leo.His eyes darted around the store, his fingers frantically pulling at his shirt hem. He stammered for a while before squeezing out a response."I... I know her."D

Not a single person offered me a real, sincere apology.They knew they had wronged me, but in their eyes, family meant swallowing your pride and taking the hit.I stopped expecting them to find a conscience. Getting the bare minimum was enough.Without wasting another glance at their conflicted faces, I turned, walked into my bedroom, and slammed the door shut.Outside, Dad’s explosive scolding continued to ring out, punctuated by Grandma's endless, heavy sighs.True to his word, Dad transferred the exact amount for my laptop repair the next day. But he didn't give Leo a single extra dime for his monthly allowance.The family had clearly decided to punish him, hoping to teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget.As I was heading out for work the following morning, Leo blocked the front door, cutting me off.His face was still bruised, but the delusional fantasy in his eyes hadn't faded one bit."Chloe, can you please transfer me some cash?" he begged, standing right in front of th

At the police station, Leo was still idiotically insisting that he gave her the money voluntarily and that Angela wasn't to blame.Mom had already been suffocating from days of anger and stress. This final shock sent her straight to the hospital with acute exhaustion.When Dad got back home from the station, his suppressed fury finally exploded. He showed no mercy and beat Leo black and blue.During my lunch break a few days later, I bought some fresh fruit and went to visit Mom in the hospital.The ward smelled heavily of disinfectant. Mom lay in bed, looking drawn and exhausted. The second I walked in, she got straight to the point."Chloe, look at the state of our family. This $250,000 debt is crushing us. You must have some savings saved up. Take it out and help your brother clear his debt."I set the fruit basket on the bedside table, keeping my voice calm."I can't give you that money. Leo got into this debt because he lost his mind trying to impress a girl. It has nothing