Not My Family
[The story about my son cutting ties with us is all an act. If I hadn’t done that, there’s no way my daughter would have willingly handed over the money!]
During the long holiday weekend, I was killing time at my desk when I randomly clicked on a Reddit post. Maybe it was because I also had a younger brother who had cut ties with the family.
The night he slammed the door and left, my parents seemed to age ten years overnight. From that day on, I became their only source of support. Every month, I send them five hundred dollars for living expenses. Even when I wasn’t feeling well, I forced myself to work.
Meanwhile, the post kept updating.
[I raised her for over ten years. What's wrong with spending some of her money? Her brother is still short of fifty thousand dollars for the down payment on his house. We need the money before the holiday ends.]
I wanted to keep reading, but my manager called me into a meeting.
That evening, while we were having dinner, Mom spoke up, her voice trembling slightly.
“Your father and I need to discuss something with you, sweetheart…”
My heart skipped a beat. For some reason, the last line from that post flashed through my mind.
[I'll just tell her the business is in debt and that we need her money. She's always been a good child. She'll surely do what I ask.]
“Mom… you and Dad aren’t in debt, are you?”