At the family dinner celebrating my younger brother's new apartment, he suddenly spoke up.

"Sis, honestly, you've really brought shame to our family."

I was busy handing out plates and silverware when his words froze me in place.

Leaning lazily against the grand armchair, he smirked, his tone dripping with scorn.

"You have no house, no car, and no man who wants you. You've been working for ten years, yet you've achieved nothing. How did you manage to mess up your life this badly?"

His condescending gaze pierced me like a knife straight to the heart.

My parents sat in silence, allowing me to be humiliated in front of everyone.

I didn't argue.

That very night, I packed my things and left for abroad.

But after I was gone—my brother's car loan went unpaid.

The mortgage fell behind. Even his chance at a promotion slipped away because he no longer had the money to grease the right palms.

It was only then that he seemed to realize—maybe the one who had achieved nothing over the past ten years wasn't me.

——

Two years ago, Brian, my younger brother, bought himself a hundred fifty thousand dollar SUV in full. This year, he purchased a downtown apartment. All this less than three years after graduating college.

My parents, their faces beaming with pride, booked the largest private dining room in the city to celebrate with relatives and friends.

But the laughter and clinking glasses turned to ice when Brian opened his mouth.

My mother tried to signal him with her eyes to stop, but he pretended not to notice.

"Sis, you're already an old leftover woman. Your only option now is marriage. Face reality—give it a few more years and no one will even want you. Don't come crying to me then."

I never expected respect from him—he had been spoiled rotten since childhood. But I thought at the very least he wouldn't openly disgrace me like this.

Seeing my face darken, my mother gave him a token slap on the arm.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

But Brian bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, raising his voice.

"Nonsense? Where's the nonsense?" He looked me up and down with contempt. "I'm only twenty-six and I already own a house and a car. And her? She's thirty, with no skills, no achievements, not even a boyfriend. Do you know how people laugh at our family because of her?"

Around the table, our relatives joined in the spectacle.

"Florence, you’ve been living at home ever since graduation, but you’ve contributed nothing to the family. It’s been ten years, and you don’t even own a decent set of clothes. You waste your days idling around. If I were your brother, I'd be worried too."

"Exactly. He may sound harsh, but good medicine tastes bitter. He's just looking out for you."

With their support, Brian grew bolder.

"You think I want to say this? If it weren't for Mom and Dad worrying, I wouldn't bother. They can support you now, but in a few years? What happens then? Don't think about latching onto me—I won't waste my life supporting a useless leech."

His words were sharp, merciless, and laced with mockery. Around me, laughter and sidelong glances cut deeper than any blade.

I looked instinctively toward my parents.

My father drank his wine as though nothing was wrong while my mother stayed silent.

The humiliation and bitterness swelled in my chest until I could barely breathe.

Brian was their precious late-born son, and they indulged his every whim, so they demanded I do the same.

When I was in college and he had just entered high school, he wanted a pair of sneakers worth five thousand dollars—and insisted that I buy them.

That very day, my scholarship money of exactly five thousand dollars had just been deposited. For the first time, I told him no.

But that night, my mother called me dozens of times, crying.

"The doctor said I can't get upset. But when your brother throws a tantrum, my body can't take it. Do you really want to see your mother suffer?"

Panicked and guilty, I transferred the money back to her.

After Mom took the money, she and Dad both warned me not to tell Brian. I agreed—he was young and couldn't help anyway.

But the protection only made him bolder. Eight thousand dollar iPhones, sixteen thousand dollar gaming laptops, even the trips he took with girls were put on my tab. I had no choice but to take part-time jobs and I'd often faint from low blood sugar.

When Brian went to university and I started working full-time, my parents insisted I cover his tuition and living expenses.

"There's a lot of medical spending in this family. We can't afford to support your brother's schooling anymore. We raised you—it's time you give back."

Under that moral pressure, I obediently handed most of my salary to my mother.

When Brian graduated and found work, I thought I could finally breathe. I planned to tell him the truth about our family finances—but my mother strongly opposed it and threatened something worse.

"Your brother is a man. He'll marry and have children someday. Don't add pressure to him!"

Even now, I keep transferring money to cover my mother's medicines. From college through my working years, my youth and every dollar I earned went to this family. Not once did I live for myself. Yet my parents wouldn't lift a finger to defend me. It chilled me to the bone.

I couldn't stand it any longer and stormed out of the private room.

Behind me came Brian's sneer. "Small talent but a big temper."

My eldest aunt sighed. "If Florence had been as capable as Brian, you wouldn't have so many white hairs."

My mother's voice was low but it still cut me. "Exactly. She's the one I worry about most in this family."

I stayed in the restroom a long time, trying to steady my racing heart. When I came out, I heard my parents whispering in a corner.

"Did you call Dalton?"

"I did. He's on his way."

"We promised to find him a wife, and in return, he agreed to let Brian join the company. Who would've thought he'd take a liking to Florence."

"Today is the perfect chance for them to grow closer. Once Florence marries into his family, we can rightfully ask Dalton to give Brian a position. A happy ending for everyone."

"Just don’t let Brian know. That boy is proud and insists on standing on his own. But right now, he can’t make it on his own. While we still have the power to help, we should help him more."

Hearing my parents speak, a chill spread through me. My body felt rooted to the ground, my limbs frozen stiff.

I knew my parents doted on Brian and were willing to support him without reservation, but I never imagined they would sacrifice my entire future for his success.

Dalton was a distant relative of my father, forty-five this year, and once spent five years in prison for forcing a female employee to sleep with him.

The urge to rush out and scream at them burned in my chest, but then my mother’s words struck me like a blow.

“If Florence refuses, I’ll just use falsified medical records to force her hand. Her heart is too soft—this will go smoothly.”

My father clasped her hand, his voice calm, almost approving. “You always have good ideas. All these years, faking illness to squeeze money from her let us save enough to buy Brian a house and a car. Later, Dalton can help with his mortgage and loans. Life will be easy for us.”

I jerked my head up, staring in disbelief. Their voices were so casual, as if they were discussing the weather. It seemed perfectly normal to them.

So Brian hadn't just been coddled—everything he owned was built on my sacrifices.

By the time I regained my senses, my parents had already stepped out from behind the corner.

They froze when they saw me standing there.

"Florence... when did you come out?"

My throat felt stuffed with wet cotton. The questions, the accusations clawed at me, but not a single word would leave my tongue.

In the end, I said flatly, "Just now."

My parents visibly exhaled in relief. "Then come back inside with us. Don't be angry at your brother—we'll scold him properly once we're home."

I nodded numbly, then turned to my phone and booked the earliest flight to England for tonight.

About a month ago, a friend invited me to work in the United Kingdom. The benefits were generous, but I hesitated, worried about my mother's so-called illness.

Now that I know it was all a lie, I won’t hand over another cent—and I won’t stay in this house any longer. I accepted the offer from a UK company.

When I returned to the private room, my heart felt strangely steady, a quiet relief washing over me. Perhaps I had been waiting for this day all along, but kept suppressing myself, clinging to the illusion of family affection.

I walked straight to my seat, picked up my bag, and headed for the door.

Just then, my mother suddenly stood up and blocked my path.

“Florence, Mom has arranged a blind date for you. He’ll be here soon. You can leave after you meet him.”

She grabbed my hand. The instant our skin touched, a wave of nausea surged through me.

I shoved her away on instinct.

"Who told you I wanted a blind date?!"

I hadn't used much force, but she stumbled dramatically to the ground.

Brian sprang up, pointing at me furiously.

"Florence! Mom was only worried you'd end up with no one to rely on, so she kindly introduced you to someone. And you dare push her? What kind of daughter are you!"

My mother's eyes brimmed with tears, her voice low and pitiful.

"It's alright... Your sister is probably still upset. I understand."

Brian's glare was venomous. "Florence, apologize to Mom right now!"

My father pulled my mother protectively behind him.

"What's gotten into you? Are you trying to humiliate us even more?"

Looking at their ugly, twisted faces, I laughed.

"You didn't think I was humiliating you when you drained my money to buy Brian his house and car! You bled me dry and now you want to kick me away like trash?"

The room erupted in murmurs. Every pair of eyes turned toward my parents.

They froze, clearly stunned that I knew the truth—and that I would expose it in front of everyone.

Brian sneered, clearly thinking I was spouting nonsense.

“Florence, are you stupid? You’ve been living like this for years—where would you get that kind of money? Who would believe you?”

My mother wouldn’t meet my eyes, and she hurried to argue, “Yes, your father and I did help Brian with his car and house, but it was all from our decades of savings. What does that have to do with you?”

My father sighed and turned to the relatives, his face heavy with sorrow.

“Florence hasn’t been doing well in recent years. We’ve always let her live at home without paying a cent. We never thought our daughter would think this way. It truly breaks our hearts.”

The relatives immediately chimed in, one after another.

“Florence, everyone has seen how much your parents have done for you. How can you say things that hurt them like this, just because they didn’t buy you a house or a car?”

“That’s right. These days, if a boy wants to marry, a car and a house are the basics. Every family prepares them in advance for their son. Why are you being so petty?"

I let out a bitter laugh.

"Of course, they can prepare a house and car for Brian—but why use my money?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I pulled out my phone, ready to show them the transfer records from over the years. But before I could unlock it, my mother’s hand lashed out.