Maybe the commotion we were causing outside was too loud, as my deaf dad, Jason, and brother, Tony, finally came out of the house.

"What's going on here?

"Lydia, you're out of line! Why are you yelling at your mom?"

Jason and Tony spoke up together.

I looked at them and asked, "Jessica said the whole family decided to kick me out, is that true? If I don't leave, I have to pay rent and utilities every month?"

Jason sighed and said, "It's not like that. Jessica's sister is just staying for a few days. So, we suggested you rent a place for a while. It's not like we're kicking you out."

"Why should I have to rent a place?

"Even if her sister wants to stay, isn't there another room? Can't it be tidied up?

"Does it have to be my room?

"And you all decided this together? Am I not part of this family?

"Today, I need a clear answer from you.

"And who threw my stuff out? Whoever did, put it back immediately.

"The vintage lamp that got smashed costs 18 thousand dollars. Whoever broke it, give the money to me now."

After I finished speaking, Jessica exploded upon hearing this.

"Lydia, you usually eat and drink for free and take our money to travel, but you spent 18 thousand dollars on a broken lamp?"

I looked at her and laughed lightly.

"Eat and drink for free? Taking your money to travel?

"Is it your money?"

Jessica said, "Jason and Mary's money is our money!"

"Did you see me asking them for money?

"Ask them if I've ever taken money from them to travel. Since I started university, have I ever taken a penny from this family?"

Jessica seemed a bit confused. I looked at Jason and Mary, questioning them sharply.

"Come on, tell her. Have I ever taken money from you?"

Mary kept her head down, saying nothing.

Jason frowned, looking very displeased. "Lydia, when did you become so aggressive?"

I laughed angrily.

"Don't change the subject. Just tell her, have I taken money from you?"

Tony's face was also sour. He scolded me, "Lydia, is this how you talk to your parents?"

I didn't argue with him.

I grabbed Mary's arm.

She looked up at me. I stared into her eyes and asked, "Since I started university, have I taken a penny from you and father?"

She shook her head wildly, tears streaming down her face.

"No."

"You haven't."

I turned to Jessica, raising an eyebrow. "Did you hear that? No, not a penny."

Jessica seemed stunned, maybe because I sounded so confident, or maybe because she heard Mary admit it.

She was still reluctant to believe it and wanted to say more, but Tony stopped her.

"Enough."

She glared at Tony and shut her mouth.

I knew, at this point, there was no point in arguing anymore.

I was destined to leave this family.

But this was my house. Why should I leave?

"Put my things back in my room and return everything to its original state. I'll pretend this never happened."

Everyone hung their heads, saying nothing.

I laughed indifferently.

My parents always favored Tony, always thinking of him first when it came to good food and fun things.

As a child, being able to eat what he left was already a great privilege for me.

Later, when I started making money in college, they seemed to like me a bit more.

Mary became more affectionate, and Jason would remember what I liked to eat.

I thought those childhood grievances would be soothed.

Now, I was also a child loved by my parents.

But today I realized that they had not changed.

They still favored Tony.

Why were they good to me? Maybe because I could make money, buy houses and cars, and support the family.

To them, I was just a good source of money.

While we were at an impasse, a young girl in a white dress suddenly appeared at the door.

Seventeen or eighteen years old, radiating sunshine.

Mary ran over to open the door and greeted her warmly, "Chloe, you're here. Come in, you must be tired from the trip."

Chloe smiled and said, "Hello, Auntie Brown, it's OK. The train is very fast now."

As Mary warmly took her suitcase and Jessica joined in.

I just watched them. They surrounded the young girl, welcoming her into my room.

I heard Mary say, "This will be your room from now on. Make yourself at home."

Chloe thanked her cheerfully, saying how kind Mary was.

Meanwhile, I stood alone under the scorching sun, unnoticed and unimportant.

In this family, there was no longer a place for me.

They treated a stranger with more warmth than they ever showed me.

I turned and left the house, heading to the bank to print out my transaction records from the past few years.

Every transaction was documented.

I returned home with the statements in hand.

t was evening by then, and they were happily having dinner together.

The moment I walked in, the lively chatter ceased.

When I entered, suddenly there was no sound.

Chloe looked up and said, "This must be Lydia. Come and join us for dinner."

I didn't want to take it out on the innocent, so I replied softly, "I've already eaten."

Then I turned to Jason and Mary.

"Dad, Mom, I just went to the bank and printed out all my transaction records for the past few years.

"After dinner, let's go through them together. Let's see how much money I've transferred to you over the years.

"Let's also see how much you have left now and where the money went.

"Let's clear all the accounts from these years."

4

The whole family froze on the spot. Tony immediately stood up and demanded to know what I meant by this.

The previously harmonious atmosphere was shattered, and Jason and Mary looked even more displeased.

"Lydia, haven't you caused enough trouble?" Jason asked with a dark expression.

"Doing this in front of outsiders? Do you have to make a scene and disrupt the family?" he added, clearly annoyed.

Okay, so now they were blaming me for causing trouble.

I suppressed my anger.

It was frustrating to feel so insignificant. To them, I didn't even matter as much as a stranger.

They could warmly welcome this newly arrived girl, but no one cared about my feelings.

"You said I was living of my parents, right? Let's see who's really living of my parents," I said, placing the bank statements in front of Jason and Mary.

"And since you've been living in my room all these years, let's settle the accounts properly today."

Jason and Mary knew about the statements. Every month, I had given them a significant amount of money.

They were clearly embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

Tony also knew, but Jessica was completely shocked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"How is that possible? Where did a college student get so much money?"

Jessica suddenly seemed to understand, looking at me with disdain.

"These must be fake. You're trying to deceive me with these, aren't you?" she accused.

I didn't even bother to respond to her, keeping my gaze fixed on Jason and Mary.

"You two should go through the statements and see if there's any issue."

Jason and Mary sat there, speechless, but Tony slammed the table angrily.

"Lydia, how did we end up raising such an ungrateful person like you?

"Mom and Dad raised you, and now you're calculating the cost with them?"

His outburst was filled with guilt.

It was clear that even Tony knew where the money came from.

Yet, despite knowing this, he still went along with the plan to kick me out, which only made me more determined.

Today, this must be resolved.

"You can never repay the debt of being raised by Mom and Dad, no matter how much money you make!"

Jessica chimed in, emboldened by Tony's words.

"You think you're something special just because you make some money?

"Without Mom and Dad, you'd have starved long ago. You're an ungrateful brat."

He added, looking at me with contempt. The whole family now looked at me as if I were an enemy.

Their unified stance made it clear that I was the outsider here.

Hearing their righteous scolding, I found it laughable.

Sure, my parents had raised me, but only to the extent that I wasn't left to starve.

They always believed that daughters would marry off eventually and were therefore not worth investing in.

They even hesitated to let me go to school, thinking it a waste of money.

While I never had new clothes as a child, Tony got new outfits regularly and attended the best schools, regardless of the cost.

Our lives had always been worlds apart.

And now, using my money, Tony had the audacity to scold me.

I looked at him with a cold smile.

"I may never be able to repay Mom and Dad, but I don't owe you anything. Let's settle this!"

I declared firmly, not backing down at all.

Since the situation had escalated, there was no point in holding back.

"Over the years, you've spent more than a million of my money!

"You've been living in my villa for so long. Charging you fifty thousand for rent isn't unreasonable, is it? Now, pay me the money.

"If you can't, then move out immediately!"