On the day I was promoted to department head, I invited my parents on a trip during the Independence Day holiday.

However, my mother invited my older sister, Anna Smith, and her entire family. She even posted about it on her social media.

[My eldest daughter is so filial. The first thing she does after getting her salary is to invite me on a trip.]

Anna replied: [It's only right to be filial to your parents.]

Our relatives all praised Anna and even sent messages in the family chat group, telling me to learn from her.

I silently looked at my mother's post on social media and canceled the supplementary card I gave her.

This time, I wanted to see how they kept up that loving mother and dutiful child act.

I watched these people praise my sister, Anna Smith, and belittle me, and my heart gradually turned cold.

In the family chat group, my mother mentioned Anna.

Mom: [I booked the flight for you. Once we arrive in Mexico, you can buy whatever you want. I have money.]

My sister hinted: [Mom, I heard that Mexico is close to Guatemala and has many good materials.]

My mother immediately responded: [Okay, okay, we'll buy you a jade bracelet.]

My niece, Emily Johnson, immediately sent a voice message. "Grandma, I want one too. I want one too!"

My mother immediately answered with a smile.

Mom: [Okay, okay. We'll buy one for everyone.]

My mother enthusiastically arranged gifts for everyone, even my brother-in-law, but she never mentioned me.

I glanced at the phone record.

She spent nearly 20,000 dollars on the flight tickets, using my supplementary card.

It had always been like this since I was little.

I spent 20 dollars to buy a practice book, yet my mother gave me a beating, saying that all I did was ask for money and showed no understanding for the family.

However, my sister would receive 20,000 dollars from our mother to buy an LV bag.

When I had just turned 18, my mother said I could not spend her money for nothing since I was now an adult. From then on, I started working part-time and applied for a supplementary card to support my parents.

Anna got married and had a baby. My mother bought Emily's formula milk with the supplementary card.

I suddenly felt tired. Looking at the supplementary card on my app, I clicked on it to cancel it.

It turned out that it was easy not to be the family bank.

Without my support, what could they do to be loving toward each other?

After canceling the supplementary card, I immediately applied to the company for a transfer to a branch office.

I only told my mother I had to go on a last-minute business trip and might not be back before Independence Day. She did not offer a single word of concern, only asking if I would be compensated for the business trip before discussing what clothes to wear with my sister. She kept muttering, "It's a good thing I didn't book your ticket; how much would the refund have cost?"

Looking at my mom enthusiastically trying on clothes in the mirror, I smiled mockingly. Perhaps my absence during the trip was exactly what she wanted.

After all, I had always felt like I was the odd one out since I was little.

My dad frowned and glared at me. "You brat, what are you standing there for? It's just a few bucks! Why are you so stingy? If I hadn't raised you, you'd probably be a prostitute somewhere now! You're so calculating with your own family. You're indeed an ingrate! I should have strangled you to death back then!"

There was it again — One could not be calculating with their family. Thus, I had to let my whole family bleed me dry; I would be calculating if I refused.

Seeing that I remained silent, my father suddenly felt a little guilty, and his tone softened. "Don't blame your mother and me for being biased; it's your own fault for being so disrespectful. If this were back in the day, you would have been executed. It's only because your mother and I are soft-hearted that we raised you."

Memories flooded back, and I felt as if I were back on that dark, rainy night.

I was a senior in high school at the time and I left school very late because of school competition training. My dad, who was supposed to pick me up, never showed up, so I had to go home by myself. That same night, someone dragged me into an alleyway, but luckily, a neighbor happened to be passing by and rescued me.

Disheveled, I was taken home by the police, while my dad returned with cupcakes.

"Your sister insisted on having some cupcakes..." My father had not finished speaking when he saw my disheveled appearance. He immediately changed his expression. "Where have you been fooling around again? Why are you always such a handful?"

From then on, I often had nightmares at night, sobbing and screaming, "Let go of me! Don't rip my clothes!"

It was not my mother's warm embrace that woke me up, but a hard slap. "You wore so little; were you deliberately trying to attract men? How could I have such an indecent daughter?"

However, the clothes I wore were clearly Anna's old ones.

It was obvious whether or not they loved me, but I just refused to believe it.

Early the next morning, my mother dragged Anna along shopping. She showed various branded clothes on social media and even claimed that they were bought by Anna.

Our relatives all praised my mother, making her feel like she was on top of the world.

She almost forgot that I supported her, my father, and Anna's family. Well, I allowed my mother to continue to be immersed in her fantasies.

I had already canceled the supplementary card, so now she was spending her own money.

I packed my bags and rushed to the airport.

Just before leaving, my father looked at me and stammered, "Deena Smith, your mom has had a tough time these past few years. Cut her some slack."

My mom had had a tough time, so I had to cut her some slack; my sister was struggling financially, so I had to cut her some slack too. Why was it that, in this family, I always had to be the one to cut other people some slack?

"Focus on your work. We'll wait for you in Mexico."

"There’s no need. My boss said there's an important project on this business trip. I might not be back for the entire Independence Day week."

My father was visibly relieved.

"After all, that's what you wanted too, right?" I looked at my father with amusement.

Since I was little, I had always been the odd one out in this family.

"What nonsense are you spouting?! Why are you blaming us for not being able to travel? It's a holiday, and yet you insist that the whole family be unhappy with you. What do you want?" My father could not keep up the act of a loving father anymore. He pointed at me and yelled.

The only response my father got was the sound of the door slamming.

I did not want to stay in this family for another day. I was curious whether my parents would still be as happy that I was on a business trip as they were today after they flew to Mexico tomorrow.

Before I even got off the plane, I saw my mom's social media post.

My mom and Anna were hugging. They were inseparable, both beaming with smiles.

[Although I gave birth to an ungrateful child, thankfully, I have a sweet little girl who allowed me to fly first class in my lifetime.]

'They boarded the plane?' I wondered, stunned.

We had agreed to buy tickets for the 30th, and I was supposed to rush to the airport after work that day, but today was only the 28th.

It turned out my mom had never planned to take me.

My phone rang at that moment.

The four-year-old Emily had already learned to brag like her grandma. "Aunt Deena, Grandma upgraded us all. Do you know how comfortable first class is? I can lie on the plane and eat Michelin-starred food. Of course, you've definitely never flown first class."

Emily was interrupted by my mother before she could finish bragging. "Why are you wasting your time on her? Tell her to work and earn money."

I glanced at my six-hour economy seat ticket. While I was reluctant to spend money, plenty of others would spend it for me. Was all the hard-earned money I made by working like a slave for them to squander?

I suddenly felt a sense of anticipation.

What would my mother's expression be when she found out the money for the upgrade came from her own bank account? It would be quite a sight.

A photo was sent over; it was my show-off niece again.

In the photo, Mariah Frank, Lisa Frank, and Jordan Frank's families were also on the plane, except they were in economy class.

Emily: [Aunt Deena, you don't know, do you? My mom just casually mentioned that everyone should join us, and Grandma booked the flight for all our relatives, saying it was Mom who paid for them.]

Emily also sent a voice message to mock me.

I opened the social media app and, sure enough, my mother had published another post.

[My eldest daughter is capable of sponsoring her aunts and uncles on a trip to Mexico.]

Anna also kept up the pretense in a comment below.

[It's my fault for not booking the flight earlier. The first-class cabins were all sold out, so we had to trouble them to sit in economy class.]

[Fortunately, my niece thought of booking a flight for me. Unlike some people who likely haven’t even flown economy class before!]

[This is what you call capable. What's the use of having good grades if you can't even afford to buy your uncle a flight?]

The relatives praised Anna for being capable, while belittling me as incompetent.

These flight tickets were booked later on, so since I had already canceled the supplementary card, they used my mother's money.

I supposed these tickets would cost tens of thousands of dollars. It turned out my mother had money; she just never spent it on me.

However, my parents' limited savings would not be able to withstand this kind of spending for long.

As soon as I got off the plane, I rushed to the Mexico City branch.

Our company ran a hotel and catering business, and I had planned to bring my parents to stay here.

Coincidentally, I saw my mother and the rest walk in just as I arrived at the branch.

This hotel was the most luxurious in all of Mexico.

"Ms. Smith?" The branch manager looked at me.

"Take me to the surveillance room."

On the monitor, my mother swaggered in, leading our relatives along. "Let me tell you, this is a five-star hotel. It costs several thousand dollars a night; only my daughter can afford it."

My mother's relatives all looked at Anna with fawning eyes.

Anna proudly tilted her head back and said to the receptionist, "I want the best room."

My mother held her card up to pay, saying, "See? This is a supplementary card my eldest daughter gave me. All the money we're spending today is from her."

Anna quickly added, "Mom, it's only right to be filial to you."

My mother handed over her card, ready to pay.

However, the receptionist frowned. "Excuse me, Madam. This card doesn't have enough money. Please try with another one."

My mother was stunned. "How is that possible?"

My mother quickly looked at the card, her voice tinged with panic. "How did the supplementary card fail? Gosh, I paid for the plane ticket with my own money."

My mother's face crumpled instantly; it was the first time I had ever seen her so upset.

It turned out she cared about money too; she just never cared about mine.

"Anna, why did you cancel it? How much money can your mom have in her bank card?"

"Yeah, yeah, didn't you say you'd cover all our expenses for the Mexico trip? Don't ask me for money. I don't have any."

"Anna, don’t tell me you’re broke."

Anna panicked.

"Aunt Mariah, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Jordan, what are you talking about? How could I be broke? It's probably a problem with the payment system. Let me see what's going on," Anna replied frantically.

The tourists lining up behind them were getting impatient.

"Are you done yet? Hurry up!"

"If you're broke, get out of the way! We're waiting!"

My mother could not help but yell, "What's with the shouting? We'll pay right away!"

However, all the money my mother and Anna had combined was not even enough for all of them to stay one night. Besides, my mother was extremely frugal and would never spend that much money on her siblings.

My mother grabbed her phone and eagerly made a call.

My phone rang immediately.

It was my mother.