"January 15th, 2015. I contributed 2,000 dollars to the family's living expenses for the first time," I read out loud calmly, though my hands were trembling.

Mom's fork stopped midair, and her expression began to change.

"March 22nd, 2016. Dad was hospitalized after a sudden heart attack. The surgery costs 32 thousand dollars, which I paid upfront. That day, I was preparing for my final exams when I got the call and rushed to the hospital.

"I took out all the money I had saved for tuition. Mom held me and cried, saying, 'Brittany, once your father is discharged, I'll pay you back the money.' But it's been nine years now, and I haven't seen a single cent."

Dad's face turned dark and stormy, the veins on his temples throbbing violently.

"June 8th, 2017. Stephanie needed a deposit of 30 thousand dollars for an overseas exchange program. Mom said the family was tight on funds and asked me to cover it first.

"I applied for a student loan at school and worked two jobs for two months. I attended classes during the day, washed dishes at a restaurant at night, and didn't get back to my dorm until 2:00 am.

"One time, I was so exhausted that I collapsed on the side of the road, and a kind stranger took me to the hospital. Stephanie's already back, but where's the money?"

Stephanie turned pale as a ghost, her phone slipping from her hand and clattering to the floor.

"September 23rd, 2018. Gregory drove drunk and crashed into someone. The other party wanted to settle privately. Combined, the hospital bills and the car repairs cost a total of 50 thousand dollars.

"Dad called me and said, 'Brittany, Gregory's in trouble. We really can't come up with the money, so please help us.' I'd only been working for three months. How could I possibly have 50 thousand dollars?

"So, I borrowed from a loan shark. The man who lent me the money looked at me like I was prey. Despite that, I gritted my teeth and signed the contract. Later, I paid the interest every month for a full year and a half.

"Dad said back then that it was a loan and he'd pay me back. But where's the IOU? Where's the money?"

Gregory's smile had completely frozen on his face, his hand gripping his fork tightly.

I continued flipping through the pages, reading each entry one by one. With every entry, my voice grew calmer. Yet, the tears wouldn't stop streaming down my face.

"December 2019. I contributed 20 thousand dollars to the home renovation."

"July 2020. Gregory wanted to change cars, but he was short 15 thousand dollars. So, I covered it again."

"March 2021. Stephanie's business venture failed, and I helped her pay off the 25 thousand dollars she owed in credit card debt. That month, I couldn't even afford my own rent and ended up sleeping in the company's conference room."

"October 2022. Dad's old friend was hospitalized, and Dad wanted to give a gift, which cost 8,000 dollars."

"May 2023. Mom bought a necklace worth 12 thousand dollars for her own birthday. She told everyone it was a gift from me. But the truth was, she pressured me into buying it.

"She said, 'Stephanie always buys me designer brands. If you give me something so cheap, how am I supposed to hold my head up in front of my friends?"

With every entry I read aloud, Mom's face grew paler.

After reading the last entry, I closed the ledger.

"Every month for the last ten years, I contributed 2,000 dollars for living expenses. That's a total of 240 thousand dollars. With various loans adding up to another 192 thousand dollars, that brings the grand total to 432 thousand dollars."

The entire dining room fell deathly silent, with only the sound of my sobs echoing in the air.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. Ten years of pent-up frustration and repression all burst out at this moment.

I pushed the ledger toward Mom before pulling out my phone and opening the calculator app. My hands were trembling so much I had to press the numbers several times to get them right.

"Since you insist on settling accounts, let's do it properly. Over the past ten years, applying a conservative annual interest rate of 2%, the total—principal plus interest—comes to 518 thousand and 400 dollars.

"But since we're family, I'll round it down to half a million dollars. Mom, Dad, please pay me back immediately."

Stephanie shot up from her chair, pointing at me. "Brittany, have you lost your mind?" she shrieked. "You've actually been keeping tabs for ten years? When did you become so calculating and evil? You're not the sister I used to know!"

I wiped away my tears and looked at her.

"You're right. I have changed. But you're the ones who taught me how. Weren't you the ones who just insisted on settling accounts? Heck, Mom even charged me three dollars for an extra helping of pasta. So, it's only fair that I go through every single expense from the past ten years."

Dad abruptly stood up. Then, he walked over to me and swung his hand back. The next thing I felt was a vicious slap across my face. My head turned to the side, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.

"You ingrate!" he roared, his voice trembling with rage. "How dare you put a price on our sacrifice? Your mother and I raised you for 20 years, and this is how you repay us?"

Clutching my cheek, I looked up at him.

Tears mixed with blood dripped down my chin as I asked, "Then how can you charge me three dollars for a helping of pasta? Why does my income have to be tied to what I eat?

"Why, after contributing 2,000 dollars in living expenses and doing all the housework, am I still looked down on by all of you? Why didn't I even get a single thank you after I gave you all my savings to help you?

"When I was sick, why did you still make me cook and say things like 'housework makes you sweat, and sweating breaks a fever'? Why did you force me to give up my spot at an Ivy League college and settle for a lower-ranked one instead?

"Was it because you needed to fund Stephanie's study abroad? Why do Stephanie and Gregory get to have everything, while I have to pay for an extra helping of pasta? Dad, tell me—why?"

My voice grew louder and louder until it finally turned into a roar.

Dad's hand was still raised in midair, his entire body frozen in shock.

Mom suddenly lunged at me, trying to snatch the ledger from my hands.

"You wretched girl! Hand over that damn ledger. I'm going to tear it to pieces if it's the last thing I do!"

Her nails raked across my arm, leaving several bloody scratches.

I dodged to the side, and she fell flat on the ground.

Gregory rose from his feet and strode toward me menacingly.

"How dare you demand money from Mom and Dad? You must be looking for a beating! You're nothing but an ingrate! 20 years they raised you, and you've thrown it all away like a heartless traitor!"

I looked at him coldly as I wiped the blood from my face.

"If you so much as lay a hand on me, I'll call the police and report you for assault. And I'll hand them the receipts from the past ten years while I'm at it. Care to guess what they'll make of it?"

Gregory's fist hung in the air. But in the end, he lowered it. Still, his eyes were filled with venom.

Dad pointed a trembling finger at me. "Get out! Get out of here right now! From today onward, you are no longer my daughter. This family doesn't raise ingrates! You don't deserve to be our daughter."

I put the ledger into my bag and picked up the three dollars from the table with a trembling hand. "Fine, but I'm taking this money. Consider it the severance fee for cutting ties with me."

With that, I turned and walked toward the door.

Behind me, Mom screamed hysterically, "Go ahead and leave, but don't you dare come back. You think we'll beg you to return? Dream on!

"Even if you starve to death out there, don't even think about setting foot in this house again. I curse you to die a miserable death!"

Stephanie joined in, screaming, "You ingrate! You'll get what's coming to you!"

Gregory even grabbed a plate from the table and hurled it at me. "Get out! And don't you ever come back!"

The plate shattered at my feet, shards scattering against my legs. Even though it hurt, I continued walking out the door without so much as a backward glance.

The door slammed heavily with a bang behind me. I leaned against it, slowly sliding down until I sat on the ground.

The cheerful sounds of the Christmas Eve exploded in my ears.

I hugged my knees and buried my head in my arms. Finally, I could cry out loud.

A decade's worth of suppressed resentment poured out all at once. I wept heart-wrenchingly, my entire body trembling.

Neighbors passing by glanced at me hesitantly but ultimately walked away.

Only one of the neighbors, Joanna Lambert, stopped and crouched down beside me. "Brittany? What's wrong?"

She gasped when she saw the blood on my face. "Good heavens. Who hit you?"

I shook my head, unable to speak.

Ms. Lambert helped me up. "There now, stop crying. Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."

Once again, I shook my head and pulled away from her arms. "Thank you, Ms. Lambert, but I'm fine. I-I have to go."

I stood up, wiping away my tears. Then, I picked up my suitcase and disappeared into the night.

Behind me stood the house where I'd lived for decades. But from now on, it'd no longer be my home.

For a mere three dollars, I bought myself release from decades of pent-up misery. It was all worth it.

I moved into my company's single-occupancy dorm, a 65-square-foot room furnished with nothing but a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. The walls were mottled, and there were water stains on the ceiling.

Even so, it was the first time in decades that I had a space that truly belonged to me.

I placed the three dollars into a transparent glass jar and set it in the most prominent spot on the desk. Every time I looked at it, I'd remember that night, my family's faces, and my own humiliation.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

The handprint on my face hadn't faded yet, and the wound at the corner of my mouth had scabbed over.

The scratches Mom's nails had left on my arm had long since scarred, but the cuts on my legs from the broken plate still pulsed with a dull pain.

As I stared at my reflection, a sudden chuckle escaped my lips. And then I laughed harder and harder until I found myself crying all over again.

At 11: 30 pm, my phone buzzed frantically.

I'd been added to a WhatsApp Group called "Loving Family". There were more than 50 people in the group, all relatives of my parents.

Mom launched the first attack with a three-minute-long voice message.

In a voice thick with unshed tears, wounded pride, and simmering anger, she said, "Dear relatives, I must speak today about my ungrateful daughter, Brittany.

"On Christmas Eve, she showed up with a ledger, claiming we owe her half a million dollars. She even threatened to take us to court. Everett was so furious that he slapped her, and she actually had the nerve to fight back.

"After everything Everett and I sacrificed to raise her, this is how she repays us? What did we ever do wrong to raise such an ungrateful wretch?"

I listened to the voice message, my hands trembling.

She actually said I fought back? Why, I didn't even dodge! I just stood there and let them hit and scratch me.

My uncle, Claude Murray, was the first to jump in.

"Brittany, you ingrate! Your parents raised you for 20 years, yet you have the nerve to ask for money? Do you have any conscience, any humanity? So what if your father hit you? That's simply what you get for doing something wrong."

My aunt, Lena Murray, quickly followed. "She kept a ledger for ten years? Isn't that premeditated? Brittany is so calculating. Natasha, you need to be careful of her. She might try to get revenge."

My cousin, Carl Murray, also chimed in, "Someone with an attitude like her is bound to get crushed out there in the real world. I suggest you call the police, because this is textbook extortion."

Mom's cousin, Ramon Dalton, added, "Exactly! I always felt something was off about Brittany since she was little. She may not say much, but she's rotten to the core."

Another cousin of mine, Miriam Murray, piled on. "Aunt Natasha, don't be upset. A daughter like Brittany isn't worth keeping. It's best to cut ties with her as soon as possible to avoid trouble down the road."

One after another, messages full of accusations and abuse directed at me flooded the screen.

Not one person asked me why, if I was okay, or how I got the injuries on my face.

They just stood on their moral high ground, deftly slapping labels on me like "unloyal", "ingrate", and "thankless", before proceeding to pass judgment.

As I read those messages, the tears started flowing again. In their eyes, I wasn't even entitled to a single word in my defense.

I opened my photo album and took screenshots of all the transfer records from the past ten years. One by one, I sent them to the group.

My fingers trembled so violently that I missed the screen again and again before finally managing to post them.

Each one had a date, an amount, and a note.

"March 22nd, 2016. Transfer of 32 thousand dollars. Note—Dad's surgery."

"June 8th, 2017. Transfer of 30 thousand dollars. Note—Stephanie's deposit for studying abroad."

"September 23rd, 2018. Transfer of 50 thousand dollars. Note—Gregory's accident medical expenses."

"December 15th, 2019. Transfer of 20 thousand dollars. Note—Home renovation."

The screenshots scrolled across the screen one after another.

For a few seconds, the group fell silent.

Then, an even more vicious wave of abuse erupted.

Uncle Clyde wrote, "Screenshots prove nothing. For all we know, you could've faked those. It's not like that's hard these days."

Aunt Lena replied, "Even if they're real, you gave that money willingly! Now you're changing your mind?"

Carl remarked, "How evil. She even wants to claw back money from her parents."

I continued posting.

"Also, since January 2015, I've contributed 2,000 dollars every single month for living expenses. I never missed a payment in all those years. Here's my bank statement—every record is there.

"But on Christmas Eve, when I took an extra serving of pasta, Mom demanded I pay three dollars for it right in front of everyone. Then, Dad hit me, and I still have the marks to prove it too."

I sent them a selfie. In the photo, the handprint was still clearly visible on my face. Moreover, the corner of my mouth was split, and my eyes were swollen from crying.

The group fell silent for another few seconds, but soon someone jumped in again.

My other aunt, Sally Murray, said, "You must've provoked your father first. Why else would he hit you? I feel sorry for your parents. Look how you've upset your father!"

Grace Murray, a cousin younger than me, chimed in, "Exactly. You did something wrong, and yet you still have the nerve to complain? And why are you dragging your family matters into the group? Aren't you just putting us in an awkward position?"

I stared at those messages and suddenly found it all so funny. I laughed and laughed until the tears started flowing again.

Then, I sent another message.

"I forgot to mention one more thing. Over these ten years, Stephanie has three properties under her name, while Gregory drives a luxury car.

"Meanwhile, I ride a second-hand electric scooter and live in a 65-square-foot company dorm. My bank balance is less than 5,000 dollars.

"This is the reality behind what you all called a fair family and the parents I was supposed to be grateful to."

I left the group chat and promptly deleted all my family members' contact information. Then, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, while tears trickled from the corners of my eyes into my hair.

I cried for what felt like an eternity.

The next morning, I went to work with swollen eyes.

As soon as I reached the building, I saw a crowd gathering at the entrance. Some started pointing at me.

"How could she be so ruthless? Just look at how devastated her parents are."

"Exactly. After everything they did for her, this is how she treats them?"

Just then, the company's HR manager, Abel Patterson, walked out. He looked from the banner at the entrance to me, his expression darkening.

"Brittany, come with me."

I followed Mr. Patterson into the office. My arm was still bleeding, so I pressed my other hand against it.

He gestured for me to sit while he stood by the window with his back to me. After a long silence, he said, "Brittany, you're a capable worker, I'll give you that. But…"

He turned, his eyes full of disappointment. "The company's image is also very important, and your family disputes have already seriously affected it.

"There are so many people gathered downstairs. Do you know what's written on the banners? What will the clients or partners think when they see this?"

He placed a resignation letter in front of me. "I suggest you resign voluntarily and take one month's severance pay. This way, it'll be better for everyone."

I stared at the resignation letter, my hands trembling.

"Mr. Patterson, can I at least explain—"

"Explain?" He cut me off. "I don't want to know about your family matters. The fact is, you've brought negative attention to the company.

If you don't sign, we'll have to handle this according to company policy. It'll go on your record, which will affect your future job prospects. The choice is yours."

Tears streamed down my face again. I wanted to explain, to say that none of it was true. But I knew it was futile. After all, in their eyes, someone who would take their own parents to court wasn't to be trusted.

I picked up the pen, my hand shaking so badly I could barely hold it, and signed the resignation letter. Then, I stood up and looked at Mr. Patterson.

"Thank you for your support these past two years and also for showing me just how cold the world can be."

I gathered my things and walked out of the office.

My coworkers were all looking at me with curiosity and glee. Not a single one of them came over to comfort me.

Mom was still causing a scene at the entrance. When she saw me come out, she smiled smugly.

"Well? You got fired, didn't you? Serves you right. This is what happens when you go against us. Let me tell you—you're finished in this city! I'll make sure everyone knows exactly what kind of person you are."

I walked up to her and looked at her calmly. "Mom, keep making a scene if you want. I've got nothing left to lose anyway. But are you prepared for what's coming next?"

Right there in front of everyone, I dialed the local TV station's public hotline. "Hello, my name is Brittany Baxter. I'd like to report a family dispute."

Mom's face went pale instantly. She rushed at me to grab my phone, but I stepped aside just in time.

"How dare you! If you report this, I'll make your life miserable. You'll regret this!"

I hung up and looked at her. "Mom, since you gave me no way out, you can't blame me for what I'm about to do."

I walked away, dragging my suitcase along.

Behind me, Mom cursed, "You ingrate! I hope you rot in hell. You'll get what's coming to you!"

That afternoon, while buying a sandwich at a convenience store, I saw that Stephanie had posted a video.

She was dressed in elegant clothes and wore flawlessly applied makeup, yet her eyes were red-rimmed. She knew exactly how to play to the camera.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Stephanie Baxter. Today, I must come forward and say something in justice to my parents."

In the video, she had edited out all the footage of them humiliating me. All that remained was the clip of me taking out the ledger to demand money and the scene of Mom crying.

Oh, and the mark on my face? She said I did that to myself.

"Not only has Brittany been withdrawn since childhood, but she's always felt that our parents play favorites. At Christmas Eve dinner last night, she suddenly pulled out a ledger and claimed we owed her half a million dollars.

"Our father was so angry that he slapped her, and then she made her own injuries worse. After that, she took photos of the wounds and posted them online, claiming our parents abused her.

"But the truth is, our parents treated all three of us equally. Brittany just has psychological issues. Imagine how much she must've hated us to keep a ledger for ten years."

As Stephanie spoke, tears began to stream down her face.

The comments section exploded instantly.

"Oh my god. Brittany must have psychological issues, right?"

"She self-harms? That's terrifying."

"Keeping a ledger for ten years? That's literally psychotic!"

"Parents only hit their kids when they misbehave."

"I support Stephanie. The sooner she cuts ties with a sister like Brittany, the better."

90% of the comments were attacking me.

Some people even dug up my personal information. My photos, my social security number, and my home address were posted publicly.

The online harassment came crashing down on me like a tidal wave.

People sent me private messages, saying, "You don't deserve to live."

They called me on the phone. "Your parents are so unlucky to have raised such a monster. You'd better watch out. If I ever run into you…"

Some even found where I lived. They splashed red paint on my door and wrote, "Get lost, you ingrate!"

I sat in my room, staring at the paint on the door.

My phone vibrated endlessly with messages cursing me out. I turned it off and curled up in bed, hugging my knees and burying my head in my arms.

But this time, I didn't cry. I had no tears left. I just felt exhausted, so much so that I wanted to give up on everything.

At 8:00 pm, the local news program aired.

Ms. Lambert called me. "Brittany, turn on the TV now."

I switched it on.

There on the screen, Mom and Dad were sitting on the couch. Mom was clutching a tissue, her eyes swollen and red. Dad had his arm around her shoulder, his face etched with grief and indignation.

The reporter asked, "Brittany claims you asked her to pay three dollars for a second helping of pasta?"

Mom immediately shook her head. "That never happened. That was never a rule in our house. She misunderstood, that's all. I was just joking at the time, trying to lighten the mood. Who knew she'd take it so seriously and hold a grudge over it?"

Dad sighed and said, "We treat all three of our children exactly the same. But Brittany has been sensitive growing up, and she always thought we favored her siblings over her. The truth is, we never gave her any less than the others."

The reporters asked again, "And what about the money she mentioned?"

Dad shook his head. "She gave that money willingly. We never forced her. Now she's calling it a loan and demanding we pay her back half a million dollars. How are we supposed to accept that?"

Mom buried her face in her hands, sobbing. "Maybe we were too strict with her, and that made her resent us. But everything we did was for her own good. Now things have come to this, and as her parents, we're the ones hurting the most."

After the program aired, public opinion overwhelmingly turned against me.

My personal information spread even further online. Photos from my middle school, high school, and college days were all dug up and circulated everywhere.

People commented that I was ugly and deserved to be unloved. Others called me an ingrate and a bad daughter. Some even called my former company, saying they were glad I'd been fired.

I sat in my room, reading the comments, when my phone rang again.

It was my aunt, Pauline Murray.

The moment I answered, she said, "Brittany, you need to apologize to your parents right now. Look at the mess you've made. You've embarrassed the whole family. If you don't apologize, we'll call the police and have you arrested for extortion."

I hung up and opened my laptop. Then, I logged into my social media to post a long article.

The title was "The Truth About My Family. I'll Only Say This Once".