Not long after I left the mall, my phone started ringing non-stop.

Ellie kept calling me over and over.

It was obvious that she was quite anxious.

The phone kept buzzing so much that I got annoyed and finally picked it up, slowly and deliberately.

She asked, "Myra, where did you go? Why haven't you answered my calls?

"Get back here and pay up."

Her voice was full of urgency on the other end.

I calmly replied, "Ellie, my stomach hurts. I'm in the bathroom. Talk later, okay?"

Without waiting for her response, I hung up the phone. Soon after, I got a barrage of texts from her.

[Myra, what's the deal? Leaving right when it's time to pay? Are you trying to mess with me?]

[Myra, don't go too far. Transfer the money to me right now.]

[Myra, there are so many store clerks here. Don't act crazy. Send me the money immediately.]

I ignored her messages, turned off my phone, and strolled around town, enjoying myself.

When I finally got home in the evening, my brother, Alex Cooke, stormed over, grabbed my collar, and yelled like a madman.

He said, "Myra, what the hell is wrong with you? Why did you leave Ellie stranded in the store?"

I pushed his hand away and said, "She's not a three-year-old. She can shop on her own without getting lost, can't she?"

But Alex was even more furious, glaring at me intensely.

He snapped, "How dare you? You picked out a dress that cost over 200 thousand dollars, didn't pay, and then left her there? What were you thinking?"

I glanced at Ellie, who was putting on a pitiful act, even forcing out a few tears. I could see what was going on.

She had framed me, claiming I wanted to buy the dress.

It was disgusting.

It was bad enough she always took advantage of me, but now she was trying to pin this on me too.

Did she really think I was that easy to bully?

My mom Ann stood up from the couch and scolded me, "Myra, you've gone too far this time."

Because she was there, I held back my anger.

But when I stayed silent, Alex just got more aggressive.

He said, "I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?

"Do you know how humiliated Ellie was, surrounded by all those store clerks?"

I looked at him, no longer bothering to hide my frustration.

I said, "Did she tell you it was me who picked out the dress?"

Without thinking, he snapped back, "Who else could it be?

"Ellie is always so thrifty. She'd never buy something that expensive.

"Only someone as reckless as you would spend 200 thousand dollars on a dress."

Thrifty?

I almost laughed out loud.

Why sugarcoat it? She wasn't thrifty.

She was just stingy—especially when it came to spending her own money.

When it was mine, she always went for the most expensive stuff.

I noticed the dress on the couch. They must've scraped together the money to pay for it since the tags were already off.

It couldn't be returned.

I snorted, "Me, buy that? Did you even look at the size? Does it look like it would fit me?

"Do you think I'm out of my mind, spending 200 thousand dollars on a dress I can't even wear?"

Alex was stunned, at a loss for words.

I asked, "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? There's store surveillance. How about we check the footage to see who really wanted that dress?"

Ellie lost her cool.

She chimed in, "Why are you yelling? You told me to buy it. That's why I cut off the tags.

"Otherwise, why would I do something like that? And then you just disappeared on me."

I rolled my eyes at her words.

I said, "Ellie, I never said I'd pay for it.

"If you're going to shop, stop eyeing other people's wallets and have some self-respect."

Ellie started crying, her tears streaming down as she looked more pitiful.

Ann stepped forward, her face stern.

She sulked, "Myra, how can you talk to Ellie like that?

"You were never this harsh before."

Before?

Back then, I was just too foolish, always trying to save face.

Who would've thought she'd treat me like a pushover too?

I argued, "Mom, be honest. She's my sister-in-law, but is it right for her to always spend my money and take advantage of me?"

"Enough!" Alex exploded, cursing at me.

"What do you mean, take advantage? Everything you eat, drink, and use in this house comes from us.

"Pay for the dress right now, or don't blame me for cutting ties with you."

Alex's arrogant attitude left me speechless.

Ellie, backed by Ann and Alex, had her chin up, looking smug.

She had this "got you" expression on her face.

I couldn't believe their nerve.

"No money for you," I said. "You're not my son. Why should I give you money?

"And the food, the drinks, the monthly expenses... are they covered by you?

"I haven't eaten a bite of your food or used a cent of your money."

I felt helpless.

I didn't have the energy to argue anymore.

Alex had no skills, yet his standards were sky-high. He either complained about low wages or thought regular jobs were beneath him. He wanted to make big bucks.

Here he was, well into his years, with no decent job.

He couldn't even support himself, let alone a family. It was laughable.

As for Ellie, she hadn't worked a day since they got married. She was lazy, loved to eat, and played cards all day.

How could they even say such things?

Ellie snorted, "If you hadn't taken money from our mom, you'd have starved by now. Yet you have the nerve to say this."

She was not happy about my words.

She continued, "What's our mom's is ours.

"You're eating our food for free, and when I ask you to buy something, you act like this. I'd rather have a dog than deal with you."

I snorted.

I looked at her smug face and didn't know what to say.

Ann, in her fifties, had no job. Her savings had been squandered by Alex and Ellie.

The money she gave Alex now was actually from me.

I'd been earning since college, and after graduation, I made good money in the internet boom. I was practically financially independent.

I cared for Ann and gave her a good amount of money each month.

Even though she gave it all to Alex, I didn't complain.

But even so, Ellie and Alex still tried to take advantage of me.

They even made me pay for small things like utilities.

"Eating for free?" I was shaking with anger.

"Go ahead, ask Mom who gives her money every month, money that you both squander."

Ann tugged at me, telling me not to be so aggressive.

In the past, I'd let small things slide for her sake.

But they were pushing their luck, thinking they could walk all over me.

I continued, "You both rely on me for everything—food, money, even this house. And you say I'm eating for free?

"Should I print out all the expenses from these years to show you who's really freeloading?"

They were stunned, their faces turning pale and then red, but they couldn't argue back.

Because it was the truth.

Finally, Alex shouted, "How dare you talk to me like that? I'm your brother."

Ellie chimed in, "Yeah, you ungrateful brat."

Ungrateful? Now they were talking about gratitude?

I looked at them with disdain.

I scoffed, "Gratitude? Your idea of gratitude is making others pay for your stuff?"

"Enough!" Ann interrupted before Alex could respond.

She was furious. "Myra, you were never this unreasonable before.

"Apologize to Alex and Ellie."

I stared at Ann in disbelief, holding back the words and frustration that filled me. In the end, I swallowed it all down and turned back to my room.

Even though I knew she was favoring Alex, I had no choice but to endure it.

I couldn't exactly yell at my mom, could I?

My family had always valued boys over girls. My parents always pampered Alex.

When he wanted something as a kid, they would do everything they could to fulfill his wishes.

As for me, they used to call me "worthless" until I started making money.

Then they changed their tune because they needed my financial support.

But even though the whole family relied on my money, I could still feel that Ann always favored Alex, no matter what.

"You see her attitude?" Ellie's constant yelling from downstairs.

But that was all that she could do.

I couldn't even be bothered to argue with her. But if she thought she could squeeze money out of me, she had another thing coming.

I figured after this, Ellie and the rest of them might change their behavior.

But I was being way too naïve.

One day, Ellie brought the whole family to the sales office of new houses, babbling about how great the place was.

It didn't take me long to figure out what was going on.

She was planning to buy a house and wanted me to pay for it.

"Myra, you don't like living with us, right? How about we buy a house here?" Ellie said, grabbing my hand.

Alex quickly chimed in, "Yeah, and once we buy it, we'll move out."

"If you want to buy it, go ahead. It has nothing to do with me," I replied with a cold smirk.

Ellie said, "How is it not your concern? We're family, aren't we?

"Ann, we already picked out a villa yesterday. If you like it, we can sign the contract today."

Wow, they really had an appetite.

I stared at her, speechless.

That villa had to cost at least seven million dollars. Did they really think I was made of money?

My mom replied, "Great, as long as you like it. Alex's really successful, buying me a villa."

She grinned from ear to ear.

"Alright then, since Ann agrees, let's go with this villa." Ellie was practically bursting with excitement.

Then she turned to me and said in a commanding tone, "Myra, I didn't bring enough money. Go pay for it first, and I'll reimburse you later."

Not only was she pushing her luck, but now she was asking for a ridiculous amount, as if I was some kind of walking ATM.

Seeing the look of entitlement on her face, I decided I wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

I said, "Ellie, you want to buy a house and expect me to pay for it? Do you think I'm out of my mind?"