At the New Year's Eve family gathering, Dad proudly raised his wine glass.

"Let me report some good news to everyone. Ryan just got first place in both the written test and the interview for the civil service exam. He's already in the background check stage."

"Thanks to me having the guts to spend a full hundred grand on prep classes and tutors. From now on, the Gilbert family's got a real backer."

The relatives all chimed in with congratulations. Only my face went pale.

"Where did the family get a hundred thousand dollars? When I asked to borrow thirty grand a year ago, you said you had no savings."

Ryan slammed his hand on the table, his expression smug.

"I told Mom and Dad not to give it to you. So what?"

"Alex, you've been working for years and can't even scrape together thirty grand. And you still have the nerve to mooch off our parents."

"Besides, I spent this money on something that matters. Who knows what you were going to blow yours on."

Mom and Dad both nodded.

"Ryan's right. Money should go where it counts."

"You're a girl—all you care about is eating, drinking, and having fun. How could that be more important than your brother's future?"

I thought of the criminal record I now carried because I couldn't afford a lawyer when I was wrongfully accused. I lowered my head and smiled.

"Right. It's not important anymore."

——

Ryan caught my reaction. Surprise flickered in his eyes before he spoke again, his tone falsely sweet.

"But my sister is pretty impressive too. She works at a big company in Seaside City."

"Hey, you've been there five years now. You must have good news about a promotion or raise to share with everyone, right?"

Every pair of eyes at the table locked onto me, sizing me up with obvious judgment. I took a deep breath.

"No. Actually, I quit. I'm still job hunting."

Mom's frown deepened, disgust flashing across her face. She grabbed my arm like I'd just announced a crisis.

"Alex, I told you to hold onto that job—why didn't you listen! Jobs are impossible to find right now. Quitting over the holidays means losing all that income!"

"Your dad and I are getting old, and our health is failing. In a few years your brother will need money for his wedding. As the eldest, how can you only think about yourself instead of this family?"

"Call your boss right now. Tell him you had a moment of confusion and you can come back immediately."

Dad went further—he kicked the liquor bottle by the table's edge, shattering it. Glass scattered across the floor.

"You damn girl! Making trouble for me on New Year's! Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other, huh?"

"I'm warning you—don't think anyone's going to support you if you don't work. I don't have savings for you to leech off."

"Every penny in this house goes to your brother! Trash like you isn't worthy of spending my money!"

My heart went cold. My nails dug into my palms.

A year and a half ago, the company hit hard times and an executive was brought in to oversee mass layoffs.

I was called into his office for a talk. Midway through, he sat down beside me. His hand landed on my thigh and traced a slow line across it.

"Alex Gilbert. I've reviewed your file. Mediocre education, average performance, no family connections."

"By all rights, you'd be first on the layoff list. But if you're willing to follow my lead, study hard under me, keep me happy—I might consider keeping you around."

Nausea hit me in waves. I wanted to scream, to slap him across the face.

But I thought of my credit card debt. My empty bank account. Rent due next month.

My tears fell inward, and I couldn't say a word.

When I got home, I called my parents.

"Mom, the new boss sexually harassed me. I want to quit."

"Things are tight right now though. Can you lend me some money to get by? I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I find a new job."

Mahjong tiles clattered in the background. Her tone was flat.

"Don't even think about it. No work, no food. I spoiled you too much. Get back out there, keep your eyes on the paycheck, and stop being so sensitive."

"That's just how the workplace is—same everywhere. Men are all horny like that. Since this boss likes you, why not play it smart? Milk it for what you can."

Her mahjong friends laughed, teasing her for being so open-minded. My heart went cold. I swallowed my anger and decided to wait for my year-end bonus before making any moves.

But the night of the company party, my boss got drunk and told me to help him upstairs to rest.

I tried everything to refuse. No one dared to help me.

I carefully helped him into the room. The moment I turned to leave, he pounced—hands everywhere.

I thrashed, desperate, until my fingers found an ashtray. I swung it hard against his skull.

I bolted out the door, shaking so violently I couldn't think straight. I didn't save any evidence.

Days later, he sued me for intentional injury.

No cameras in that room to prove what he did. He hired the best lawyer money could buy and refused to settle.

I stared at my bank balance and called my parents, crying, begging them to lend me money for legal fees.

Before I could finish, Mom's voice shot up.

"What? Thirty thousand? Your dad and I get just over two thousand a month in retirement! Where do you expect us to pull that kind of money from?"

"Did the big city teach you to go bad? Our family can't afford your fancy spending habits!"

I was so panicked I couldn't form words. Then Dad's voice cut through.

"She needs to be cured of this! Thinks she's some rich princess!"

"Starve her for a month. Once she's hungry enough, she'll learn. Don't pay her any attention."

The line went dead. When I called back, I'd already been blocked.

My coworkers were too scared of getting dragged down with me. I had no one. No money for a lawyer. I lost the case fast and got sentenced to a year.

So even with Ryan's high scores, having a sister with a criminal record meant he'd never pass the background check.

How ridiculous.

A year ago, their refusal to spare me a single penny had finally boomeranged right into their precious son.

Aunt Patricia's eyes darted around, and she stepped forward to smooth things over.

"A friend of mine owns a restaurant, and she's been swamped lately. Since Alex doesn't have a job, she could work there for now."

"Big brother, just remember—when we need to ask Ryan for favors down the road, you'll need to return the kindness."

Her scheming was written all over her face, but Mom latched onto her arm gratefully.

"Family really does come through. Alex has been stubborn since she was little. Tell your friend to be patient with her."

But they don't remember—before Ryan was born, my grades were in the top ten of our entire school. Every single year.

Shortly after he was born, my parents said they had to work during the day and couldn't stay up at night. So they told me to step up and be an older sister.

They slept soundly while I mixed formula, patted his back, and coaxed him to sleep. Some nights I got maybe two hours.

Anything at school that cost money—workbooks, field trips—got cut. No matter how much I cried or begged, Dad just hardened his face and said one thing.

"Money's tight. If we can save somewhere, we save. You're the older sister—stop being so immature."

When Ryan wanted to go out and play, they'd pull me out of class. Even if I missed lessons, I still had to wander aimlessly around the apartment complex with him.

After a while, my grades tanked.

I begged them, practically on my knees.

"I'm still a student—how can I spend all my time taking care of a kid? If this keeps up, what about my future? I still have to take the college entrance exam!"

Mom just looked at me.

"Alex, I knew a long time ago you're not cut out for studying. If you really wanted to learn, you could learn in any environment. It's fine. When you're an adult, Mom will ask relatives to find you a good match. Your priority right now is taking care of your little brother."

Under those conditions, I still managed to get into a four-year university, working part-time to put myself through.

I never expected that because of them, I'd end up back in this dump working as a server again.

My stomach churned, but I kept my face blank. "Thank you, Aunt Patricia."

With a criminal record, finding work was hard. Rent cost money. I had to take every chance to save up and get out of this place.

The next day, the owner looked me over like I was dirt.

"If we weren't short-handed, I wouldn't hire someone with no experience. Two hundred a day. You stay until cleanup's done. Take it or leave it."

They called it serving, but really I did everything.

Taking orders, running food, helping in the kitchen, scrubbing toilets—by closing I hadn't even had a sip of water.

There was no room for me at home. Every night I lay on the narrow couch, muscles aching so bad I couldn't sleep.

My only hope was the apartment I'd found online. The landlord agreed—once my paycheck hit, I'd sign the lease.

But on the fifteenth, I waited until midnight. No deposit notification.

I called the owner, furious. She tore into me.

"Are you insane? Didn't your Aunt Patricia tell me to transfer your wages straight to your mom? You two teaming up to scam me? I'll call the cops!"

My blood went cold. I stormed home and shoved the door open.

Mom was putting a new cashmere coat on Ryan. She froze when she saw me.

"It's the middle of the night—what are you doing?"

I steadied my breathing. "Where's my paycheck?"

She exchanged a look with Dad, her tone matter-of-fact.

"Getting your brother into classes and pulling strings—your dad and I borrowed a lot. We have monthly payments. How else would we afford it? We're family. Don't be petty. Call it rent."

Dad snorted. "We raised you this big and never touched a cent of yours. You've got nerve making a fuss. Taking your paycheck is only right."

I looked at Ryan, barely hiding his smirk.

Head to toe in new clothes—Gucci shoes, Burberry coat—his pampered face round and smug.

And me? I hadn't dared replace clothes I'd worn for ten years. Hair dry and brittle, nothing but skin and bones. A walking corpse.

While I cleaned up vomit and filth for a few hundred dollars, their precious son blew money in luxury stores like it was nothing.

I stared at them coldly.

"You know the last step of the civil service exam is a background check, right?"

Mom and Dad's faces changed instantly. Ryan's eyes flickered.