Kate always felt like she didn’t belong in her own family. Her mother and sister, Angela, received all the attention, while she was treated like she didn’t matter. But after her father passed away, everything in Kate’s life changed in ways she never imagined. Her own husband betrayed her with her sister for an inheritance, and then, after realizing what he had lost, he came crawling back, begging her to take him back.
Ever since I was little, I felt like an outsider in my own home. My mother always focused on my younger sister, Angela, praising her endlessly.
“Angela is so beautiful, so smart, so perfect,” she would say.
Meanwhile, I was just there, unnoticed, as if I were invisible.
The only person who ever truly cared about me was my father, George. But he was no match for my mother. She always had her way, manipulating every situation to her advantage.
When it was time for me to go to college, I was excited. I had worked hard in school, earning mostly A’s with just a few B’s. But my mother crushed my dreams instantly.
“College? That’s too expensive and unnecessary for you,” she said coldly. “Besides, you’re too stupid to make it anyway.”
Her words hit me like a slap in the face. I felt worthless, but I didn’t give up. I found a job and kept living at home, trying to figure out my next step.
But then Angela graduated high school. And guess what? My parents sent her to a private college without hesitation. When I found out, I broke down in tears.
“Why? Why does she get everything?” I cried.
Angela smirked. “You brought this on yourself. I’ve always been better than you,” she said smugly. “If you wanted to go to college, you should have worked harder.”
I clenched my fists. I knew the truth. Even if Angela had terrible grades, our parents would still have sent her to the best school. It was never about hard work; it was about favoritism.
Then, my mother did the unthinkable.
“You’re working now, so I expect you to help pay for Angela’s tuition,” she said bluntly. “It’s your duty as her older sister. You never contribute to the household anyway.”
That night, I cried for hours. My father sat on the edge of my bed, looking sad and helpless.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered, squeezing my hand. “I tried to reason with your mother, but you know how she is. Once she makes up her mind, nothing changes.”
That was the moment I decided—I was done. I saved every penny I could, and when I had enough, I moved out. My first apartment was tiny, with leaky faucets and creaky floors, but it was mine. And most importantly, I was free.
My father secretly sent me money from time to time. It wasn’t much, but it helped. Then one day, the money stopped.
I called him, but he didn’t answer. Instead, I got a message from my mother.
“Your father was sending you money without my permission. You don’t deserve it since you refused to pay for Angela’s education. I’ll be sending you a list of all the money you owe us.”
That evening, a thick envelope arrived. Inside were pages and pages of statements, listing every expense they claimed I owed—from groceries to utility bills from when I was a child. The total amount was ridiculous.
My mother’s greed knew no limits.
Years later, I was engaged to Tom, a man I met at work. We were happy, and for a while, I thought I had escaped my past. But then we got married, and I knew it was time to cut ties with my family for good.
Tom agreed to support me when I told my parents. But when we stepped into my childhood home, something strange happened. Tom saw Angela, and it was like I no longer existed.
He hung onto her every word, complimenting her over and over. My stomach twisted, but I knew Angela had always had that effect on men.
I turned to my mother. “Mom, I came here to tell you that I’m done. I have my own family now, and I don’t want anything to do with you anymore.”
Her face darkened. “You can’t do this to us! Not now!” she snapped.
“Why not?” I asked firmly.
“Your father had a heart attack. He needs care. You’ve always been so selfish!”
My heart dropped. “Dad had a heart attack? Why didn’t you tell me?”
She scoffed. “It doesn’t matter. You just need to take care of him now.”
I visited my father every day. I saw how my mother and Angela used his money like it was theirs.
“Why don’t you stop them?” I asked him one day.
He sighed. “They won’t listen. They never do.”
He got worse, and we had to put him in a hospital. My mother refused to pay for it, so I did.
“Stop fussing,” she said. “If he dies, we get insurance money.”
I was horrified. How could she talk like that about her own husband?
One day, I got a call from the hospital. “I’m sorry, but your father has passed away.”
The world crumbled around me. I pulled over, sobbing uncontrollably. My father—the only person who ever truly loved me—was gone.
Then, two days later, another call came.
“Kate, this is Mr. Johnson, your father’s lawyer. Your father left you $1.5 million.”
I was stunned. “That’s impossible. My mother and Angela would have taken it all.”
“They didn’t know about it. Your father saved this money just for you.”
Tears filled my eyes. Even in death, my father was still protecting me.
That evening, Tom looked at me curiously. “Did you get anything from your father?”
“No,” I lied.
His face twisted. “I knew it. You were never worth anything. I don’t want to live with a poor woman. Angela and I have been seeing each other, so I want a divorce.”
He handed me the papers. Without hesitation, I signed them. I didn’t need him.
The next day, I arrived at my parents’ house with the lawyer. Angela and my mother were furious.
“There’s nothing here for you!” Angela screamed.
“Actually, Dad left me $1.5 million,” I said calmly.
Tom, who had been standing nearby, turned pale.
“What?! That’s impossible!” my mother shrieked.
She waved a document, claiming it was my father’s will. But it was in Angela’s handwriting. The lawyer smirked.
“Forging a will is a serious crime,” he said.
They both fell silent, realizing they had been caught.
As I turned to leave, Tom fell to his knees. “Kate, forgive me! I love you. Let’s try again!”
I stared at him with no emotion. “I don’t need you. I don’t need any of you.”
I walked out of that house, leaving them behind forever.
Now, I live by the ocean, running my own business. My life is peaceful and happy. I never spoke to my family again, but I heard that my mother and Angela wasted all their money. Angela had twins, and now they all live with my mother, struggling every day.
Justice was served. Everyone got exactly what they deserved.
