Chapter 2

Dad’s silence chilled me to the bone. I slammed the door, ready to leave, but Mom stopped me.

She pulled me into the bedroom, trying to soothe me. “Lily, I accidentally threw that car charm away, thinking it was trash. Don’t blame your dad.”

“Today’s your dad’s sixtieth birthday. Just for my sake, don’t make a fuss over something so small and spoil the day for him.”

My heart ached with resentment, but looking at Mom’s tired, worn face, I softened. I reluctantly agreed not to make a scene about the car charm, but all my enthusiasm for giving him the car vanished. I felt listless, unwilling to speak.

Mom went out to talk to Dad and Kevin, leaving me alone in the bedroom to calm down.

My mind was racing, and I paced restlessly in the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a red corner peeking out from under the pillow.

I pulled it out and found it was a property deed.

But as far as I knew, we didn't own any property.

Ever since Dad’s business failed, our old house had been sold, and we’d been renting ever since.

My heart hammered in my chest. I slowly opened it. Kevin’s name, in big bold letters under the owner’s column, deeply stung my eyes.

Kevin had been unemployed since dropping out of community college, struggling to even support himself. Where would he get the money to buy a house?

There was only one possibility: Mom and Dad bought it for him.

The realization hit me, and a wave of fury surged from my feet to my head.

Months ago, I was misdiagnosed with gastric cancer.

I called Dad, crying. He was silent for a long time before finally saying, “You know our family’s situation. Your mom and I spent half our lives working to pay off debts. Your illness is a bottomless pit…”

The transfer date on the property deed was the *exact same day* I received that terrible misdiagnosis.

So, the family wasn’t broke. Buying a house for Kevin was just more important than my life.

Thinking this, my heart turned to ice. I clutched the property deed and stormed out of the bedroom.