Chapter 3

Piper’s POV

I dragged the locked metal lockbox from under my bed and unlocked it.

It was an old box I had used since high school, its corner dented from when I moved dorms years ago.

Inside were a few textbooks, and underneath them lay my debit card.

This card held every single cent I owned.

I had been saving since high school—scholarships, tutoring fees, cafe shifts. I remembered every dollar earned.

This money was meant to cover my living expenses during graduate school. Now, it was my escape fund.

I had learned early on that asking this family for money was a humiliation ritual.

Back in middle school, I needed thirty-two dollars for a math competition workbook. Brenda pointed a finger at my face and berated me for three days straight, calling me a parasite who didn't understand how hard money was to earn. She shamed me until I couldn't even lift my head at the dinner table. In the end, I saved my lunch money for six months to buy it myself.

Meanwhile, Chloe got brand-new designer makeup and imported backpacks every semester.

Brenda always said girls needed to be pampered—a rule that applied strictly to Chloe.

That was the moment I realized: I would never ask them for a dime. I would save it all myself.

Once I had enough, I could walk away without asking anyone's permission.

I slipped the card into my pocket and walked to the nearest ATM.

I inserted the card. The balance flashed on the screen: $0.00.

My heart plummeted. I pulled up the transaction history. Just one week ago, $32,000 had been wired out in two separate transfers.

The recipient line read: Chloe Vance.

I stood in front of the ATM, frozen.

Thirty-two thousand dollars. Every penny earned with sweat and exhaustion.

I never dared to buy a winter coat over fifty bucks; I wore the same threadbare jacket for three brutal winters.

I had calculated every single expense: dorm deposit, books, groceries for the first semester.

Holding that balance had been the only reason I believed I could actually break free one day.

I knew my family was biased.

I just naively believed that the money I kept hidden had nothing to do with them.

Yet the recipient name stared back at me: Chloe Vance.

I clutched the useless card and walked back into the cold night, my mind buzzing with static.

As I unlocked the front door, loud laughter spilled from the living room, sounding like a celebration.

Chloe was holding court in the center of the sofa, waving a brand-new iPhone as she beamed. "Thank you, Mom and Dad! Thanks, Kyle! And thank you, Lucas! You guys are the best!"

Brenda had her arm wrapped around Chloe’s shoulders, grinning ear to ear. "Why are you thanking us, baby? You're the jewel of this family. If we don't spend our money on you, who else? Besides, Piper’s money will be yours eventually anyway. What’s the point of her reading all those useless books? Leaving money with her is a waste. Spending it on you is an investment!"

Lucas sat beside them, taking a sip from his glass. He casually agreed, "Of course. We're all family."

As the words left his mouth, he looked up and caught me standing in the doorway. The smile on his face instantly froze.

Everyone turned their heads. The room went dead silent.

I stood by the entrance, clutching the plastic card, my eyes sweeping over every single face before locking onto Chloe. "Who touched my bank card?"

Brenda was the first to react, curling her lip in disgust. "Why are you making it sound so dramatic? It’s just thirty grand! What’s wrong with letting your sister borrow it? She's an art student; materials cost a fortune. As her sister, you should be proud to help!"

I let out a cold laugh. "That money took me years to save. It was meant for my master’s degree! You stole it without even asking me?"

Kyle yanked Chloe behind his back, storming up to poke his finger in my face. "That wasn't your money to begin with! How much has this family spent raising you? So what if Chloe spent a few bucks of yours?"

"This family spent money on me?" My hands shook with rage. "Ever since high school, my tuition has been covered by scholarships! I paid for my own food by working night shifts! When have I ever cost this family a single penny?"

Brenda raised her voice to a shrill shriek. "Did you not live under our roof? Did you not eat our food? All those books rotted your damn brain!"

I stood there, chills running down my spine.

I turned my eyes toward Lucas.

In this entire room, he was the only one who knew what that money was for.

I waited for him to speak. Even just one sentence: That's her money.

Lucas held his glass, staring resolutely at the floor.

The study door flew open.

Arthur stormed out. Without sparing me a single glance, he marched up and violently ripped the backpack off my shoulder.

He unzipped it and pulled out my laptop.

I had bought it during my sophomore year with my scholarship money. My research, translation gigs, and resumes were all stored inside.

"What are you doing?!" I lunged forward to grab it.

Arthur raised his arm and smashed the laptop onto the hardwood floor with terrifying force.

CRACK.

The casing shattered, internal components scattering everywhere. The screen flickered twice, then died completely.

Arthur dusted his hands off. "Your money? Your clothes, your food, your pathetic life—everything came from this family! My blood runs in your veins! How dare you try to keep a ledger against me?"

He hadn't laid a finger on me.

Yet staring at the wreckage on the floor, I couldn't speak.

The money in my account was gone, but I could earn it back.

Without my laptop, he had severed my only means of earning a living.

I knew exactly why he chose to smash it.

He knew this machine was my ticket out of this house, so he crushed it to break my spirit.

"Piper!" Lucas finally stood up, grabbing my arm. "Don't fight with your dad! He just lost his temper for a second. The laptop is fine—I’ll buy you a better one! I’ll pay you back the money, okay? We're family. Don't ruin our relationships over cash."

I slowly turned to look at him, my eyes burning dry.

I asked just one question: "Lucas, do you also believe my money rightfully belongs to Chloe?"

Lucas froze. He avoided my gaze, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Piper, we’re family. Why do you have to keep score so obsessively?"

I stared at him and smiled bitterly.

All he wanted was to keep the peace in this room.

Whose money it was, who was at fault—he didn't give a damn.

I yanked my arm from his grip, taking a step back. A jagged piece of the laptop casing dug painfully into the sole of my shoe.

From this moment on, no one in this house would ever know about a single dollar I earned.