Chapter 1[Tessa, it's you from five years ahead. Your parents and your husband? All lying to you.]
[They didn't kick Ivy out. They're spending YOUR money on her. Here's where. Go look.]
Got that message on my birthday. From... me?
Crazy. But I went.
And there they were.
My "business trip" husband helping pregnant Ivy out of the car. Mom and Dad right there with her like she's royalty.
All laughing. Walking into that building.
My chest hurt.
I couldn't move though. Stood there till dark.
Dad came back down. Got cake and flowers from some delivery guy.
They were throwing Ivy a birthday party.
Nobody gave a damn it was MY birthday too.
I drove home feeling like shit. Texted my boss.
"Jensen, I'll take London."
Twenty-five years fighting for their love.
Turns out I wasn't the one they needed.
Fine.
This time? I'm out first.
---
Ten minutes later, Jensen approved it. I'd be leaving in a week.
I looked at my baby girl, Mila, babbling away in her crib.
God, it killed me.
I really wanted to give her a normal family. Mom, dad, grandparents—the whole thing.
But after what I saw today? Yeah. Trying doesn't always work.
Mom and Dad's love was never mine to earn. No matter what I did.
And Colby? I forgave him once because of Mila.
He just went and did the same damn thing again.
Talk about a knife in the back.
I'm done trying.
The door beeped. I wiped my face real quick.
Mom pushed my door open.
"Tessa, your dad and I need to talk to you about something."
That's when it hit me. I'm so stupid.
How did I not notice this before?
She calls Ivy "sweetie." Always has.
But me? I'm just Tessa. Even now. Even after Ivy left.
Mom and Dad were waiting in the living room. Soon as I came out, Mom got straight to it.
"Mila's getting bigger. You three need your own space."
"Your dad and I don't wanna be in the way. We found this nice three-bedroom place over at Ridgemont Gardens. We're thinking of buying it and moving out."
Right. Sure. That's totally why.
But it didn't make sense. And it was weird as hell.
Mom didn't even bother making up a better story. Just jumped right to the point.
"Down payment's twenty-two thousand. We don't have that kind of cash right now. So you cover it, and we'll handle the monthly payments after."
"If you're worried, we'll put your name on the deed."
[That house is Ivy's birthday present. They're scamming you into paying for it. And they'll make you cover the mortgage too.]
Future me called it.
They said they wanted to give me space.
Bullshit. They wanted to buy Ivy a house.
Putting my name on it wasn't protection—it was a trap. A way to guilt me into paying forever.
I've never thought this clearly before.
Their little plan was so obvious now.
I looked at Mom.
"I don't have the money."
Mom's face went ice cold.
"You make fifteen hundred a month. How do you not have money?"
My chest tightened.
I make fifteen hundred. And every single month, I send them a thousand.
The rest? That's for me and Mila.
What money could I possibly have left?
But Mom acted like I was just being selfish.
"We raised you for over twenty years, and now you won't even help with a down payment?"
"You DO have it. You just don't wanna give it!" Mom snapped. "Ungrateful little brat. Should've never raised you."
Chapter 2
I tried staying calm.
"I send you a thousand every month. The rest is for me and Mila—"
Mom jumped in, voice dripping.
"A thousand a month? Oh, so that's just sitting in MY pocket? Where d'you think your food comes from? Bills don't pay themselves."
Mila started crying. I picked her up, patting her back.
Inside I was laughing.
Every month, the water and electric bills get sent to ME. I pay them.
Every time they get sick, I'm the one buying medicine.
Their vitamins, their supplements, Target gift cards for every family event—all me.
I'm not broke. I'm bled dry.
Dad's face went dark too. "Tessa, we're thinking about you guys. Plus, we're getting old. We need a place to retire."
He made it sound so reasonable. "We raised you all these years. You should be the one paying this down payment."
I didn't budge. "If you wanna buy it, pay for it yourselves."
Dad knows I overthink everything. So he went for the guilt trip.
"Tessa, we kicked Ivy out for YOU. We already lost one daughter. Now you're all we have left."
"For you."
Before, those two words would've destroyed me. I would've caved instantly.
Gave them everything. Did whatever they asked.
But now? I just felt cold.
I was seven months pregnant when I caught Colby and Ivy in bed together.
Freaked out so bad I went into labor early. Started bleeding everywhere. Almost died.
When I woke up, Mom and Dad were losing their shit. They threw Ivy out.
"How could you do this?! Get out! You're not our daughter anymore!"
Twenty-five years. First time they ever picked me.
They didn't tell me to forgive her. Didn't ask me to just let it go.
I was shocked. Thought… maybe they actually loved me.
No. Not love.
Not even favoritism.
Just... fairness. Basic fucking fairness.
And I was so desperate for it, I thought it was love.
They kicked out Ivy. The one they'd always loved more. For me.
So yeah. I bought it.
Thought they finally cared.
Until today. Future me sent that message and smacked me awake.
[When you were bleeding out in the ICU, they grabbed your phone. Saw the bank alert. Saw how much you had.]
So that's all it was.
They didn't love me.
They just finally saw what I was worth.
Dad dropped the hammer.
"We already picked the place. Contract's done. I don't care what you gotta do—borrow it, figure it out. We're paying next week."
Didn't say ONE word about my birthday.
Ivy and I are twins.
They remembered hers. How could they forget mine?
They didn't forget.
They just didn't care.
Next morning, Mom and Dad were pissed. Didn't even make me breakfast.
Same old trick—ignore me till I gave in.
I ordered food to work. Soon as the nanny got here, I handed her Mila and left.
Growing up, I did everything Mom and Dad asked. Wanted them to love me so bad.
But when I couldn't? They'd make me suffer. Stress me out till I made it work somehow.
The next two days, they didn't even come home.
Fine by me. Gave me time to pack.
Just fell asleep when the door slammed open.
Colby stumbled in, drunk as hell.
"Babe! I'm hoooome!"
I stepped back. He crashed onto the bed, completely out.
His phone dropped. Screen lit up.
Profile pic was just a white circle. Username? Some random symbol.
I didn't click on it.
What's the point?
I just regret it now.
After Mila came early, after I almost died, I wanted to leave him.
Made a huge scene. His office heard about it.
He was going for a promotion. Divorce would've killed his chances.
So he dropped to his knees. "Tessa, please. Everyone's watching. You leave now, I'm done."
Mom and Dad were right there. "Mila's so small. Think about her."
I was wrecked. Just had this tiny baby, and for once, my parents were actually on my side.
So I forgave him.
He got promoted. Started handing half his paycheck to Mom and Dad every month.
This past year, he was actually good to me.
I thought he'd changed.
Guess not.
And it proved something else too.
Mom and Dad don't love me.
Because no real parent would beg their daughter to forgive a cheater.
The only reason they all agreed?
Ivy.
Their betrayal hurt like hell.
But I didn't care anymore.
Three more days. Then I'm gone.
Chapter 3
Next morning, Colby woke up and called me twice. I ignored him.
He texted, apologizing for missing my birthday. Sent me money.
I swiped it away. Then saw an auto-charge notification.
Supplements. Monthly subscription.
I clicked into it.
Been going on for six months now. Almost two hundred bucks a month.
Mom said she needed them for her health. I couldn't afford it, but ordered them anyway.
Cost me my sleep. I started doing freelance gigs at night just to cover it.
Haven't slept more than four hours a night in half a year.
But I never saw her take a single pill.
I scrolled down to the product details.
"Suitable for: Elderly and pregnant women."
Yeah. Thought so.
I canceled the subscription. Requested a refund.
When I got home, Colby was waiting in the living room.
"Hey babe, you eat?"
"Yeah."
He watched me, fishing for something. "That trip was crazy. Completely forgot your birthday. Sorry… and uh, last night I got pretty wasted. Didn't wake you and Mila, right?"
Yeah. I knew what he really meant.
Did I check his phone? Did I see Ivy's texts?
He'd been calling me nonstop all day. I didn't answer once.
He was freaking out.
"Nope."
I wasn't lying. I didn't look.
Just didn't wanna be around him anymore.
I tried walking past him to check on Mila.
He followed me in. "So, uh… Mom and Dad said they wanna buy a retirement place."
The nanny handed Mila to me, said goodbye, and left.
Colby sat on the bed. "They're kinda right, you know? It's cramped here with all of us."
"We should buy them a place. Help them move out. It's the right thing to do."
I didn't even look at him. "You wanna be a good son? Go pay for it yourself."
His face went blank.
"Tessa… how can you say that?"
I looked at the door. "Get out."
He must've realized something was off. Played the guilt card.
"Tessa, they only have YOU now." Said it like I owed them. "You don't buy this house, who else is gonna?"
I didn't panic. Didn't spiral like I used to.
Just... calm.
"Ivy can buy it. Just 'cause they kicked her out doesn't mean she's not their daughter."
Colby froze.
He did NOT expect me to bring up Ivy.
His face twisted.
"Or maybe you wanna tell me the same thing? They kicked her out for ME?"
My words hit him like a slap.
"Can you stop dragging up old shit? You trying to ruin everyone's day?"
"I'll stop when you stop giving me shit to drag up."
"You're—you're fucking nuts!"
He stormed out. Slammed the door.
Woke Mila up. She started crying.
The whole time, he didn't hold her once. Didn't even look at her.
He came here for the same reason Mom and Dad did.
To get me to pay for Ivy's birthday present.
Future me checked in.
[Tessa, you okay?]
I smiled a little.
[Yeah. I'm good. I'm not sad anymore.]
The last three days, I busted my ass at work. Handed everything off. Stayed late every night.
When I got home tonight, Mom and Dad were there.
They just glanced at me.
Didn't ask if I'd eaten. Didn't ask why I was working late. Didn't even notice half my stuff was gone.
They were just waiting.
Waiting for me to crack. Waiting for me to say I had the money.
Didn't care. I just went to my room.
Didn't sleep. Packed the rest of our stuff.
Before sunrise, I grabbed my suitcase, got Mila in her carrier, and walked out.
