Chapter 1Everyone at my mom's company got a holiday gift.
My brother got a sports car. My sister got a luxury loft. Even the new intern got a five-figure bonus.
Me?
I got a debt notice for $5 million.
Just because I took one day off to get surgery.
Apparently, my hospital stay had "cost the company a fortune."
Never mind that I'd brought in millions in deals over the past few months.
More than my brother and sister combined.
"You're my daughter. You should set an example, not slack off!"
Mom said coldly.
"Work overtime and pay back what you owe!"
Then she took my brother and sister out to celebrate.
But, Mom, you seem to have forgotten one little detail.
The company's only profitable account, the one with millions of followers?
It was mine.
And I could take it back whenever I wanted.
...
[Employee Rainie Carter owes company: $500,000]
My holiday gift was a ... debt notice?!
I went to ask about it, Mom looked at my pale face and said,
"You took an unauthorized day off last month. Screwed the company over big time."
I froze. "Mom, I had to go to the hospital for surgery—"
"And I requested time off. You just didn't approve it."
"If I didn't approve it, that means no."
"You're my daughter. You should be setting an example, not slacking off every chance you get."
Mom's eyes were harsh on me.
But when she turned to my siblings, her gaze went soft.
"You two tried so hard to save that deal after your sister bailed. It didn't work out, but I know you both did your best."
"These rewards? You guys deserve every bit of it."
My brother and sister cheered.
I clutched that debt notice, tears stinging my eyes.
I didn't understand.
My brother could get instant approval to watch a football game.
My sister could take off for a concert without question.
But me going to the hospital for surgery?
That was "slacking off."
Before I could process it, Mom announced she was taking the whole company out to dinner.
Everyone cheered.
I stood up, gripping that five-hundred-thousand-dollar IOU, trailing at the back of the group.
My brother, Ryan, said, "Mom, let's take my new car. It'll fit our whole family."
Mom nodded with a smile. My sister claimed shotgun.
Then my brother. Dad. Mom.
I was about to get in, when Mom waved at some girl.
"There's one more seat—Mia, come here."
"You're our company's brand ambassador. All the big clients rave about how pretty you are."
Mia Parker giggled. "Thanks, Mrs. Carter."
"Though some people keep calling me vain and saying they won't make me permanent."
She shot me a pointed look.
I actually laughed.
She was the one doing her makeup during work hours, refusing to meet clients, racking up complaints, nearly tanking several deals.
I'd only reminded her once, and now she was playing victim.
I opened my mouth to explain, but my sister cut in.
"That's just Rainie being jealous of you."
She smirked at me.
"Look at her face—covered in zits. Maybe if she actually tried to look presentable..."
"Looking like that? She'd scare clients away."
Mia covered her mouth, laughing.
"I guess pretty girls just get each other. I really like you, sis."
Mom smiled at them. "Mia and Snow feel more like my daughters."
Then she turned to me, disgust barely hidden in her eyes.
"As for you... taking you anywhere would be an embarrassment."
"Forget it, Rainie. Someone needs to stay at the office."
"Stay here and work off your debt from ditching work."
The sports car disappeared, leaving only choking exhaust fumes.
Soon, I was alone in the office.
Well, almost alone.
Linda the cleaning lady was still there.
She walked toward me slowly.
I smiled. "Happy holidays, Linda. Finish up and get home, okay?"
Her face flushed. She shoved a mop into my hands.
"Rainie, your mom invited me to dinner too."
"She said you'd cover my shift."
I froze. Checked my phone.
There it was—Mom had tagged me in the company group chat.
[Slacker, make sure those bathrooms are spotless. Big client coming next week.]
My grip tightened around the mop handle.
"I have clients to handle. I don't have time to clean toilets."
I sent a voice message to the group.
My brother immediately replied with a laughing emoji.
[Slacker's making excuses again.]
My sister chimed in:
[You? Handle clients?]
[They'd run the second they saw your face! LOL!]
Chapter 2
Then everyone else jumped in.
They trashed my looks, said even Linda the janitor looked younger than me.
I looked up at the mirror.
Dark circles under my eyes. Zits all over my face.
My lips were practically white.
I skipped meals to close deals.
Stayed up all night editing videos and writing scripts.
Clocked in earliest every day. Worked the most overtime.
And in the end, I couldn't even get one sick day approved.
My nose burned. I was pissed and hurt.
This company only existed because of my account—the one with millions of followers.
That's what gave my parents the money to start this business in the first place.
After graduation, I turned down offers from major companies because Mom promised me this would be worth it.
I handled every client meeting, every sponsorship deal, everything.
And now they were spending the money I earned to mock me for being "unpresentable."
I pulled up screenshots of the projects I'd closed. Posted them in the group chat.
Three months. Millions in profit.
The chat went silent.
Then Mom sent a voice message:
"Oh please. You really think clients signed with you because of you?"
"Wake up. Let me spell it out for you."
"They signed because your brother and sister are hot. That's it."
"And our algorithm's solid. Our brand's got reach. Customers eat it up."
"What does any of that have to do with you?"
I was shaking with rage.
"But the account with millions of followers—I built that myself—"
Mom laughed. "So you edit some videos and write some scripts. Big deal."
"Don't get cocky."
"Everyone's here because your brother and sister."
"Put you on camera, and we'd bleed followers!"
I set down my phone.
Tears hit the floor.
But Mom, if that's true—why haven't Ryan's and Snow's accounts taken off?
I scrolled through my account's early posts. My own bright smile.
Then later, when my siblings demanded screen time, made me build their "perfect personas."
We lost followers.
But they couldn't see it.
They thought those millions of fans loved them.
I wiped my tears and locked them all out of the account.
Let's see them try to make a dime without me.
After changing the password, I tried to order food delivery.
I pulled up a food delivery app. Picked a ten-dollar meal.
Insufficient funds.
I froze and checked my phone. Called Mom.
"Why is all my money gone?"
"Rainie, did you forget you owe the company five hundred thousand?"
"So we took the hundred thousand from your account. Consider it a down payment."
My sister's voice came through from the background.
"Mom, Mia's birthday is coming up! Can we use Rainie's money?
"Ryan and I want to throw her a party!"
Mom didn't even hesitate. "Of course, sweetie. Take it."
"Though I have to say—"
"Your sister makes practically nothing and still managed to save a hundred grand."
"You two are pulling in three times her salary and you're still hitting me up for cash?"
My sister whined something cute.
My head was spinning.
I couldn't process what I was hearing.
Chapter 3
When this started, Mom gave each three of us a debit card and told us to save our paychecks.
She said whoever saved the most would get a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus.
Every single year, that bonus went to Ryan or Snow. Never me.
I'd always thought I just wasn't saving enough.
Turns out, Mom just didn't want to give it to me.
After scolding my siblings, Mom turned back to me.
"Rainie, from now on, your paychecks go straight to paying off your debt."
"You live at home anyway. You don't need money."
Before she hung up, a message popped up from Mia Parker.
"Rainie, your mom is so generous! I just mentioned I've never owned real gold jewelry and she gave me her gold necklace!"
That necklace was my holiday gift to Mom.
I gripped my phone.
My voice came out hoarse. "Give it back."
Mom sounded confused. "What?"
"That gold necklace. Give it back."
Mom scoffed. "Rainie, you gave that to me. Now you want it back?"
"You know I gave it to you—so why'd you give it to someone else?!"
I was losing it. My voice cracked.
My sister grabbed the phone, trying to sound soothing.
"Rainie, Mia grew up poor. Mom feels bad for her. What's wrong with giving her a necklace?"
In the background, I heard Mom say:
"So petty."
"The style was cheap anyway. I never liked it."
"Aw, Mia, don't feel bad. We'll go shopping and get you something really nice."
I wiped my tears.
Hung up. Messaged my business partners.
[Please send the final payment to this account.]
The money hit my account.
I grabbed my bag and left the office.
It was almost midnight when I got home.
My parents had just walked in, too.
Mom looked surprised. "You finished everything?"
She meant Ryan's screwup—he'd mispronounced a brand name during a livestream.
This wasn't the first time.
Every time, I'd spent all night smoothing things over with the sponsors.
But this time? I pretended I didn't hear her.
"Mom's talking to you!"
My sister ripped off my face mask.
Froze when she saw my noticeably clearer skin.
"Rainie, you—you got a facial?"
That one sentence set everyone off.
"So you didn't stay to fix things—you went and got a facial?!"
"Rainie, where'd you even get that money?"
Mom lunged for my phone.
I gripped it tight and stepped back.
"Weren't you the ones who said I was ugly? That clients would run away?"
My sister shot back, "You don't even go on camera!"
"And besides, you're ugly to begin with. A facial's like putting lipstick on a pig!"
Mom nodded.
"That money would've been better spent on your sister or Mia. They'd actually see results."
I laughed bitterly. Didn't bother arguing.
But when I opened my bedroom door—
A woman shrieked.
"Stop it, I'm changing!"
Mia Parker clutched her chest, glaring at me.
I stared, confused. "This is my room."
My brother cleared his throat.
"Mia said her landlord was creeping on her."
"It's not safe for a girl to live alone. So Mom's letting her stay here."
"So she gets my room? Where am I supposed to sleep?"
Mom frowned. "You can sleep anywhere."
"There's a foldout chair at the office. A couch here. Take your pick."
Mia stepped out, looking hesitant.
"Ma'am, let Rainie share the room with me. I don't mind."
"No need, Mia. Rainie's too fat. She'd squish you."
Mom's voice was gentle with Mia.
Then she looked at me. "Jesus! Rainie, can't you be more like Mia?!"
"Like Mia?"
I smiled.
"Sure. I'll do my makeup during work hours. Make clients get their own water."
"Show up late, leave early, take seven sick days a month—"
Slap!
Mom hit me before I could finish.
