Chapter 1"You're nothing but a freeloader, Jen! A leech!"
My niece shouted at me in front of the whole family.
My siblings didn't say a word.
They just sat there, avoiding my eyes.
"Come on, Jen," my brother finally said.
"I needed your help when I was starting out. But that was years ago."
My sisters quickly chimed in.
"Exactly. We don't need your help anymore."
"You're the one who's been making money off us!"
I didn't argue.
I got up and walked out.
They had no idea.
Every big client they'd landed over the years? They had come through me.
If they didn't need me anymore, fine.
Let's see how they do on their own.
...
I showed up at my brother's place with two bottles of whiskey.
Kevin had just closed a deal worth a hundred and thirty-five grand. One of my referrals.
His daughter Emma saw me and rolled her eyes.
"Back for another free meal?"
She glanced at the bottles.
"Two bottles of booze for tens of thousands in commission? Must be nice!"
I looked at the adults in the room.
Kevin, his wife, and my two sisters. Not one of them told her to stop.
They clearly felt the same way.
For ten years, I'd sent business to my siblings.
Kevin ran a lumber yard. Sarah owned an auto repair shop. Lisa ran a craft brewery.
I'd used my connections to bring them customers.
Our deal was simple.
I got 10% of every sale. We had contracts. Nobody had ever questioned it.
Until now.
Kevin cleared his throat.
"Jen, we've been doing this for ten years. The lumber yard is established now.
"We have plenty of customers. We don't need your referrals like we used to."
Sarah nodded.
"Same here. We've built our own businesses.
"Honestly, you're the one who needs those commission checks."
I almost laughed.
Emma leaned back in her chair.
"Why do you keep asking my dad for money? You show up, eat our food, and leave with a fat check. Get a real job!"
I turned to Kevin.
He didn't say a word.
Instead, he shrugged.
"She's not wrong. The business is doing well. Those customers probably would've come to us anyway."
That was rich.
Ten years ago, Kevin couldn't even find enough customers to keep his lumber yard running.
He'd come to me begging for help.
He knew I was a top salesperson at a trading company and had connections with major buyers.
He was desperate.
Other suppliers offered me 15% commission.
I gave Kevin the clients instead and settled for 10%.
I wanted his business to succeed.
I wanted Emma to have a better life.
When his first big payment came through, Kevin showed up at my door with a bag full of cash.
He promised he'd never forget what I'd done.
Now he acted like I'd never lifted a finger.
"Have you forgotten how this all started?"
Kevin rubbed his face.
"Look, I'll pay you this time. But we can't keep paying you forever. Things are different now."
"Dad, don't!"
Emma jumped in.
"Why should she get paid? She just makes a few phone calls! We have tons of customers waiting to work with us."
I knew exactly what kind of customers she meant.
Most had terrible credit. Other suppliers wouldn't give them a chance.
They came to Kevin because they wanted lumber now and could put off paying for months.
Some might not pay for a year.
That was nothing like the clients I'd brought him.
Mr. Harrison, for example, always paid on time.
Every single invoice. No excuses. No chasing him down.
Those were the customers who kept a business running.
But my family didn't seem to care.
I turned to Sarah.
She'd gotten plenty of business through me, too.
She shrugged.
"We needed your help when we started. But we've paid you more than enough over the years."
Then she added, "I've got influencers offering to promote my shop now. I don't need your connections anymore."
I nodded. I turned to leave.
Emma pulled out her phone.
"Wait. You've made over $200,000 from us? Let's just call it $200,000. You should pay that back!"
I froze.
She looked at me.
"What? You don't want to return it? You've been living off my dad for years. What have you actually done to earn all that money?"
Kevin finally walked over to me.
He lowered his voice.
"Jen, why don't we just skip your commission this year? It's not like you've done much anyway."
Chapter 2
Kevin seemed convinced his lumber yard was successful because of its own reputation.
He'd completely forgotten who brought him his biggest customers.
There were plenty of lumber yards out there. His wasn't anything special.
Emma suddenly raised her voice.
"She shouldn't just lose this year's commission. She should pay back everything she's collected!
If she wants to cut us off, fine. We don't need a broke relative sucking us dry!"
I looked at Kevin.
He wouldn't even meet my eyes.
"Kevin. Have you forgotten what you promised me?"
He swallowed.
"That was a long time ago, Jen. My business took off in the second year. I didn't need your help after that."
"But you kept taking commissions for ten years. You did practically nothing and still walked away with tens of thousands every year."
He paused.
"And I know you helped Emma get into that private school in Denver, but—"
Emma cut him off.
"I got in because of my grades. I earned my place!"
Then she turned on me.
"You're always bringing up the past when things don't go your way. We're done with that. You're paying us back today!"
She grabbed a pen and shoved a piece of paper toward me.
"If you can't pay now, write an IOU. We're not your personal ATM!"
I stared at her.
Years ago, Kevin had begged me to help get Emma into a top private school in Denver.
Their local schools weren't great, and he wanted better for her.
I pulled some strings and helped make it happen.
He spent nearly $38,000 trying to get her in.
I went to meetings, made calls, and drank myself sick helping him.
Now they acted like none of it mattered.
"Fine. What do you think I owe you?"
Kevin said nothing.
I nodded.
"I'll pay it all back. But after today, you're not my brother anymore."
"Great!"
Emma shoved her phone in my face.
"Here's Dad's account. Pay up!"
"We don't need a freeloader like you!"
Kevin tried to step in, but Emma blocked him.
"Dad, she owes us. We're not even charging interest. What more does she want?"
I took out my phone and transferred $200,000.
The moment the payment went through, everyone's eyes lit up.
Emma smiled.
"See? You just used the past to guilt-trip Dad. But we're even now."
That payment seemed to give everyone else ideas.
Sarah had barely touched her food. She looked uncomfortable.
Before I could say anything, Emma turned to her.
"What about Aunt Sarah and Aunt Lisa? Doesn't Jen owe them money too?"
Sarah quickly shook her head.
"No, no. You don't have to pay back the old commissions. Let's just forget about all that. From now on, we can—"
"How much do I owe you?"
Sarah looked uncomfortable.
"There's really no need. You did help us a little over the years. I know it took some effort."
I stared at her.
"Some effort?"
Emma scoffed.
"All she did was make a few calls! Construction workers actually work hard. She just talks and gets paid!"
That was enough for me.
I looked around the table.
"Fine. Let's settle everyone's accounts."
"Anyone else want to end our arrangement?"
Chapter 3
Nobody said a word.
Then Lisa spoke up.
"My brewery barely makes a profit. Your ten percent takes a big chunk of it. Maybe we should end our deal too."
I almost laughed.
When Lisa couldn't sell her beer, she'd come crying to me.
I found buyers and moved every last case.
Now she was complaining about my cut.
I smiled. "Back then, I was your sister. Now I'm just a freeloader taking your money?"
Lisa looked away.
"Don't make this personal, Jen. We're just trying to keep our business afloat."
Emma jumped in.
"Then let's settle everything. You pay us back, and we owe you nothing."
She smirked.
"Did you really think you could live off us forever?"
"Emma, enough," Lisa said. "Jen's been getting commissions from us for years. She doesn't know how to make a living without them. Just let it go."
"Why should we?"
Emma shot back.
"If she can't pay, she can sign an IOU. Monthly payments. Add late fees if she misses one."
Sarah stepped in.
"Let's not do this. We're family. We can forget the past ten years."
I looked at my sisters.
"Send me your account numbers. I'll have accounting transfer the money."
They exchanged glances, then sent them over.
I picked up my bottles and headed out.
Behind me, Emma called out.
"Tell accounting to work late. We want our money today!"
"It can wait until tomorrow," Lisa said.
I didn't bother answering.
I messaged accounting.
A little while later, both transfers went through.
Sarah and Lisa couldn't hide their smiles.
"Now we're even," I said. "And we're done doing business together."
Lisa suddenly looked uneasy.
"Maybe I should send some of it back. You've relied on these commissions for years. What are you going to do now?"
I stared at her.
"So you think I never earned that money?"
She sighed.
"Don't be so sensitive. I have plenty of clients now. You can't keep holding things over our heads."
Sarah chimed in.
"Let's be honest. You need us more than we need you. Whether we're still family is up to you."
She shrugged.
"Come by for the holidays if you want. We're not going to chase you."
I looked at all three of them.
They really thought they'd done me a favor.
I turned and walked out.
Then I called my manager.
"Cancel every referral agreement with Kevin, Sarah, and Lisa. Effective immediately."
He sounded delighted.
"Finally! Summit Trading offered you seventeen percent, but you kept sending clients to your family. They only paid you ten. Even our lowest-paying partners offer twelve."
I hung up.
Inside, they were already drinking and celebrating.
I watched them through the window.
Let's see how long that happiness lasts.
