Kate always felt like a stranger in her own family. Her mother and younger sister, Angela, received all the love and attention, while she was pushed aside, unnoticed. After her father passed away, Kate’s life took a shocking turn. Her own husband betrayed her with her sister, all for the sake of inheritance. And then, as if his actions meant nothing, he begged her to take him back.
All my life, I felt invisible. The older I got, the clearer it became—my family didn’t value me. My mother adored my younger sister, Angela, praising her for every little thing.
“Angela is so beautiful! Angela is so smart! Angela is just perfect!” That’s all I ever heard growing up.
Meanwhile, I was just… there. A shadow in the background. If I achieved something, it barely got a nod of acknowledgment. But if Angela did something, even something small, it was celebrated like she won a grand prize.
The only person who made me feel loved was my father, George. He tried to stand up for me, but my mother had a way of twisting everything in her favor.
When it was time for me to go to college, my mother crushed my hopes.
“We can’t afford your tuition. It’s unnecessary, anyway,” she said dismissively. “You’re not smart enough for college.”
I had mostly A’s, a few B’s here and there. But to her, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t Angela.
Her words cut deep. I had to get a job and stay in my parents’ house, working long hours and trying to figure out what to do with my life.
Then, when Angela graduated high school, my parents sent her to a private college without hesitation. I was heartbroken. I couldn’t understand why she got everything, and I got nothing.
“You brought this on yourself,” Angela smirked. “I’ve always been better than you. If you wanted to go to college, you should have worked harder.”
I knew it wasn’t about grades. Even if Angela had been failing, they would have found a way to send her. It was favoritism, plain and simple.
Then my mother dropped another bombshell.
“I want you to help pay for Angela’s tuition too,” she said sternly. “You have a job, don’t you? It’s your duty as her older sister. Besides, you never contribute to the house.”
That night, I cried for hours. My father found me in my room, my pillow soaked with tears.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice full of guilt. “I tried to convince your mother that this isn’t fair, but you know how she is.”
That was the moment I decided—I had to leave.
I saved up every penny and moved out as soon as I could. My apartment was tiny, the faucet leaked, and the floors creaked with every step. But it was mine. For the first time, I felt free.
My father secretly sent me money when he could. It wasn’t much, but it helped. Then one day, the money stopped coming.
Worried, I called him, but he didn’t pick up. Instead, I got a text from my mother.
“Your father sent you money without my permission. You don’t deserve it. You still owe us for everything we spent on you. I’ll send you the statements.”
That evening, an envelope arrived. Inside were pages listing every cent they claimed I owed them—from groceries to utility bills. The amount was outrageous.
That was the moment I realized—my mother’s greed had no limits.
Years later, I moved into a new apartment with my fiancé, Tom. I didn’t tell my family about him. I wanted to leave the past behind.
But when we got married, I decided to cut ties once and for all. Tom agreed to support me when I confronted them.
When we entered my parents’ house, I felt uneasy. Then I saw it—Tom was staring at Angela like she was the only person in the room. He listened to her every word, laughed at her jokes, complimented her beauty.
I felt sick.
I turned to my mother, who sat on the couch with a smug expression.
“I got married,” I told her. “I have my own family now. I don’t need you anymore.”
My mother’s face twisted with anger. “You can’t abandon us! Especially now!”
“Why not?” I asked, my patience wearing thin.
“Your father had a heart attack. He needs care. You’ve always been selfish!” she spat.
My heart dropped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said coldly. “You’re taking care of him now.”
After that, I visited my father daily. I saw how my mother and Angela controlled his money, spending without his consent.
“Why don’t you stop them?” I asked him.
He sighed. “There’s no point, Kate. They won’t listen.”
My father’s health worsened. Eventually, I had to put him in a hospital. My mother refused to pay, even though it was his money. I had to cover the expenses.
“Stop fussing,” she said one day. “If he dies, we’ll get insurance money.”
Her words made me sick. How could she be so heartless?
Then, one day, my phone rang.
“This is the hospital,” a voice said. “I’m sorry, but your father has passed away.”
I pulled over, my hands shaking. Tears streamed down my face. He was gone. The only person who had ever truly loved me was gone.
Two days later, I got another call.
“This is Mr. Johnson, your father’s lawyer. He left you $1.5 million.”
I was stunned. “That’s impossible. My father didn’t have that kind of money.”
“He saved it for you in a secret account,” the lawyer explained. “To make sure you’d be taken care of.”
My eyes filled with tears. He had protected me, even in death.
That evening, Tom approached me. “Did you get anything from your father?”
“No,” I lied.
Tom sneered. “I knew it. You were never worth anything. I don’t want to be with a poor woman anymore. Angela and I have been talking for a while. I want a divorce.”
He handed me the papers. Without hesitation, I signed them.
I was done.
The next day, I visited my parents’ house with the lawyer. My mother and Angela tried to stop me, waving a fake will they had forged.
The lawyer examined it. “This is fraud,” he said. “A serious crime.”
Their faces went pale.
As I turned to leave, Tom dropped to his knees. “Please, Kate. I made a mistake.”
I looked at him with cold detachment. “I don’t need any of you.”
I walked away, never looking back.
I moved to a house by the ocean and opened my own business. Every morning, I woke up to the sound of waves, feeling peaceful and free.
As for my mother and Angela? They spent every last cent of my father’s money within months. Tom struggled, and Angela, now a mother of twins, was forced to live with my mother. Their lives were chaotic and miserable.
Justice had been served.
And I? I was finally happy.
