My mom passed away when I was young, leaving me a fund for my education and future. Soon after, my dad remarried. His new wife had a daughter, Emily, and over time, it became clear that my dad prioritized them over me.
Once, our fridge and shower broke simultaneously, and my dad used money from my fund to fix them. A week later, he gave Emily a MacBook for her birthday. On mine? A $100 gift card. It wasn’t about the money — it was the message. Later, he would take money from it for his cars and repairs, promising to return it.
Recently, years after these events, I told him I was graduating from college. His response? “Oh, December 20th? That’s when Emily’s pageant is. We’ve already made plans.”
Me: “You’re missing my graduation for a pageant?”
My stepmom, lounging on the couch like a queen, chimed in, “Don’t be selfish, Iris. Graduations happen all the time. Emily’s pageant is ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME.”
That was it. I knew I was done tolerating it. After my graduation, they called, yelling: “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!”
When my mom passed away from cancer, she left me a trust fund for my future. But my dad started using it for his stepdaughter, Emily, erasing my mom’s memory and legacy. I couldn’t let him take what was left of her, or me.
After my mom died, I was ten. She made me promise to never let anyone dim my light. But as years passed, my dad drained the trust fund on Emily’s pageants, cars, and other expenses. He promised it was temporary, but I saw how he chose her over me, time and time again.
The tipping point came when my dad chose Emily’s pageant over my graduation. I confronted him about the trust fund, and he denied everything. I demanded he pay it back, or I’d sue. After a heated confrontation with my stepmom, the money was returned.
I moved out, stayed with my grandparents, and used the funds for grad school. I kept my promise to my mom, standing strong and not letting anyone erase her memory. For the first time in years, I felt free.
