I never imagined my own father would steal my future to fund my brother’s mistakes.
I was shaking with excitement when I walked into the kitchen. I had the acceptance letter in my hand—my dream school. I finally felt like all the late nights studying and the grief of losing Mom last year were starting to pave a path toward something better.
“Dad, look!” I beamed, holding it out.
He didn’t even look up from his coffee. He just stared at the wall and said, “Stop applying to colleges.”
I froze. I thought he was joking. “Why?”
He turned to me, his face completely void of emotion. “Because I already gave your college fund to your brother.”
The room spun. That account wasn’t just “money.” It was everything Mom had left. She worked double shifts while she was sick, saving every penny specifically so I wouldn’t have to struggle the way she did. It was her promise to me.
“You couldn’t!” I screamed, tears instantly stinging my eyes. “That was Mom’s money for me! It was in the will!”
“I could, and I did,” he said coldly. “Your brother needed a truck for his new business idea. He needs a leg up in the world.”
My brother? The one who dropped out of school twice and still lives in the basement?
“But why would you do this to me?” I sobbed. “I earned this! Mom wanted this!”
He stood up and walked out of the room without looking back. “You’ll find a way. You always do. Your brother needs help; you don’t.”
I’m sitting in my room now, staring at an acceptance letter I can’t afford to say yes to. He wiped out the account yesterday. $45,000 meant for my tuition is sitting in the driveway in the form of a lifted pickup truck my brother doesn’t even know how to drive.
I feel sick. Is there any way to get it back, or is my future just… gone? 💔
