To me, a few hundred thousand was an astronomical amount. As of then, I barely had enough money to pay for food. How was I supposed to clear off Steven’s debts?

Just because I work in the city did not mean I had huge pay. I was just a normal employee working my tail off for a paycheck of less than ten thousand per month. Furthermore, I had paid off Steven’s debts countless times for the past few years. Besides, I had given up all of my savings for Dad’s heart stent surgery. My pockets had already been crying over all these expenses.

 

“Anna, you can’t just leave him out to die. Those men had already threatened to break Steven’s legs if he failed to settle the debt by next week. Steven is the only one in our family that will carry on the family name. He can’t end up with a broken leg!”

Throughout the entire time, Mom did not believe me when I said I was tight on money. She seemed to be living under the illusion that I was made of money. However, there was no way I could not hand over a few hundred thousand within a week.

Even if I could, I had no desire to hand them the money. Year after year, every time I helped Steven settle his debts, he would promise to stop. However, it would not be long before I receive another call asking for money. I truly was too exhausted to even bother anymore.

 

“Mom, there’s nothing I can do this time. I have help Steven paid off his debts for so many years that there’s hardly any money left on me. There is absolutely no way for me to even spare a penny right now. If they really want to break his legs, let them. A few hundred thousand for a leg seems like a good bargain.”

I lashed out at Mom in anger, deciding that I would not provide any help that time round. After all, if I continued spoiling Steven, he would never learn his lesson. Even if I could help him this time, how long more do I have to carry this baggage in the future?

In the beginning, the amount of his debts started out with ten or twenty thousand, which slowly increased to forty or fifty thousand over time. Suddenly, the amount had snowballed to over a hundred thousand, and his behaviors seemed to have worsened. I had my own needs, and I did not want to spend all my money on paying off debts that were not even mine!

 

Stevie is your brother. How can you let someone break his legs?

by my words. I could even detect hints of accusation in

 

the one to solve it. Can you guys not ask me for help

many years, yet all she could see was the fact that I refused to help them this time and even had the audacity

hard on you, but please help us. I am begging you. Please help your brother out this time, will you? I promise he won’t gamble ever again. After this

Mom would snap at me if I ever made a single negative remark about Steven. However, even after the horrible things I had

to hold such a high position in Mom’s heart. On the contrary, she had

tried to defend Steven, the heavier my heart felt. I was only human. I longed for my mother’s love as much

or to check up on me and see how I was doing; or if

had never called me out of genuine concern. Not even a single phone

Mom. I can’t help you with this. There’s still something I

being said, I hung up before Mom could

my phone started ringing again. To no one’s surprise, it was Mom. I knew she refused to give up, but I had decided that I would play no

phone, afraid that I might change my mind if I continued wallowing over

all, it was still

future into consideration, I decided to not do anything for Steven. I wanted him to have a taste of his own medicine in hopes that he would learn

my head and took a deep breath before picking up my bag. As I turned around to leave, I caught sight

door, staring at

“What happened?”

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