In the end, I said flatly, "Just now."
My parents visibly exhaled in relief. "Then come back inside with us. Don't be angry at your brother—we'll scold him properly once we're home."
I nodded numbly, then turned to my phone and booked the earliest flight to England for tonight.
About a month ago, a friend invited me to work in the United Kingdom. The benefits were generous, but I hesitated, worried about my mother's so-called illness.
Now that I know it was all a lie, I won’t hand over another cent—and I won’t stay in this house any longer. I accepted the offer from a UK company.
When I returned to the private room, my heart felt strangely steady, a quiet relief washing over me. Perhaps I had been waiting for this day all along, but kept suppressing myself, clinging to the illusion of family affection.
I walked straight to my seat, picked up my bag, and headed for the door.
Just then, my mother suddenly stood up and blocked my path.
“Florence, Mom has arranged a blind date for you. He’ll be here soon. You can leave after you meet him.”
She grabbed my hand. The instant our skin touched, a wave of nausea surged through me.
I shoved her away on instinct.
"Who told you I wanted a blind date?!"
I hadn't used much force, but she stumbled dramatically to the ground.
Brian sprang up, pointing at me furiously.
"Florence! Mom was only worried you'd end up with no one to rely on, so she kindly introduced you to someone. And you dare push her? What kind of daughter are you!"
My mother's eyes brimmed with tears, her voice low and pitiful.
"It's alright... Your sister is probably still upset. I understand."
Brian's glare was venomous. "Florence, apologize to Mom right now!"
My father pulled my mother protectively behind him.
"What's gotten into you? Are you trying to humiliate us even more?"
Looking at their ugly, twisted faces, I laughed.
"You didn't think I was humiliating you when you drained my money to buy Brian his house and car! You bled me dry and now you want to kick me away like trash?"
The room erupted in murmurs. Every pair of eyes turned toward my parents.
They froze, clearly stunned that I knew the truth—and that I would expose it in front of everyone.
Brian sneered, clearly thinking I was spouting nonsense.
“Florence, are you stupid? You’ve been living like this for years—where would you get that kind of money? Who would believe you?”
My mother wouldn’t meet my eyes, and she hurried to argue, “Yes, your father and I did help Brian with his car and house, but it was all from our decades of savings. What does that have to do with you?”
My father sighed and turned to the relatives, his face heavy with sorrow.
“Florence hasn’t been doing well in recent years. We’ve always let her live at home without paying a cent. We never thought our daughter would think this way. It truly breaks our hearts.”
The relatives immediately chimed in, one after another.
“Florence, everyone has seen how much your parents have done for you. How can you say things that hurt them like this, just because they didn’t buy you a house or a car?”
“That’s right. These days, if a boy wants to marry, a car and a house are the basics. Every family prepares them in advance for their son. Why are you being so petty?"
I let out a bitter laugh.
"Of course, they can prepare a house and car for Brian—but why use my money?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, I pulled out my phone, ready to show them the transfer records from over the years. But before I could unlock it, my mother’s hand lashed out.
