“Dad’s inheritance is for my wedding,” my sister screamed from behind. I felt hands on my back, then falling. Fifteen concrete steps. My head hit every third one. the spine specialist marked “ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛ-related vertebrae fracture.” The emergency scan went to administration. “Hospital CEO admitted with ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ɪɴᴊᴜʀɪᴇs.”

“It is Dad’s estate and he divided it equally,” I replied firmly.

She took a step closer toward me and lowered her voice. “You do not even need that money because you have a boring hospital job and you will be fine.”

Kyle shifted awkwardly beside her. “Maybe we could consider something smaller,” he suggested quietly.

“Please stop talking,” Olivia snapped sharply.

I walked toward the door and opened it. “You should leave.”

Olivia stared at me for a long moment before speaking again. “You will regret this.”

Two weeks passed filled with phone calls from relatives trying to pressure me into giving Olivia what she wanted, and eventually she appeared at my house again late one evening with smeared makeup and desperation in her voice.

“The venue is giving my date away if I do not pay the deposit by Friday,” she said urgently. “Please just help me this once.”

For a brief moment I almost believed she was truly desperate, yet when our eyes met I saw something colder behind the tears.

“Olivia, I cannot do that,” I said gently.