The Unfavored Daughter

After Mom was diagnosed with kidney failure, she said whoever could take care of her would get the family house.

My sister Rachel, clinging to with her rich boyfriend, immediately chimed in,

Anna, I'll leave Mom's care to you. I won't fight for the house.

After that, she never came home again.

To take good care of Mom, I had to quit my job and run between the hospital and home every day for three years.

I didn't have a single full night's sleep.

Until Christmas Eve of the third year, when Rachel suddenly came home crying.

"Mom, my boyfriend broke up with me. I have nothing left."

Mom hugged her and comforted her, "Rachel, you do have something. I've kept a safety net for you."

"The house has already been transferred to your name."

My heart froze. I stared at my mother.

"Mom...?"

She cut me off, her face full of impatience.

"Anna, I know your little game. You're only taking care of me for the house!"

"I'm telling you, this house is for your sister. Don't even think about it!"

A sour feeling welled up in my chest.

Mom, if that's the case, then you won't need me to pay for your medical bills or surgery anymore, right?

...

"Mom, what did you say?"

I stared at her, hoping to see a trace of guilt on her face.

But her expression only hardened.

"Anna, are you pretending to be deaf? I made it clear just now!"

"The house is already in Rachel's name. Dreaming about it won't help!"

"Dreaming?" I laughed, but it felt worse than crying.

"Mom, you were the one who said whoever takes care of you gets the house. I've been the one caring for you for three years! But you secretly transferred it to my sister."

Tears welled up in my eyes uncontrollably.

"Mom, what do you take me for?"

"A fool?"

Her face darkened.

"Stop making a scene! A daughter caring for her sick mother is her duty!"

"Your sister is innocent, not scheming like you. I'm just giving her a backup plan. Why must you be so petty?"

I dug my nails into my palms.

"Mom, we're both your daughters."

"You've secured a safety net for Rachel, but what about me?"

Mom was momentarily speechless, falling silent.

Rachel peeked out from her arms, her voice tearful.

"Sis, it's all my fault. If you really want the house, I can give it to you."

"Mom's not well, please don't upset her."

"Rachel, this has nothing to do with you." Mom pulled her back into her embrace protectively.

She turned to glare at me.

"Look at how sensible your sister is! Unlike you, so harsh and selfish, ready to abandon your mother over a house!"

"I'm abandoning you?"

I looked at Mom in disbelief.

"Mom, ask yourself honestly. Who has been taking care of you these three years?"

"On dialysis days, who gets up at 4 a.m. to prepare and accompany you to the hospital?"

"Who stayed by your bedside night after night when you had complications?"

"When you complained about the hospital food being bland, who researched recipes and cooked different meals for you every day?"

My voice grew louder with each word.

Three years of devotion, only to be met with accusations. Tears surged out uncontrollably.

"It was me! All me!"

I stood up abruptly and pointed at Rachel,

"What about her? Has she come back to see you once in three years?"

"Has she called to check on you? Has she paid a single cent for your medical bills?"

"She doesn't even know how many times a week you have dialysis! She doesn't even know your doctor's last name!"

"And you say Idon't care if you live or die?"

"Enough!" Mom roared, furious.

"Anna, don't make yourself sound so noble! You went out of your way to care for me just to get this house!"

A sharp pain stabbed my chest.

"Mom, if I said I cared for you and it was never about the house, would you believe me?"

"Then what else could it be for?" Mom sneered, "Love? Don't make me laugh!"

"I'm telling you, the house is for Rachel. No tricks of yours will get it to you!"

So, no matter how much I gave sincerely, in Mom's eyes, it was all calculation.

She could never love me the way she loved my sister.

"Fine."

I nodded.

"Since you think I'm after the house, I don't want it."

"Since you think my care has ulterior motives, I won't do it anymore."

I wiped away my tears and headed to my room.

"Where are you going?" Mom shouted sternly behind me.

"Packing." I didn't look back. "I'm leaving this house."

"Who are you trying to scare?"

Mom's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Once you're out that door, where will you go?"

Back in my room, I finally let the tears flow freely.

Outside, I heard Mom talking to Rachel, her tone gentle in a way it never was with me.

"Rachel, are you hungry? Let Mom make you some pasta. We can have Anna make the Christmas's dinner later."

"Don't worry, your room is still here for you. I'll have Anna clean it up so you can stay."

Rachel's voice was cautiously sweet.

"Mom,Anna seems really upset. What if she actually leaves?"

"Ignore her!" Mom's voice turned cold.

"She's just trying to manipulate me! Let's see how long she can keep this up!"

Hearing those words, my heart still ached.

From childhood, Mom had always unconditionally favored Rachel.

In elementary school, when we both had fevers,

Mom rushed Rachel to the hospital and stayed with her all night.

But me? I was left at home to fend for myself.

In middle school, I wanted to learn painting. The teacher said I had talent.

The fee was two thousand dollars.

Mom said, "What's the point? Waste of money."

When Rachel wanted piano lessons, Mom bought her a twenty-thousand-dollar piano right away.

"Of course! A girl should be accomplished."

I got into a top university, but Mom wanted me to drop out,

"What's the use of so much education for a girl? Better to start working and earn money early."

Later, when Rachel flunked her exams, Mom pulled strings and spent tens of thousands to get her into a private college.

"A girl needs a degree."

I used to think that if I gave enough, did enough, maybe one day Mom would treat me like she did Rachel.

But now I knew.

Someone who's biased only sees the one they favor.

I wiped my tears, grabbed my suitcase, and started packing.

There wasn't much to pack anyway.

My room was only half the size of Rachel's.

Even though she hadn't been back in three years, Mom had filled my space with Rachel's old stuff.

I had so little that belonged to me.

Especially these three years.

All my time, energy, and money went to caring for Mom.

I hadn't even bought a single new outfit.

I shoved everything into the suitcase, it wasn't even half full.

I dragged it to the living room.

Mom didn't even look up.

"What took you so long? Hurry up and make the Christmas's dinner!"

"Your sister is home; you should be welcoming her!"

Rachel's face pale,

"Mom, Anna has her suitcase... She really seems like she's leaving."

Mom finally looked up, saw the suitcase, and exploded,

"Anna, Causing drama on Christmas Eve? You have to ruin everything!"

"You think playing runaway will force me to give you the house? Dream on!"

I looked at Mom, my voice calm.

"Mom, give the house to whoever you want."

"Since you gave it to Rachel, let her take care of you from now on."

"Anna! You ungrateful bitch!" Mom shook with rage, pointing at my nose,

"Without the house, you even abandon your mother? Get out! Get out right now!"

"From now on, I have no daughter like you! Die out there and don't come back!"

I nodded.

"Fine."

I pulled the suitcase and walked out the door.

Behind me, Rachel asked Mom worriedly,

"Mom, what if Sis really doesn't come back? I don't know how to take care of you!"

Mom's reply was full of certainty.

"Where can she go? For three years, all she's done is care for me. What else can she do? She quit her job, she's out of touch with society. What company would hire her?"

"Hmph, in a few days, she'll come crawling back."

Standing in the cold Christmas Eve wind, my heart felt even colder than the air.

I stayed at a friend's place for a few days.

Then I quickly rented a clean, bright one-bedroom apartment.

It was expensive, but worth it.

Before, I always tried to save money for Mom's medical bills and to build up for her surgery.

In the end, I didn't even get a single word of thanks.

Better to spend it all on myself.

After the holiday, I started job hunting.

Three years was a long gap. Most resumes vanished into the void.

But I didn't give up, and finally, I landed a position at a mid-sized company as a planner.

Days at work, nights freelancing as a copywriter.

Life was busy, but my heart felt unusually at peace.

No more worrying about Mom's condition, no more calculating medical costs, no more enduring baseless accusations.

It was like I could finally breathe.

One afternoon a week later, I was at work when my phone rang.

It was from the hospital.

"Ms. Anna, your mother's medical bills for this month are due."

"Also, about the kidney donor we mentioned last time...there's progress! A matching kidney has been found! If you're proceeding with the surgery, the $800,000 fee needs to be paid soon."

I held the phone, silent for a few seconds.

"Dr. Miller, from now on, please contact my mother directly or my sister Rachel about her medical bills and treatment."

There was a pause on the other end: "Ms. Anna, do you mean..."

"What I mean is," I said calmly, "my mom's affairs are no longer my concern."

I hung up and went back to work.

Soon, the phone rang again.

It was Rachel.

I hesitated, but answered.

"Anna!" Rachel's voice was tearful, "Come back, please! Mom's condition has worsened! She's in so much pain..."

My voice stayed even. "Take her to the hospital."

"I... I don't know how!" Rachel sounded desperate.

"Anna, you have experience caring for Mom. Come back, I'm begging you!"

I could hear Mom's weak moans in the background.

Rachel cried louder, "Anna, did you hear that? Mom's like this, and you really don't feel bad at all?"

Feel bad?

Of course it hurt.

She was my mother.

But what was my pain worth in her eyes?

"Rachel," I said, "Mom said the house is yours, and she loves you the most. Now that she's sick, it's your turn to care for her."

"Anna! How can you be like this!" Rachel's voice turned shrill.

"Mom said the house is my safety net! I have nothing left now, just this house! Are you trying to force me out?"

"Forcing you?" I laughed. "Rachel, who's been forcing whom these three years?"

"While you were enjoying life, I was at the hospital bedside."

"While you were dating, I was crunching medical bills."

"Now that you're heartbroken, you remember you have a mom, remember the house."

"Mom said whoever cares for her gets the house, how am I the one forcing you?"

The line went silent for a long time.

Then, Mom's voice came on, cold and sharp,

"Anna, you've really grown bold! Daring to cut off my medical payments!"

"Do you really want to watch your own mother die?"

Her voice wasn't weak at all.

I realized right away she'd been faking before.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mom, I didn't cut them off. I just told the hospital I'm no longer responsible."

"After all, you've already transferred the house to Rachel."

"As for whether you'll die..."

I dug my nails into my palm.

"That's something for you and your most beloved daughter to worry about."

With that, I hung up.

Then, I blocked the number.

I knew Mom's personality; she wouldn't let it go.

But I wasn't afraid.