My Cat Gets the Cash, You Get My Love

Are you out of your mind? You maxed out twenty-five hundred dollars in vet bills on a stupid cat, and you get your own mother this cheap street trash?

The cheap necklace hit the floor right by my shoes with a sharp clatter. She shoved a manicured finger inches from my face, her acrylic nail grazing my nose. Scattered across the glass coffee table were four sets of trust documents and deeds for luxury downtown condos.

The sole beneficiary listed on every single one of them was my brother.

She handed over the entire family wealth to him, yet had the nerve to claim she gave all her love to me. I met her blazing stare and gave her a slow, innocent smile. "What are you so worked up about, Mom?"

"Sure, my money went to the cat, but I gave you all my love!"

Chapter 1

When we were kids, if they bought donuts, Jaxon and I got one each. If they bought Christmas gifts, we both had equal piles under the tree. I spent years actually believing I grew up in a household built on absolute fairness.

But then, my parents emptied their entire life savings to buy a luxury condo, and the only name on the deed was Jaxon's. He was in middle school at the time.

Mom brushed it off like it was nothing. "It's just how society works, Wren. It doesn't matter if a girl doesn't own property, but a man without a house will never find a wife."

"We only have so much money to go around. If we could afford a second place, we'd obviously get one for you too."

I swallowed that bitter pill for days until I finally managed to digest it. I told myself they didn't love me any less; they were just broke. By the time I hit college, Mom was constantly crying on the phone about how tight money was.

So, I worked myself to the bone. I juggled part-time jobs and chased every scholarship just to lift the financial burden off their shoulders.

And during those exact same years, they bought a second condo. Then a third. Both in Jaxon's name.

Her excuse morphed seamlessly.

"The world is so hard on boys. They face so much pressure. A couple of extra properties just gives him a safety net. You're a girl, you'll have it much easier."

That was the exact moment the phrase 'patriarchal favoritism' clicked in my head. Before that, I had never once linked those toxic words to my own family. I threw her old promises right back in her face.

"You literally told me you'd buy me one if we had the money. Now Jaxon has three. If you're going to play favorites, at least have the guts to admit it!"

She exploded. "When have we ever mistreated you? Did you ever have less clothes or snacks than your brother? You're a girlyou always needed dresses and hair clips."

"We spent way more on you! If we were really biased, would we have put you through college? Go look at how many families don't even let their daughters study! Who else treats their kids as equally as we do?"

Jaxon leaned back on the sofa, mashing the buttons on his game controller. He kept his eyes glued to the screen.

"Wren, stop pissing Mom off with your jealousy. It's their money; they can give it to whoever they want. Your ungrateful attitude is actually disgusting. Don't tell me you seriously expected a cut of the inheritance?"

The two of them played off each other flawlessly. The sheer weight of their moral gaslighting knocked the wind right out of me. I couldn't even formulate a response. Fighting them was a waste of oxygen.

I stared down at my bag. Inside sat a solid gold necklace I'd bought with my very first paycheck out of college. I had watched Mom linger at that specific jewelry counter for ages, never willing to pull the trigger and buy it for herself.

I had walked in today planning to surprise her. Now, I saw the absolute pointlessness of it.

I turned on my heel, walked right out the front door, and headed straight back to the mall.

The necklace was worth twenty-two hundred dollars. I didn't hesitate for a single second to get a full refund. I turned right around, walked into a high-end luxury breeder, and bought a purebred Ragdoll cat.

I bought the highest-grade organic kibble, premium litter, and every single accessory they had in the store. Outside of my office hours, my entire life revolved around prepping his meals and playing with him. I booked him monthly grooming appointments and regular vet checkups.

Mom would watch this and shake her head in absolute disgust. "You brought a literal parasite into this house. How much money are you burning on that thing?"

I hugged my massive, fluffy boy to my chest and shot her a smug, arched brow. "He's my son. Obviously, I'm going to give him the best."

Right before Mom headed out to get her nails done, she ordered me to prep lunch for Jaxon.

I flat-out refused.

Chapter 2

By the time she got back, her precious son was gnawing on a half-thawed slice of frozen pizza. Meanwhile, I was taking my sweet time searing imported wild-caught salmon for my cat.

"This is what you call being too busy?"

I didn't look up, keeping my focus on slicing the fish. "We all have to take care of our own sons. If I'm busy feeding yours, what happens when mine goes hungry?"

Her jaw dropped. She stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, completely incapable of forming a sentence.

She conveniently forgot that Jaxon was only a year younger than me. We were both adults. Why couldn't he feed himself?

According to Mom's twisted logic, boys were just naturally clumsy and bad at chores, so it was my job to wait on him hand and foot. Yeah, right.

For Mom's birthday, Jaxon bought her a pair of cheap knockoff shoes online. Five bucks with free shipping. She practically glowed, bragging about how her boy was finally growing up and learning how to spoil his mother.

Then she tried them on. They were two sizes too big.

She forced an awkward laugh. "Boys are just careless. It's totally normal for him not to know my size."

"That's why they say daughters are the thoughtful ones, right?" As she spoke, her eyes darted toward me, clearly demanding her real gift.

I flashed her a sickly-sweet smile and pulled a replica necklace out of a beautifully wrapped gift box. It looked exactly like the designer one she had been eyeing. The only difference was that this one was made of cheap stainless steel.

The smile wiped clean off her face.

"This is what you're giving me?"

I shrugged, blinking at her. "Yeah, I dug it out of a bin at the dollar store. Cost me five ninety-nine. It's actually ninety-nine cents more expensive than those clearance shoes Jaxon got you."

"Mom, I've been thinking about what you said the other day. You're totally right. When we were kids, you bought us the exact same amount of snacks. You always treated us fairly."

"So, my gift had to match Jaxon's. Besides, daughters really are more thoughtful. The chain on this is adjustable, so you don't have to worry about getting the wrong size."

I kept my tone bubbly and sweet. Her chest heaved, and the veins in her neck bulged, but she choked down the rage.

"You have a full-time job! How can you compare yourself to your brother? He's still in college!" she hissed, keeping her voice tight.

"Tell me the truth. How much are you making right now?"

I gave her the exact number. "Eight thousand a month. But I spend most of it on my cat. Mom, I finally understand how hard you had it."

"Raising a son is incredibly expensive. Last week he wasn't feeling well, so I took him in for a CT scan and got some meds. Poof. Two thousand bucks gone in the blink of an eye."

I gently stroked my cat's tail, mimicking the exact tone of a stressed but deeply fulfilled new mother.

"What?! This family is struggling to stay afloat, and you're dumping that kind of cash on an animal? Your father and I still have a million-dollar mortgage to pay off, do you have any idea?"

She shot up from the sofa.

Her eyes widened, practically bulging out of her skull.

I frowned. "Didn't you pay cash for all three of Jaxon's condos? How do you have a mortgage?"

The second the words left my mouth, it hit me.

They bought a fourth one.

Realizing she just exposed her own lie, she snapped her mouth shut, looking momentarily cornered. After a tense silence, she sat back down and shifted right into damage control.

"When we bought this one, we actually planned to give it to you. But then we thought about it. What if you marry someone out of state? You can't take the condo with you."

"So we figured, since you're making such good money now, you could help us pay off the mortgage on this one first. Then, when you're ready to get married, we'll buy you your own place."

Chapter 3

Wow. Talk about selling a fairytale.

They wanted me to bleed my bank account dry for a million-dollar mortgage while dangling the carrot of a "future" house that was never coming. It was pathetic. Young people today are constant targetssold a dream by their bosses, sold a dream by "experts" online, and here I was, a daughter, being sold a dream by her own flesh and blood.

The problem with lying over and over again is that eventually, your line of credit runs out.

"So, whose name is on this one?" I let out a sharp, cold laugh. My gaze flicked to Jaxon, who was still glued to his game. "Your son's again, right?"

Mom slammed her hand against the table. "What do you mean 'my son'? He's your brother! We had him so you'd have a companion in this world, someone to have your back."

"When we're gone, he'll be your only family. If he's doing well, you'll actually have some status when you get married! You're siblingsyou're supposed to support each other. Why are you drawing lines between 'yours' and 'his'?"

"Besides, once you help pay it off and we renovate, we'll make sure there's a guest room just for you. If you ever come home to visit, I'm sure Jaxon wouldn't dream of kicking you out."

I leaned back, cradling my cat, and let out a long, exaggerated yawn. "Spending years of my salary just for the privilege of staying in a guest room a few days a year? I can stay at a five-star luxury suite for a few hundred a night. This 'guest room' is way out of my budget."

Before she could cut in, I flashed her another sweet smile. "Actually, Mom, I think you were right the first time. I'm a girlI don't need to worry about property. So, I'll just keep using my paycheck to raise my son."

"Your son! You're seriously calling that animal your son? You got your own mother a piece of junk for her birthday, but you blow thousands on a beast every month?"

"Do you have a single shred of conscience left?" Her voice hit a shrill, piercing frequency.

She was right. I wouldn't dream of spending thousands on a necklace for her, but I'd spend it on my cat in a heartbeat. Equality isn't the problem; it's the uneven distribution of care. Finally, she was getting a taste of what it felt like to be the one left behind.

I stayed calm, my expression a mask of pure innocence. "You adore your son, so you gave him four condos. I adore mine, so I spend my money on him. It's the same logic, right?"

"Mom, don't be mad. My money went to the cat, but I gave all my love to you!"

She went nuclear.

"GET THE HELL OUT!"

At midnight, I was tossed onto the street.

I didn't even look back. I checked into the nearest Hilton, dropped a few hundred dollars, and called it a night. The girl at the front desk was an absolute angel.

She was incredibly sweet, helped me get my cat settled, and even sent up a complimentary late-night snack platter. I soaked in a steaming tub, ate chilled, sweet watermelon, and sighed in relief. Money really is better spent on things that actually provide value.

The next day was the weekend. I spent the morning scouting the neighborhood near my office and found a perfect place. It was a renovated one-bedroom with a huge, sun-drenched balcony for only two thousand a month. The landlady treated me like a VIP, practically rolling out the red carpet while helping me move in.

If I were still at home, giving that same two thousand to my mother for her mortgage, she'd only complain that it wasn't enough. It was a lesson learned: in the real world, your money buys you service and respect. In that house, no matter how much I gave, all I got was bottomless greed and endless headaches.

I started my new life with just me and my cat. With a great salary and a beautiful apartment, life was finally starting to taste sweet.

Two weeks later, the phone rang.

Mom was in the hospital.

Chapter 4

She wore those cheap shoes Jaxon bought her to her community Zumba class and shattered her ankle. Now she needed surgical steel pins and at least half a month of round-the-clock care. Dad was out of state chasing business deals, and Mom was too cheap to hire a home nurse, so naturally, she expected me to wait on her hand and foot.

The project I was managing was on a brutal deadline. I was pulling overtime every single day; there was zero chance I could get that kind of time off. Meanwhile, Jaxon was home on summer break, rotting in front of his gaming console day and night, doing absolutely nothing.

Mom's excuse for him? "Jaxon already made plans with his friends. He doesn't have the time."

"Besides, boys don't know the first thing about taking care of people. Daughters are just naturally more attentive and gentle."

I let out a dry, incredulous laugh. "Who is born knowing how to be a nurse? I'm still on my probationary period at work. If I take fifteen days off, I won't have a job to go back to!"

Her voice spiked to a shrill shriek. "What kind of attitude is that? Your own mother is in the hospital, and you can't even spare a few days? How can we ever rely on you in the future?"

"Work, work, workyou're so busy working, yet I haven't seen a single dime of it go toward this family! Do you have any idea how much your parents sacrifice for you?"

After screaming her lungs out, she seemed to remember she actually needed a favor. She cleared her throat, her pitch dropping into a slow drawl.

"Just talk to your boss. If you actually knew how to network and build relationships, he wouldn't deny you leave for your mother's major surgery. This is just you not knowing how to act like a professional."

Right. Trying to use basic human logic with her was a lost cause.

I let out a heavy, exaggerated sigh, dialing my voice up to sound utterly heartbroken and helpless. "Mom, it's really not that I don't want to take care of you. I wish I could fly right to your bedside."

"But your precious grandson is sick too. He caught FIP, and he needs constant supervision. As a mother, my devotion to my son is exactly like your devotion to Jaxon. I know you, of all people, can understand that."

Before she could detonate, I hit end call.

As the phone screen faded to black, the blood in my veins turned to ice.

So this was what it felt like to be completely cold-blooded.

Seconds ago, a thousand arguments and justifications had clawed at my throat. Now, my jaw was clamped shut.

Silence.

I was two months into a core tech role. If I asked for half a month of leave, my boss would make my vacation permanent.

She knew my exact situation, but my survival never even factored into her equation. Explaining was pointless. It wasn't that she didn't know; she just purposefully chose to look the other way.

Later that night, Jaxon finally graced me with his presence, ripping himself away from his loud party just long enough to call me.

Chapter 5

"Wren, you seriously dumped Mom at the hospital and didn't even bother to visit? Do you have a single shred of conscience left? Is your job seriously more important than your own mother? You can get another job, but you only have one mom!"

Over his rant, the phone blasted the heavy bass of cheap party music and the obnoxious, drunken howling of his frat brothers.

I had just gotten off work. I was browsing the expensive organic produce at Whole Foods when I hit answer and let out a sharp scoff.

"Oh? So you're at her bedside twenty-four-seven, wiping her ass right now? That must be so exhausting for you, your highness."

He didn't miss a beat. "I'm out of state! I literally can't! Besides, she's in the hospitalisn't it your responsibility to take care of her?"

"You're seriously abandoning our parents just because you're throwing a tantrum over a condo? Who raised you? Did they not feed you? Even if you're busy, you can't hire her a home nurse?"

"You make so much money, and you're too cheap to drop a few bucks on her? You can't just leech off them forever; you have to actually contribute!"

"Mom and Dad are drowning in a million-dollar mortgage, working their asses off, and you're just out living your best life. How are you this selfish?" He spat the words out like rapid fire.

That classic gaslighting script. When did my sweet little brother enroll in a crash course for toxic patriarchs? He was awfully eager to lecture a woman on her place.

Fine. I cleared my throat, ready to serve him a massive reality check. "From what I know, the first three condos in your name are fully rented out. You're pulling in over ten grand a month in passive income."

"And instead of using that to help pay off their mortgage, every single penny goes straight into your personal savings account for your future wedding. Since you're so incredibly empathetic toward Mom and Dad's struggles, I'm sure you wouldn't mind fronting the cash for a nurse, right?"

See? They could easily use that rent money to clear the debt. But for the sake of their precious son, they chose to break their own backs carrying the mortgage. My parents demanded my empathy.

They wanted me to bleed for their suffering. But this was a bed they made themselves. Misery loves company, and if they wanted to drown in it for him, they could go right ahead. I wasn't taking a sip of that poison.

As I spoke, I pushed my cart past the bakery section. A sample tray of pistachio cake caught my eye. I popped a piece into my mouth.

Pure, rich sweetness exploded on my tongue. Incredible.

Jaxon choked on his own rage. "Stop comparing yourself to me! I'm the son! I'm the one who has to take care of them when they're old!"

"We are fundamentally different. The second you get married, you're an outsider. Why the hell would they give you any assets? That's basically handing our money to a stranger!"

"Look, no one actually expects you to do the heavy lifting. Moving forward, just wire them a thousand bucks a month for living expenses, and show up to play nurse when they get sick."

"I'll handle the real burden of being the heir." He sounded so damn righteous, acting like he was granting me a favor.

I almost laughed out loud.

It was the most brain-dead logic I had ever heard. I was suddenly incredibly thankful I didn't have him on speakerphone. If any normal person in this grocery store heard the absolute garbage coming out of his mouth, I would have died of embarrassment.

"Hello? Are you even listening to me? Wren"

I yanked the phone away from my ear like it was a contagious disease. "Sorry, the wind is too loud! I can't hear a word of your barking!"

Chapter 6

At eight o'clock that night, Mom posted a photo of herself in a hospital gown on Facebook.

[ Being in the hospital all alone. Seeing other people's daughters by their sides, so happy together. ]

In less than half an hour, the post was swarmed with comments asking what happened. As expected, my phone became a war zone of incoming calls from relatives.

Aunt Karen was the first one to call, her voice clipped and sharp. "Wren, your selfishness is actually unbelievable! No matter what, she's your mother. How could you just leave her alone in the hospital?"

"I don't care what your brother is doing; as a daughter, it is your duty to serve your parents! Parents have their struggles. You'll understand when you're my age."

"Never mind fifteen dayseven if you had to care for her for years, it's what you owe her. Don't tell me you're tired from work. How busy can a desk job really be?"

"You young people have it too easy. You can't handle the slightest bit of hardship."

I rolled my eyes at the empty room, forcing a ragged sob into the receiver. "Aunt Karen, you have no idea how worried I am! But I'm literally sick with grief. I have such a high fever I can't even get out of bed