When my sister Zahra invited us to her lake house for a “much-needed family weekend,” I offered to bring groceries. Her reply? “You’ve freeloaded long enough.” My heart pounded. Last year alone, I’d paid her mortgage three times, covered emergencies, and paid for her son’s braces. That night, I made a list of every dollar I’d given her—loans she never repaid, bills I covered, favors she forgot. I wasn’t planning to confront her. I just needed proof I wasn’t crazy. The next day, a stranger with a clipboard walked the property. “She didn’t tell you?” he asked. “She’s selling the house.”
I was stunned. Zahra had preached about it being a “family legacy.” When I confronted her, she brushed me off—said it was none of my business. When I reminded her of the financial help I gave, she snapped, “That wasn’t charity.” Later that night, I added one final item to my list: emotional debt.
