After I hit the jackpot for $2.5 million in the lottery, my parents demanded I split half with their cherished daughter…

The silence that followed was profound. Then both my parents erupted in exclamations of shock and congratulations. My mother actually got up to hug me, something that rarely happened in our family.

Oh my goodness, Mackenzie. This is unbelievable, she exclaimed. Wait until Brooke hears this.

And there it was. Not even a full minute of celebration before my sister was mentioned. As if on cue, the front door opened and Brooke swept in, fastenably late as usual.

Sorry I’m late, traffic was awful. What did I miss? My mother practically tripped over herself rushing to deliver the news. Mackenzie won the lottery.

2.5 million dollars. Brooke’s expression shifted rapidly from surprise to excitement to something more calculating. She hugged me with unusual enthusiasm.

That’s amazing, Mack. We’re going to have so much fun with this. I felt a knot forming in my stomach at her use of we.

Before I could respond, my father chimed in. This is perfect timing, actually. Brooke, tell your sister about your situation.

Brooke at least had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. It’s not a big deal, really. I’m just in a bit of a financial bind with the business.

The business was her latest venture, an online boutique selling overpriced bohemian clothing that she’d started six months ago after abandoning her job at a marketing firm. I’d already heard from my parents that it wasn’t going well. It’s more than a bit of a bind, my father corrected.

The credit card debt alone is nearly thirty thousand dollars, and then there’s the inventory loan. Dad, please. Brooke interrupted, shooting him an annoyed look before turning back to me with a practiced smile.

But hey, that’s not important right now. This is about your amazing news, though. I mean, if you were thinking about helping family, I wouldn’t say no.

I sat there, food forgotten, as I processed what was happening. Not a single question about how I felt about winning. No inquiries about my plans or dreams.

Just an immediate pivot to how my windfall could solve Brooke’s problems. I haven’t even received the money yet, I said carefully. There’s a whole process, and I need to speak with financial advisors about the best way to.

But you will help your sister, of course, my mother interjected, as if it were already decided. Family helps family. And with so much money, you can easily spare enough to clear Brooke’s debts and give her business a proper chance.

The knot in my stomach tightened. I haven’t made any decisions yet. This just happened, and I’m still processing everything.

What’s there to process? My father asked, his tone shifting from celebratory to something harder. Your sister needs help, and now you can provide it. That’s what family does.

What about my student loans? I countered. Or the fact that I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck while trying to build some kind of security for myself. Don’t I deserve to take care of my needs first? Don’t be selfish, Mackenzie, my mother said, her voice taking on the disappointed tone I knew all too well.

Your sister has a real business with real potential. This could be her big break. And what about my big break? I asked, feeling a lifetime of resentment bubbling to the surface.

For once in my life, something amazing has happened to me, and immediately it becomes about Brooke. Brooke’s expression turned hurt. I can’t believe you’re being like this.

If I won, I would share with you without hesitation. The hypocrisy of that statement was almost laughable. When Brooke had received a $10,000 inheritance from our grandmother three years ago, she’d spent it all on a luxury vacation to Bali without so much as offering to take any of us to dinner.

The rest of the meal devolved into tense conversation with my parents alternating between guilt trips and thinly veiled demands. By the time I left, the joy of my windfall had been thoroughly tarnished. Instead of celebrating with my family, I drove home fighting back tears of frustration and disappointment.

Once home, I poured myself a glass of wine and called Rachel. That bad, huh? She asked after I recounted the dinner disaster. They didn’t even wait five minutes before making it about Brooke, I said, my voice breaking.

Not a single question about what this means for me or what I might want to do with my own money. I’m not surprised, but I’m still sorry, Rachel replied gently. What are you going to do? I took a deep breath.

Exactly what I planned before dinner, pay off my debts, secure my future and make smart decisions and apparently set some very firm boundaries with my family. Little did I know how severely those boundaries would be tested in the coming days. The morning after the disastrous family dinner, my phone began ringing at 7 30 a.m. It was my mother…