The bank hit me up about a $523,000 mortgage tied to my name. Thing is, I never put pen to paper for it. Turns out, my parents sneakily added me to my deadbeat sister’s loan without a heads-up. But what I pulled off next left them totally stunned…

The call came on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, just as I was setting my coffee mug down and settling into my worn-out desk chair. The number was unfamiliar, flashing urgently across my phone screen. Something in my gut twisted even before I answered.

Hello, is this Emily Carter? the voice on the other end asked. Yes, I replied cautiously. This is Charles from Liberty National Bank.

We’re calling regarding your overdue mortgage balance of $523,000. We’ve sent several notices, but the words blurred. Mortgage? $523,000? I didn’t own a house.

I didn’t even own a new car. You must have the wrong person, I said, my voice shaking despite my efforts to sound calm. Ma’am, the documents we have show your full name, date of birth, and social security number.

You are listed as the primary borrower on the loan taken out three years ago. Three years ago, my heart dropped. That was around the time Jessica, my younger sister, had been talking about wanting a bigger house, one she couldn’t afford.

I sat frozen, the hum of my computer fan filling the silence. My mind raced, flipping through memories I didn’t even know I was storing. Jessica flashing Pinterest boards at family dinners.

My parents gushing about how Jessica deserves the best. How we all pitch in for family. But pitch in like this? After hanging up with the bank, promising to look into it when I could barely breathe, I pressed my palms to my eyes hard.

My small, one-bedroom apartment around me suddenly felt like it was caving in. There had to be a mistake. There had to be.

I rifled through my drawers, pulling out every old document I had, praying I would find some clue that proved it wasn’t me. But deep down, the icy grip of betrayal had already begun to wrap around my ribs. Because if it wasn’t a mistake, there was only one explanation…