It felt as if I had just severed an invisible chain that had bound me for years.
But I knew they wouldn’t let this go easily.
The first call came the next morning.
My mother’s number.
I ignored it.
The second call.
The third.
The fourth.
She didn’t give up.
By the fifth, I silenced my phone and let it go to voicemail. I made myself a cup of coffee, sat at the kitchen table, and checked my messages.
Mom: Sophia, I can’t believe you did this. Do you have any idea how much the house is struggling?
Mom: Don’t be so selfish. Family is supposed to help each other.
Mom: Call me back.
I set my cup down, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.
I figured she had found out by now.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed again.
This time, it was my father.
I stared at the screen, feeling my heart sink.
If it had been in the past, I would have answered immediately. But now, I knew he wasn’t calling to defend me.
I let it go to voicemail.
A while later, I played the message.
Dad: Sophia, you need to reconsider. Your mother is very upset. You can’t just cut ties over a small misunderstanding. We’re family.
I let out a hollow laugh.
Family?
If I was really family, why hadn’t they ever stood by me?
In the afternoon, Olivia called.
I declined.
A second later, her texts came in.
Olivia: Absolutely pathetic, Sophia. You’re such a petty and selfish person.
Olivia: Do you really think you’re better than us? If you didn’t want to help, you should have said so from the start instead of pretending to be the good one.
Olivia: You’ve destroyed this family. Congratulations.
I laughed, a dry, bitter laugh.
Did they really believe I was the one in the wrong?
Then Parker called.
This time, I answered.
“What?”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Taking back what’s mine.”
“You’re disgusting, Sophia. You cut off support for Mom and Dad just because they didn’t leave you any inheritance. You’re nothing but a greedy leech.”
“This isn’t about money, Parker. It’s about respect. Something I never got from any of you.”
“You’re a venomous snake. You think you can abandon this family without consequences? Just wait.”
He hung up before I could say another word.