How My Privileged Family Turned Against Me And Now Wants My Property

Praising my brother

As our drinks were running low, Mom began to monologue about Jack, my brother. "He's been doing so well lately," she said, carefully making sure that any praise actually reached me. I nodded in agreement, although every compliment felt strategically placed. Jack had always been her favorite, and her words weighed on me like an invisible burden. Was this her way of reminding me where I stood? I waited in silence, feeling the tingling sensation of manipulation hidden behind her seemingly innocuous sentences.

Questions to explore

"So, what have you been up to?" mom asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she leaned towards me. I began to tell her about my apartment, careful not to get into deeper waters. Her questions seemed like gentle knocks on a closed door, poking around the edges of my new life. I answered cautiously, unsure of where the conversation would lead, but something in her eyes told me she was looking for more details.