I looked past my brother, into the house where I had grown up. A cascade of memories flooded my mind: Christmas mornings by the fireplace, Thanksgiving dinners where laughter echoed through the halls, and countless birthdays where Jacob and I would sneak extra slices of cake from the kitchen. Those memories seemed like distant dreams now, overshadowed by the harsh reality of the present.

But this wasn’t about nostalgia. It was about Lily. Sweet, innocent Lily, who had no part in these family dynamics. She was turning five today, and the least I could do was make her feel special, loved. I took a step forward, my resolve hardening.

Before I could speak, Jacob laughed again, louder this time. “Look at you, about to cry. What a joke. You’ll always be a loser.” His words were like ice, freezing me in place.

I didn’t respond, not directly to him. Instead, I looked at my mother, hoping for some semblance of support. But she just stood there, her eyes averted, complicit in her silence. It was clear where her loyalties lay, and it wasn’t with me.

Feeling the weight of their judgment, I made a decision. If they didn’t want me there, I’d respect that. I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving the dollhouse and gifts on the porch. As I reached my car, I heard the door close behind me, echoing more finality than any words could.

The drive home was a blur, my mind a whirlwind of emotions: anger, hurt, disbelief. How had things gotten so bad? I had always been the black sheep of the family, the one who preferred computers over sports, books over parties. But I had never imagined it would come to this—a complete severing of ties, a dismissal from the very people who were supposed to care the most.

When I finally reached my apartment, I collapsed onto the sofa, too exhausted to do anything but stare at the ceiling. My phone buzzed incessantly in my pocket, but I ignored it, assuming it was another string of messages from work. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled it out, my eyes widening at the sight of 27 missed calls.

The calls were all from my mother and brother, their names blinking accusingly on the screen. I hesitated for a moment before opening the voicemail. The messages were frantic, each more desperate than the last. “We need you to pay the caterer… The party planner is threatening to leave… Lily’s crying and asking for you…”

I listened, a small part of me feeling vindicated. They had no idea I was the one who had footed the bill for everything, who had ensured Lily’s day would be perfect. Without me, the party had crumbled.

For the first time that day, a smile tugged at my lips. Maybe I had been a loser in their eyes, but now they were realizing just how much they had taken me for granted. I put my phone down and decided to let them figure it out on their own. After all, I had done more than enough.