So I earned scholarships and moved into a college dorm. I balanced part-time jobs with my studies and kept working toward my future.
During college, I worked at the library and also tutored students on weekends. From early morning to late at night, I managed both my job and my studies in a non-stop routine.
Still, I never lost my love for learning about finance.
In my investment classes, I often got the best grades, and my professors would say, “You have a bright future ahead.”
While I was busy with my demanding life in college, Sarah, who was now in middle school, was doing great at home with all the support from our parents.
Whenever I came home on weekends, the living room was full of Sarah’s friends. The smell of Mom’s fresh cookies and brownies filled the house, along with the sound of happy middle school girls laughing.
One moment that really stuck with me was when Sarah joined the school drama club. She got the lead role in Snow White, which was going to be performed at the school festival.
Our parents immediately signed her up for a professional acting class and spent a lot of money on her costume.
Dad even took time off work to build the stage props, and Mom drove Sarah to her rehearsals every day. On weekends, she practiced Sarah’s lines with her.
If Sarah wanted to hang out at the mall with friends, Mom happily drove her and gave her plenty of money to spend.
Her room slowly turned into something that looked like a mini clothing shop, full of new clothes and accessories.
When it came to school, even if Sarah got low scores on tests, our parents didn’t scold her. They would say, “It’s not a big deal.”
But when Sarah suggested a school fundraising project or joined local cleanup events, our parents proudly said, “We’re so happy she cares about others.”
One time, when Sarah failed her math midterm and scored below passing marks, our parents quickly hired a private tutor to help her.
When I offered to help Sarah with her studies, my parents kindly said, “No, you’re already busy with your own work, right?”
They told me later one of their coworker’s kids started coming over twice a week to tutor Sarah.
For Sarah’s 14th birthday, our parents threw a huge party. The backyard was decorated with pink and white balloons, and there was a custom-made cake from a professional baker right in the middle of the table.
They invited all her classmates, along with some friends she had met at her tutoring center.
The gift table was full of expensive presents, including the newest smartphone and a fancy designer handbag, things I couldn’t even dream of having.
I watched the whole scene while taking a short break from working on a university project. My feelings were mixed.
I loved my sister very much, but I couldn’t ignore how different things were for us.
Sarah stood there like a princess, glowing with joy and fully enjoying the love our parents gave her.
She smiled so brightly, as if everything she received was simply normal.
While I worked part-time at the library every weekend, Sarah was out watching movies with her friends or going shopping.
When I saw her posts on social media, I would often think about how different my own middle school days were.
It surprised me how two sisters raised by the same parents could have such completely different lives.
After finishing college, I got a job as an analyst at a big investment bank. By the time I was 23, I was financially independent and living alone in a small apartment.
Most days, I went to work at 8:00 in the morning and didn’t come home until after 11:00 at night. But the good salary made it worth it.
My job was to study new companies and write reports to help investors make smart choices.
My bosses gave me high praise, and by my third year, they trusted me with big projects. Even on weekends, I went to training sessions and kept studying to earn special finance certificates.
Meanwhile, Sarah had joined a local state university. She chose to study communications.
Her college life looked like something out of a teen movie. She joined clubs, went to parties, and traveled to other countries during summer break, with our parents paying for everything.
While I was building my own life from scratch, I tried my best to stay close with my family.
I visited home once a month, ate meals with them, and listened to Sarah talk about her college life.
Dad was still really into gardening, and Mom kept herself busy by helping out with local community work.
On the outside, everything between us looked fine. But deep down, something didn’t feel right.
This quiet tension continued for years.
Around that time, I started noticing a change in how my parents talked about my job. Before, they didn’t seem very interested in my work, but suddenly, they began making comments I didn’t expect.
Whenever they asked about work, I shared updates honestly. I told them about my promotions and the awards I had received.