I never told my family that I own a $1 billion empire. They still see me as a failure, so they invited me to Christmas Eve dinner to humiliate me and celebrate my younger sister becoming a CEO earning $500,000 a year. I wanted to see how they would treat someone they believed was poor, so I pretended to be a broken, naïve girl. But the moment I walked through the door…

I accepted the bag. Inside were budget planning workbooks, discount grocery coupons, and a stack of neatly paper-clipped documents.

“Employment applications,” Jessica explained cheerfully. “Entry-level. There’s a receptionist position at my office, and Uncle Harold needs a file clerk. The important thing is taking that first step.”

“You can’t keep drifting,” my mother added.

Madison leaned forward, adopting the patronizing tone of a manager disciplining an intern. “I’ve been thinking about this. My new position allows me to hire a personal assistant. The salary isn’t much—maybe thirty thousand a year—but it would give you structure. You’d be working for me, of course, but family helps family.”Family games

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Approval rippled through the room.

“That’s… incredibly generous,” I whispered, forcing a few tears. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” Uncle Harold urged. “Stop hiding in that bookstore.”

“Actually,” Brandon interjected, leaning back, “I might be able to help too. My firm hosts networking events. You’d need to update your wardrobe—burn that coat, frankly—but there could be opportunities for someone willing to start at the bottom.” His eyes lingered, a predatory glint that made my skin crawl.

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