After my mom passed away, I spent my teenage years living with my stepfather and his son. For years, I was the primary babysitter for my stepbrother, often sacrificing my own schoolwork and extracurriculars to help out. I never complained because I thought that was just what family did. But recently, after years of unpaid labor, I finally asked my stepfather if he would start paying me for my time.
He snapped immediately, shouting, “Who’s providing you with a home?!” It was a gut punch. Suddenly, all my hard work was dismissed as “ingratitude.” That night, I decided I’d had enough and started making plans to move out and live independently.
When my stepfather realized I was serious, he came into my room, closed the door, and threatened me. He said, “If you leave now, I’ll make sure you never get a proper education. You’ll end up working as a waitress for the rest of your life.” That’s when I learned the truth: my late mom had saved enough money to cover four years of college for me, but she had put him in charge of it. He told me that if I dared to leave or stopped babysitting his son, he would spend all of my inheritance on his own son instead. I feel trapped and betrayed—he’s using my own mother’s legacy to hold my future hostage just so he can have a free babysitter.
