He Found My Worth, Unlike Them

iend Kieran's family. His mother, Jeanie, never let me forget my place. "

s engagement to Carolina Farley, a wealthy heiress. They called me a pl

e it was time to leave, confi

was

ey spent, I saved every dollar. While they dismisse

ing back, begging for another

a man who didn't need thr

t I'd wai

ought

pte

y Del

mily because there wa

ed their struggling finances. Jeanie Cash, Kieran's mother, wielded those words like a weapon. "You're not legally family,

the path of least resistance. Always. His younger brother, Collin, simply

rmat. I was bu

t hours preparing Sunday dinner-roast chicken, creamy potato gratin, fresh arugula sa

an to her right, scrolling through his phone. Collin sp

offered

-a cramped space next to the pantry where my own modest plate waited. This

t yet sharp. "There's no room here. Why don't

, my thr

ft toward me. "It's really too bad Aubrey doesn'

ed. Kieran re

the invisible hand that cooked, cleaned,

e. "Hey, babe. Can you get me more chicken? Mom loves i

plate, and refille

s are complicated with Mom. But we'll fig

ear," I said quietly.

You know how she is about the 'bad luck' of marrying in an even

feel about you, anyway," he added, al

paper. That's all it was to

oof that I belonged. That I was see

y back ached, I walked past the living room. J

ed. We need someone who can bring so

ing about me

y in bed, headphones on, playing a video game

desk in the corner. CPA review materials. I'd been studying in secret for two y

t it? What's the point? You a

t a hobby

and returned

losing around a crisp, official document.

d purchased three months ago, with money I had painstakingly s

t I had now

to find out how