She Promised to Pay Me Back. Three Years Later, I Realized the Truth About My Sister.

I never thought that loyalty — my loyalty — could be used against me. And I certainly never imagined that it would come from my own flesh and blood.

But three years ago, that’s exactly what happened.

I was finally beginning to breathe again after years of grinding to keep my small flower shop alive. It had been my dream since college — a quiet little space filled with color, warmth, and the simple joy of making something beautiful. After selling it, I walked away with no debt, a modest nest egg, and hope for a fresh start.

I had earned that peace.

Then, one evening, my phone rang.

It was my sister Lisa. Her voice trembled as she explained their situation. She and her husband Rick were behind on their mortgage, drowning in bills, and facing the real threat of foreclosure.

“We just need a little breathing room,” she said. “Just a year to get things back on track. I swear we’ll pay you back.”

Rick got on the call, too. “This would mean the world to us, Ivy. We’ll draw something up if that makes you feel better. You’d be saving us.”

They were family. Of course I helped.

That was my first mistake.

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