I had an inheritance that could have covered his tuition, so I offered—purely out of support, with no expectations.

He looked me straight in the eye and said, “You can’t buy your way into being my mom.” David sided with him. That day, I stopped trying.

Five years passed.

Then, out of nowhere, Josh called—not to reconnect, but to ask for money for his destination wedding.

I wasn’t even invited.

“If you care about this family, you’ll help,” he said. David chimed in: “This is your opportunity to make things right.” Fix what, exactly? Being treated like an outsider for years?

I agreed to meet for dinner.

They proudly shared plans for a $75,000 dream wedding.

I stepped away briefly, then came back with a folder: inside was a check—and a contract.

Josh would have to start calling me Mom, include me in family events, and treat me as more than just a bank account. He signed it.

I smiled, then threw the whole thing into the fireplace.

“Guess I could buy my way in after all,” I said.

Then I handed David an envelope—divorce papers.

I refuse to stay in a family that only sees me as a source of money.