My father-in-law summoned the whole family to the living room of the old house. On the vintage dining table sat a teapot, a bowl of sunflower seeds, and a stack of property deeds. Seven of them. They were bound in red leather with gold lettering, stacked right in the center of the table. My father-in-law sat at the head of the table. He coughed twice and cleared his throat. “I called you all here today for one reason.” “The properties. It’s time to distribute them.” My heart skipped a beat. We had been waiting for three years. When my father-in-law’s old farmland in the suburbs was bought out by developers, the compensation package included seven newly built apartments. The whole family knew about it, but my father-in-law had kept a tight lid on what he planned to do with them. Today, he was finally splitting them up. I instinctively glanced at my husband, Arthur, sitting next to me. He was holding a teacup, his expression completely blank. My father-in-law pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and smoothed it out. He had written something down. “Leo got married late. He’s just starting a family, and he needs money everywhere he turns.” “These seven apartments… your mother and I have discussed it.” “They are all going to Leo.” The living room went dead silent for three seconds. I thought I misheard him. All of them to Leo? Seven apartments? Not a single one for us? My brother-in-law, Leo, sat across the table, completely unable to hide his excitement. His new wife, Chloe, had eyes that practically lit up like a Christmas tree. The corners of her mouth twitched upward. My brain was buzzing. I whipped my head to look at Arthur. He set down his teacup. He stood up. I thought he was going to slam his hands on the table. Instead, he clapped his hands three times. “Brilliant decision, Dad.” “I support it one hundred percent.” The sound of his clapping echoed through the living room. He was the only one doing it. My father-in-law was taken aback for a second, but then he smiled. My mother-in-law smiled. Leo smiled. Chloe smiled. The whole family was smiling. I was the only one who couldn’t smile. I dug my nails so hard into my palms that they almost drew blood. Seven apartments. Each one was roughly 900 square feet. The market value for each was at least $300,000. Seven apartments meant over two million dollars. And we weren’t getting a single dime of it. And my husband was standing there clapping. My mother-in-law walked over and grabbed my hand. Her hands were warm, and she squeezed mine tightly. “Clara, honey, I know this is hard for you to swallow.” “But you’re the older brother and sister-in-law. You should yield to the younger ones. It’s just how things are done.” “Besides, when Dad and I get old and need taking care of, we’ll be relying on you two as the eldest.” I stared at her face. When she said it, she looked incredibly sincere. The properties go to the younger son. The burden of eldercare goes to the older son. In what universe was that fair? I opened my mouth to speak. Arthur clamped his hand down heavily on my shoulder. “Mom, don’t worry. We don’t have any objections.” His grip was bruising. It felt like a harsh, deliberate warning. I swallowed all the words I was about to say. When the meeting broke up, Leo walked out first, his arm wrapped tightly around Chloe. Chloe looked back over her shoulder at me and smirked. There was something in that smile. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. But it burned itself into my memory. I didn’t say a single word on the drive back to our apartment. The moment I walked through the door, I threw my purse on the floor. “Explain this to me right now.” “Seven apartments. We don’t get a single one. And you were clapping?!” “Are you out of your goddamn mind?!” Arthur took off his shoes, walked into the kitchen, and poured a glass of water. “Drink some water.” “I don’t want water! I want an answer!” He set the glass down on the coffee table and sat on the couch. He looked at me. “Do you trust me?” “Answer my question first.” “Answer mine first.” I stared at him. His eyes were incredibly calm. There was no resentment, no anger. Not even a hint of bitterness. “Do you trust me?” he asked again. I took a deep, shaky breath. “…Yes.” “Then that’s all that matters.” He picked up the glass and took a sip. “Don’t worry about the rest of it.” 02 I didn’t sleep a wink that night. I tossed and turned until 2:00 AM. Arthur slept soundly beside me, his breathing perfectly steady. I just couldn’t understand it. Over two million dollars in assets, just handed away without a fight. How could he possibly sleep? First thing the next morning, my mother-in-law called. “Clara, honey, don’t take yesterday’s decision to heart.” “I’m not playing favorites. Leo really is struggling.” “You and Arthur both have good jobs. You won’t be left destitute.” I gripped my phone, my knuckles turning white. “I understand, Mom.” The moment I hung up, the phone rang again. It was Leo. “Hey Clara, thanks for yesterday.” “You and Arthur are so generous. Chloe and I will never forget this.” “If you ever need a favor in the future, just let your little brother know.” I listened, gave a flat “Uh-huh,” and hung up. A favor? He took two million dollars in real estate and offered a “favor.” What kind of favor was that supposed to be? When the weekend rolled around, my mother-in-law called again, telling us to come over for dinner. I didn’t want to go. Arthur said, “We’re going.” I looked at him. “What exactly are you planning?” “It’s just dinner.” “You know it’s never just dinner.” He paused while tying his shoes. “Just wait.” “Wait for what?” “Wait for what’s coming.” I tried to press him, but he had already opened the door and walked out. At the dinner table, Leo and Chloe sat right next to my in-laws. Chloe was wearing a brand-new outfit, and a thick gold bracelet gleamed on her wrist. My mother-in-law constantly put choice pieces of meat and vegetables onto Chloe’s plate, then Leo’s, then my father-in-law’s. Did she put anything on my plate or Arthur’s? No. But she did bring something else up. “Arthur, your dad hasn’t been feeling well lately. His lower back is killing him.” “Can you take him to the specialist at the city hospital to get it checked out?” Arthur took a bite of food and nodded. “Sure.” “You guys cover the co-pays and the consultation fees for now. I’ll pay you back later.” That “I’ll pay you back later.” I was way too familiar with it. In our five years of marriage, my mother-in-law had said “I’ll pay you back later” at least twenty times. She hadn’t paid us back once. Leo sat next to them, peeling shrimp and handing them to Chloe. Chloe took a bite and smiled sweetly at her mother-in-law. “Mom, these shrimp are amazing.” My mother-in-law beamed. “Right? Your dad specifically went to the market early this morning just to pick out the best ones. It took him half an hour.” I kept my head down, shoveling rice into my mouth. In five years of marriage, my father-in-law had never picked out groceries specifically for me. After dinner, I went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Chloe was sitting in the living room scrolling on her phone. My mother-in-law sat next to her, keeping her company. Halfway through the dishes, I clearly heard Chloe say something from the living room. “Mom, shouldn’t those seven property deeds be officially transferred into Leo’s name soon?” “We should get it done early so we can stop worrying about it.” My mother-in-law replied, “What’s the rush? Your dad has the final say.” Chloe pushed, “Well, it needs to happen fast. Real estate laws change every day.” I squeezed the dish sponge so hard that soapy water ran down my forearms. On the drive home, I finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Did you hear what Chloe said?” “I heard.” “She’s rushing the title transfers. She can’t even wait a single day.” Arthur didn’t respond. “Are you seriously not angry?” “What good does being angry do?” “So what are you going to do? Just roll over and accept it?” He kept his eyes on the road. “When did I ever say I accepted it?” I froze. “You said you supported it! You clapped for them!” “Clapping is clapping. Accepting it is something else entirely.” “Then what are you…?” “Stop asking.” He hit the turn signal and pulled into our apartment complex. “You’ll know when it’s time.” That night, I got up to use the bathroom around 2:00 AM. As I walked past the home office, I saw a sliver of light under the door. I pushed it open just a crack. Arthur was sitting at his desk. Several documents were spread out in front of him. He was on the phone. His voice was kept very low. “…Yeah. For both of us. Process them both.” “What stage is the paperwork at now?” “Okay. As fast as possible.” He hung up, gathered the papers, and shoved them into a desk drawer. He locked it. I stood in the doorway, completely silent. He didn’t notice me. I slipped back into the bedroom and lay down. My heart was racing. For both of us. Process them both. What was he processing? 03 Over the next few days, Arthur left early and came home late. He was much busier than usual. When I asked what he was working on, he just said things were crazy at the office. But his vibe was different. It wasn’t the exhausted slump of someone crushed by corporate deadlines. It felt more like… he was preparing for something. On Wednesday, he came home early. The moment he walked in, he started going through the closets. He pulled out our heavy winter coats and began folding them neatly, one by one. “What are you doing? It’s not even close to winter yet.” “Just getting organized.” “Organized for what?” He didn’t answer, just kept folding. I noticed he had also dragged two large suitcases out from under the bed. The massive, 28-inch hardshell ones. Two of them. “Are you going on a business trip?” “Yeah.” “Where to?” “I’ll tell you when it’s time.” That phrase again. A strange feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t put it into words. It wasn’t anxiety. It felt like the calm before a massive storm. On Thursday, my mother-in-law called again. “Clara, your father-in-law’s back pain… the doctor diagnosed it as a herniated disc.” “They said he needs physical therapy. One round of sessions is over three thousand dollars.” “You and Arthur need to cover the upfront costs.” I gripped my phone, glancing at Arthur sitting on the couch. He was scrolling on his phone, his expression completely blank. “Mom, ask Leo to pay for it. He just got handed seven apartments.” The line went dead silent for two seconds. “Leo just got married. Money is tight right now…” “He has seven apartments and money is tight?” “He hasn’t sold any of the properties! Where is he supposed to get liquid cash?” “Then he can sell one of the apartments.” My mother-in-law’s tone immediately shifted into hostility. “What is wrong with you?! Those are your brother’s properties!” “Dad gave them to him.” “If he gave them to him, they are his!” I took a deep breath. “Fine, Mom. I understand.” I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the coffee table. “Did you hear that?” Arthur put his phone down and looked at me. “Don’t panic.” “I’m not panicking! I’m just furious!” “I just want to know when exactly you are going to—” “Tomorrow.” I froze. “What?” “We’re going back to the old house tomorrow. I have something to tell Dad.” He stood up and walked into the home office. When he came out, he was holding a thick manila envelope. It wasn’t bulky, but there were definitely a few pages inside. He placed the envelope on the coffee table. “Bring this tomorrow.” “What is it?” “You’ll find out tomorrow.” I reached for the envelope, wanting to open it. He gently pressed his hand over mine. “Look at it tomorrow.” “Look at it in front of everyone at the old house.” There was a light in his eyes. In our five years of marriage, it was the very first time I had ever seen that look in him. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t bitterness. It was the absolute, unshakeable confidence of someone who held all the cards. I didn’t sleep well that night either. But this time, it wasn’t out of anger. It was anticipation. I didn’t know what was in that envelope. But I knew that tomorrow, everything was going to change. 04 The next morning, Arthur dressed sharply. A crisp white button-down, dark slacks, and freshly shined dress shoes. He looked like he was heading into an executive board meeting. “Do you really need to dress up this much?” I asked. “When it’s time to be formal, you be formal.” He slipped the manila envelope into his leather briefcase. Before we walked out the door, he looked back at me. “When we get there, while I’m talking, do not interrupt me.” “No matter what I say, do not interrupt.” “Okay.” “And one more thing. Do not smile.” “Why?” “If you smile too early, it ruins the effect.” My heart skipped a beat. What on earth was he planning? When we pulled up to the old house, Leo’s car was already parked out front. My mother-in-law had sent a message in the family group chat the night before, telling everyone to come over for lunch. My father-in-law wanted to discuss the physical therapy costs. Which, translated, meant he wanted to tell us to pay for it. When we walked in, the whole family was already gathered. My father-in-law sat in the master armchair. He looked unwell, a large medicinal patch visible under his shirt collar. My mother-in-law was bustling around in the kitchen. Leo and Chloe were sitting on the sofa. Chloe was cracking sunflower seeds between her teeth. Seeing us walk in, Chloe stood up and offered a fake, overly-sweet smile. “Hey Arthur, hey Clara.” Arthur gave a curt nod and sat down. I sat next to him. My mother-in-law brought out a plate of sliced fruit. She placed it on the coffee table directly in front of Leo and Chloe. She didn’t put anything in front of us. My father-in-law cleared his throat and spoke. “I called you all here today to discuss one thing.” “My back is shot. The doctor says I need extensive physical therapy.” “One round is three thousand two hundred dollars. I need at least six rounds.” “That’s nearly twenty thousand dollars.” He looked directly at Arthur. “Arthur, you are the eldest son. You will cover this cost.” It wasn’t a request. It was an order. My palms began to sweat. I clenched my fists. Leo kept his head down, scrolling on his phone, not making a sound. Chloe continued cracking sunflower seeds, not even batting an eye. Arthur didn’t say a word. My father-in-law waited a few seconds, then frowned. “Arthur?” “Dad, there’s something I need to tell you.” Arthur pulled the manila envelope from his briefcase. He placed it on the dining table. Every eye in the room locked onto that envelope. “What is that?” my father-in-law asked. Arthur opened the envelope and pulled out two sheets of paper. He laid them side-by-side on the table and slid them toward his father. “Transfer orders.” “Mine, right here.” “And your daughter-in-law’s.” “We are both being relocated to the Alaska branch.” “We leave next week.” The living room went completely silent. Absolutely dead silent. My father-in-law picked up the two sheets of paper. His hands were shaking violently. The color drained from his face, inch by inch. My mother-in-law rushed out of the kitchen and snatched the papers from him. She read them once. She read them a second time. “This… is this real?” “They have the official corporate seals. What do you think?” Arthur leaned back in his chair. “Are you insane?!” My mother-in-law’s voice skyrocketed into a shriek. “You both have great jobs here! Why the hell are you transferring to Alaska?!” “Corporate restructuring. We go where the company sends us.” “Don’t give me that bullshit! You requested this transfer yourselves, didn’t you?!” Arthur didn’t deny it. He picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. My father-in-law slammed the papers down onto the table. “Explain this right now!” “When did you apply for this?” “Two months ago.” Two months ago. A shockwave ripped through my body. Two months ago was the exact week my father-in-law first dropped hints at the dinner table about how he was going to divide the properties. He started preparing back then. He saw all of this coming. “You…” My father-in-law pointed a trembling finger at Arthur. “Are you cutting ties with this family?” “No, Dad.” Arthur’s voice was perfectly calm. “I’m just following corporate orders.” “Didn’t you say the eldest needs to act like the eldest and take on the tough responsibilities?” “Going out to build up the frontier branch… I’d say that’s a pretty heavy responsibility, wouldn’t you?” The phone in Leo’s hand slipped and crashed onto the sofa. He finally looked up. “Arthur, are you serious?” “The transfer orders are signed and stamped. Do I look like I’m joking?” Chloe stopped cracking sunflower seeds. She looked at Leo, then at my mother-in-law. The smug smile was completely wiped off her face. My mother-in-law collapsed heavily into a chair. “Then what about your father’s physical therapy?” “Ask Leo.” “Leo doesn’t have any money—” “Seven apartments.” Arthur held up seven fingers. “Mom. Seven apartments.” “If he sells one, it’ll cover fifty rounds of physical therapy.” My mother-in-law opened her mouth. But no words came out. My father-in-law’s face morphed from ghost-white to a sickly, livid purple. He glared at Arthur, his chest heaving violently. “Are you doing this because you’re angry about the properties?” “No.” “Like I said, I support your decision one hundred percent.” “Then why the hell are you leaving?!” “Because I want to move to Alaska.” When he said that, he looked his father dead in the eye. He enunciated every word. “Dad. Alaska is a beautiful state.” “And it’s very, very far away.”
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