I’ve never been close to my family—call it dysfunctional if you want. But the depth of betrayal I’ve experienced from my sister Cheryl is beyond anything I could have imagined, especially considering I’ve always been the one who extended a helping hand.

Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I were born into a more loving family. With parents who actually knew how to be parents. But life rarely grants such wishes, does it?

I can’t entirely blame my mother. She left when I was ten, fleeing from an abusive and manipulative husband—my father. I wish she had taken me and Cheryl with her, but that’s not how it turned out. My therapist always says to avoid dwelling on the past and focus on the present. Writing it out might help, she suggested. So here I am.

My father was a monster—self-centered and arrogant. It’s a mystery how my mother ended up with him, but that’s a question I’ll never have answered. After my mother left, Cheryl and I were left alone with him. He hated me even more after she left, possibly blaming me for her departure.

Cheryl, meanwhile, became his favorite—she was too young to understand the full scope of his cruelty. My father doted on her, buying her expensive gifts like a Gucci bag when she was just twelve. It was clear he wanted to turn her into his little princess, while I was left to fend for myself.

I worked countless part-time jobs just to make ends meet. I smelled like fast food from my shifts at McDonald’s and Wendy’s, and those experiences, though harsh, shaped who I am today. They taught me resilience and survival.

At eighteen, I left home and moved to California. I started anew with just $400 to my name and a sense of liberation that summer. Over the next decade, I built a decent life, earning a college degree and working in IT. Despite not loving my job, it paid the bills and kept me afloat.

Then, out of nowhere, I received an email from Cheryl. It was the first contact from her or my father in ten years. The email was filled with formalities and apologies. Cheryl claimed she needed money for her sick child’s surgery—her ex had left her in a lurch.

I was hesitant but decided to help after seeing a picture of my nephew. The kid was innocent and shouldn’t suffer due to our family drama. I wired her the money, hoping it was the right thing to do.

But Cheryl never replied. I grew worried and did some digging. To my shock, I learned from an old classmate, John, that Cheryl hadn’t mentioned a sick child and had been helping my father instead. John had seen my father at Cheryl’s house, apparently bailed out by her after losing money in a business deal.

When I visited Cheryl’s house, I was met with a disturbing sight—my father was there, but there was no child. Cheryl’s reaction was evasive, and I decided not to confront her, retreating to a nearby motel.

The next day, I saw John again at a diner. His demeanor was off. He revealed that Cheryl had told him I was imagining things and that I had been sent to a hospital years ago. My own sister was lying to cover for our father and discredit me.

Confused and betrayed, I returned to San Francisco. The revelation left me questioning everything. My sister’s deceit was a bitter pill to swallow. She had manipulated me into helping our father and then ruined my reputation in the community.

I’m back in my apartment now, reflecting on everything. Writing this has brought some relief, but I’m still plagued by doubts. Could I have changed anything if I had confronted them? Or was this betrayal simply inevitable?

I don’t know. I really don’t know.