Betrayed by Blood The House That Stole My FamilyChapter 1

I stood by my parents' side, attending a wedding I had no desire to witness. The bride and groom were the "impoverished students" my parents had sponsored for years.

On the stage, the young couple choked back tears, voices trembling as they thanked my parents for their benevolence. It wasn't just tuition for high school and college. No, my parents' generosity had culminated in a commercial apartment worth over a million dollars—deeded entirely to them.

My father walked onto the stage and claimed the microphone, basking in the spotlight.

"Alex Woodward and Maya Swanson are exemplary young people," he announced, his voice projecting the authority of a tenured academic. "Their grades are excellent, and they possess the fortitude to endure hardship. I simply did my small part. I trust their future will only get brighter."

When the couple finally descended from the stage, I stared at them. Confusion curdled into something cold and tight in my stomach.