My Dad Asked, “Is Your Allowance Sufficient?” I Replied, “What Allowance?”

Digging Deeper

With my stepmother distracted, I explored her belongings more brazenly. Her handbag, carelessly left in the living room, attracted my attention first.

Among her things, I found receipts from lavish hotels, each more extravagant than the last. They painted a picture of indulgence that didn’t match our family’s narrative.

Every slip of paper hinted at secrets she never intended for me to discover.