After cutting ties with my family, I'm doing better than all of you

"I'm fine."

I smiled at Colin.

"I want to go home for a bit—back to my rental—to grab my passport."

I returned to that run-down apartment.

On the table sat the suicide note and the replacement card. This was the only clean thing I owned. Leave it for Colin.

I poured a handful of sleeping pills into my palm.

The door shook under violent pounding.

"Georgia! Open this door!"

Mom's voice. Caroline's sobbing. A strange man cursing.

Before I could swallow, the wooden door burst open. A mob surged in.

Mom charged first, hair wild, and knocked the pills from my hand.

"Eat, eat, eat! That's all you ever do! Your sister's about to get hacked to death and you're popping pills?"

White tablets scattered across the floor.

"Hand over the money!"

Mom grabbed my hair and slammed me into the wall.

"Where's the money? Where's the card?"

Caroline dropped to her knees and clutched my leg, wailing.

"Georgia! I'm begging you! They're loan sharks!"

"Dylan borrowed from them to gamble and can't pay it back—they want to take me instead!"

Gambling debt. Several tattooed men blocked the doorway, clubs in hand.

"Enough talk. No money, we take the girl."

Mom released me and pointed at my face.

"Sir! She's the older sister! She has money! Her fiancé's a rich CEO!"

"Take her! Trade her for cash! She's worth way more than my younger one!"

My body went rigid.

Caroline nodded frantically.

"Yes! Grab my sister! Her fiancé will pay ransom for sure! I'm worthless!"

I laughed—tears and blood running together.

"Fine."

I picked up the bank card and held it high.

"The money's here. Three hundred thousand."

Every eye locked onto that card.

"But only I know the password."

Step by step, I backed toward the balcony. Wind and snow rushed in.

"Georgia! What are you doing! Get back here!"

Mom's voice pitched with panic.

"Throw me the card!"

I looked at her, eyes hollow.

"Mom, you always said I came into this world to collect a debt. You were right."

"Today, I'm paying it off."

My fingers opened.

The card drifted away on the wind, vanishing into the snowy dark.

"My money!"

Mom screamed and lunged for the railing.

Amid the chaos, I turned and climbed onto the ledge.

"Georgia—!"