By the time I was five, it was clear my parents favored my older sister, Madeline. Her birthdays were lavish while mine were nearly forgotten, and I was always blamed for things she did. Over time, I stopped expecting love from them and learned to fend for myself.

At 16, Madeline became pregnant, and while our parents were initially excited, she declared she wanted an abortion. They convinced her to keep the baby, but I was the one who ended up raising her son, Brandon. I dropped out of school to care for him while she returned to her carefree lifestyle.When I turned 18, I moved out with Brandon, determined to create a better life for us. A few years later, I met Dallas, who adored Brandon. Just as things were going well, Madeline reappeared, demanding to see her son. But thanks to Dallas and his lawyer father, I was able to adopt Brandon officially, and Madeline lost all legal rights to him.Madeline and my parents eventually left us alone, and I built a stable, loving family for Brandon and me. He will never experience the neglect I did, and for that, I’m grateful.