I missed a flight to the most important conference of my career. Desperate, I asked to borrow my parents’ car—but they looked at me with pure contempt. “Your sister needs it for a spa day. That’s more important.” I even dropped to my knees, begging. My father answered with a slap. “You’re so troublesome. Why can’t you be like your sister?” I left with blood on my lip and said nothing. Two days later, my mother called in panic: “Why aren’t the bills being paid?”

“Maya, please, we don’t have fifteen thousand dollars lying around!” Arthur pleaded, his voice cracking. “We’ll lose the house in weeks! The bank will seize it!”

“That sounds like a ‘you’ problem, Arthur,” I said. “Oh, and don’t expect Chloe to help chip in for the rent. She needs to save her allowance for her spa days.”

The reality of his situation crashed down on him with the force of a falling building. The arrogant father who had struck me for begging for a ride was now utterly, hopelessly powerless, staring down the barrel of total financial ruin. The punishment fit his ungratefulness with absolute, poetic perfection.

Suddenly, a new sound erupted in the background of the call. It was a loud, hysterical, piercing wail.

“My car! Mom, they’re taking my car!” Chloe screamed, her voice bordering on feral.

I smiled. I knew exactly what was happening. Because the BMW was leased, and the payments were severely delinquent after I revoked the auto-pay, the dealership had moved fast.

“What’s happening?” I asked innocently.

“The repo men!” Arthur yelled, distracted by the chaos outside his window. “They’re hooking Chloe’s BMW up to a tow truck! Maya, tell them to stop! Call them right now and pay the balance!”

“I can’t,” I said simply.