Recently, I found my parents’ inheritance papers while helping Dad with something at their place. I wasn’t even looking for them; they just showed up in a drawer. Everything was left to my brother.

I’m not someone who usually cares about that stuff, but I was already fed up. It wasn’t just the money. It was years of feeling like he always came first. He was praised for doing the bare minimum, while I never got credit for anything I did.

I called my mom. “Is this how you see me? Am I less than him because he’s a man?”

She didn’t get defensive. Just calmly said, “No, sweetie. It’s because you have a husband. Your brother needs to take care of his wife. And you? You have someone to take care of you.”

That made me even angrier. Sure, I’m married, but my husband and I split everything. We both work hard. I’ve been financially independent since college. I’ve covered it all myself, whether it was rent, bills, or unexpected emergencies. I even helped them out when they needed it. But none of that counted.

I’ve been getting calls from my aunt lately. Obviously, my mom has been talking about how “inhuman” I’m being for cutting them off. She tried to make me feel guilty, but honestly, I’ve heard enough of that.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m overreacting, but deep down, I know this isn’t fair. This isn’t about the house or the money; all my life, I just wanted them to notice me, even once. And don’t get me started on that whole “a man should take care of you” nonsense.