“It is an investment in our professional image,” Kyle said, adjusting his watch again. “We are leveraging our presentation to secure high-net-worth clients for the real estate venture.”
“Your venture does not exist yet,” I said.
“Mia,” my mother pleaded, her voice sinking even lower. “They are your family. You have your remote job, and you do not have any children to support. You have the extra cushion.”
“I have three thousand dollars in my savings account, Mom,” I said. “I work ten hours a day doing data analysis for a logistics firm. That cushion is my emergency fund.”
“You always do this,” Brianna said, her voice rising an octave, her fingers resuming their frantic tapping. “You hoard every dollar like you are preparing for a famine, while the rest of us are actually trying to build something.”
“I am building a life where I can pay my own bills,” I said.
