I struggled to sit up straighter, wincing as sharp pain shot through my abdomen. “Veronica, I just had a baby. Can this wait?”

“No, it can’t wait.” She moved closer to the bed, her heels clicking aggressively against the linoleum floor. “The venue requires a deposit by tomorrow, and I need your credit card. The total will be around $80,000.”

My jaw dropped, the absurdity of the request cutting through my exhaustion. “$80,000? Are you completely serious right now? You’re asking me for eighty grand while I’m still bleeding?”

Lorraine stepped forward, her voice taking on that syrupy, manipulative tone she used when she wanted to smooth over the cracks in her demands. “Sweetheart, family helps family. You have the means, and Veronica deserves this celebration. Ten years of marriage is a milestone.”

I felt a cold hardness settle in my chest, displacing the fear. “I gave you $40,000 last year for your kitchen renovation that you never finished,” I said, looking directly at my mother. “And Veronica, I paid off your car loan the year before that, which was $35,000. Before that, I covered your wedding costs, which topped $60,000. I have given you enormous amounts of money three times before.”