Let me tell you, being the oldest comes with a lot of unspoken rules—like always having your act together, being the fallback plan, and, apparently, being the family ATM. I’m 28, a full-time IT professional, and the unofficial treasurer of my dysfunctional little family.

My sister Jenna? Oh, she’s the golden child. You know the type—bouncing between temp gigs and creative “phases,” all while conveniently clinging to our parents for support. Recently, my folks asked me to help cover Jenna’s “emergency credit card debt”—you know, for “essentials.” Spoiler: it was anything but essential.

Imagine my face when a mutual friend casually dropped that Jenna had been sunning herself in Miami. Flights, a swanky Airbnb, and bottle service at clubs I can’t even pronounce. I confronted my parents, thinking they’d be horrified—wrong. They brushed it off, saying she “deserves to enjoy life” and that I “always make things about money.”

But it gets worse. While I was stretching my budget to help her out, Jenna was splurging on designer bags, high-end makeup, and even a brand-new iPhone. When I finally confronted her, she didn’t even try to deny it. Her response? “Life’s too short” and “I needed a break.” A break? From what—brunch?

So yeah, I cut the financial cord. Told my parents I was done being the safety net. Since then, I’ve been labeled the cold-hearted one. Jenna’s gone radio silent, except for a very classy Instagram story about “fake people” who “don’t appreciate the little things.”

I know I had every right to stop, but still—I can’t help but wonder. Did I go too far? Or is this just the price of being the “responsible one”?

– Ann, tired of footing the bill for someone else’s highlight reel