You learn a lot about people when cake and money are involved.
I’m Emily, 25, and baking is my passion. When my brother Adam got engaged to Chelsea, they asked me to make their wedding cake. I quoted $400—a fair price for a custom three-tiered cake. Adam agreed.
At the tasting, they loved the strawberry shortcake—nostalgic and sweet. I poured my heart into that cake: whipped mascarpone, glazed strawberries, delicate piping. I delivered it myself, proud. But after the wedding, there was no payment—no thanks. Later, Adam pulled me aside.
“You’re seriously expecting us to pay?”
“Yes,” I said. “This was my work.”
Chelsea brushed it off as a misunderstanding, but I knew better. Then Grandma Margaret stepped in. She raised a glass and announced her gift: an all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Greece. But then she paused.
“I believe generosity should be met with gratitude. I’m reconsidering my decision.”
The room fell silent. Then she added, “If I ever see this behavior again, trust funds will go too.”
Adam later handed me an envelope—$400 plus more. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
It wasn’t just about money anymore. It was about respect. And thanks to Grandma, I finally got it.
