“Tonight? Brett, it’s our anniversary. I’ve been cooking all evening.”
“I know,” he said impatiently, not apologetic. “This is for us, for our future. The commission from this deal will pay for our honeymoon.”
As he shifted his phone, the camera briefly showed he was at an airport. Over his shoulder, I saw a neon pink suitcase—the same limited-edition designer bag I’d bought my sister Tiffany last month.
“Brett,” I asked, my voice shaking, “is someone with you?”
“No, just the team. They’re calling my flight—gotta go. Love you.”
He hung up, or so he thought. The call was still connected, and I heard a voice—my mother’s—ask, “Is she gone?”
“Yeah,” Brett replied, no longer stressed. “She’s so needy. Exhausting.”
“You handled it well, sweetie,” Mom said. “Tiffany’s waiting with drinks. Hawaii, here we come—finally.”
Brett laughed coldly. “A week without the wet blanket. Let’s go, Mom.”
Then the call ended.
Alone in my kitchen, it hit me: they weren’t going to Chicago. They were vacationing in Hawaii—my fiancé, my mother, my sister—all lying to leave me behind. Nauseated, I turned off the oven.
Then I noticed Brett’s iPad. A message from Tiffany lit up the screen: Can’t wait to announce the good news. She’ll freak when she realizes the house is basically ours. Hurry up, baby daddy.
My heart raced. I entered the passcode—Tiffany’s birthday—and found a selfie of Brett and my sister. Their messages detailed a plan: steal my house, funded by my money, after marrying me to claim half.
I uncovered everything—their affair, Tiffany’s pregnancy, the drained joint account. My own family had plotted against me.
With evidence saved, I contacted my lawyer and best friend. We developed a plan: sell the house fast, move abroad, and cut all ties.
I liquidated everything, accepted a job in London, and left. As my family returned from Hawaii, confused that their keys no longer worked, I sent a scheduled email exposing their betrayal to everyone we knew.
I started fresh in London, free from their manipulation. Brett faced legal consequences; my family lost their support. I rebuilt my life, finding peace and new love, finally leaving the past behind.