Chapter 1: The Breaking Point

“Natalie, what the hell is this? Wait, are you seriously doing that guy’s laundry now?” I stared in disbelief at the pile of men’s clothes my wife had dragged into our apartment, the sharp tang of detergent clashing with the stale, lived-in funk that definitely didn’t belong here. My hands clenched at my sides, knuckles bone-white.

Natalie’s cheeks flushed, but she squared her shoulders and met my gaze. “Honey, Mr. Carter doesn’t have anyone at home. He’s raising his kid all alone—it’s actually really sad. Shouldn’t neighbors look out for each other?” She gripped the laundry basket tight, full of boxers and socks, her voice trying to sound noble but edged with defensiveness.

Anger pulsed through me so hard my whole body shook. My heart thudded in my chest, a dull ache squeezing tighter with every breath.

“Everybody’s got a washer and dryer these days. Does he really need you to hand wash his laundry?” I snapped, my voice cutting sharper than I meant. Was I really just the guy who paid the bills while my wife played hero for someone else?

She rolled her eyes, lips curving into that smug little smirk. “I just think hand washing gets the grime out better. Those machines never really do the job.”

Linda shuffled in, crunching pistachios, leaving a trail of shells on the carpet. “Exactly, a man shouldn’t be so uptight,” she chided, heaving a dramatic sigh like she’d been suffering me for years.

Derek, sprawled on the couch with a cigarette dangling from his lips, barely looked up from his phone. “Dude, Mr. Carter said he might spot me some cash for a house. Least we can do is help him out, right?”

I remembered the look in Natalie’s eyes last week—hopeful, almost desperate—as she begged me to help Derek. All this, just to push me again. The truth hit me like a punch in the gut.

Just last week, Derek had announced his wedding plans—no money for a house, so my wife begged me to buy one for him. Her pleading voice still echoed in my head.

But how could I possibly swing that? In Maple Heights, a house costs at least $350,000. Three hundred grand. That’s more than my parents paid for their entire house back in the day. Real estate just kept climbing, and every time I checked Zillow, my stomach twisted up tighter.

I told my wife no, and the fight that followed was brutal—her voice shrill, my fists clenched, and then that long, cold silence.

Trying to keep it together, I glanced at Derek—his smug grin, shoes up on my coffee table, grinding mud into the glass like he owned the place.

“Honey, why don’t you help Mr. Carter with the laundry? I’ll take him some food—he probably hasn’t eaten,” Natalie chirped, shoving the basket at me. Her tone was sweet, but there was a challenge in her eyes.

I stared at the basket, picturing myself hauling it next door like some kind of lackey. “I don’t have time for that,” I replied, my voice flat and cold, blending into the background noise of the TV.

“What’s your problem?” Natalie shot back, her own anger rising to match mine. Her lips curled, eyes narrowed, daring me to keep pushing.

“Natalie, do you have any boundaries at all? Have you ever thought about my feelings? Do you even see what you’re washing?” My voice cracked, frustration boiling over.

The sour-sweat stench hit me so hard I almost gagged. I poked at the boxers with the broom, disgust crawling up my spine.

“You’re such a control freak!” Natalie spat before storming out, basket in hand, her footsteps pounding down the hallway. The door slammed so hard the frames rattled.

I stood frozen, my fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. The door slam rattled the picture frames. The heat drained from my face, hands shaking with fury.

“Ryan, you know what they say—neighbors gotta look out for each other. Neighbors help us, so we should help them too.”

“Ryan needs money to buy a wedding house. The neighbor is ready to lend us money,” Linda said, still munching pistachios as she lectured me. Her voice dripped with condescension, like I was a child who just couldn’t get it.

“Linda, I know you blame me for not buying Derek a wedding house, but I really don’t have the money. Haven’t I been good enough to you all these years?” I tried to keep my anger in check, my voice trembling. I remembered Christmas at their place, Linda shoving an envelope into my hand and saying, “For the electric bill, honey.”

I’ve been married to Natalie for ten years. Ten years of compromise and quiet resentment.

She has three younger brothers, all spoiled. Since our wedding, I’ve helped every single one. Each favor felt like another stone stacked on my back.

I paid tuition and living expenses for her two older brothers, helped with their house down payments, covered their wedding costs—the ledger in my mind just kept growing, and no one ever said thank you.

For Derek, the youngest, I paid his college tuition and living expenses too. Even co-signed a car loan he never bothered to pay back. Promised he’d get a job—never did.

Every year, I handed Linda $3,000 for the holidays. Sometimes it was Christmas, sometimes just because the “utility bills were high.” I never saw a cent back, but I kept quiet for the sake of peace.

Altogether, I’d spent nearly $300,000 on her family. That number haunted me every time I checked my bank account.

Now they wanted me to buy Derek’s entire wedding house, like I was an ATM that never ran dry.

“Ryan, we’re all family. What’s wrong with helping each other?” Linda scolded, pointing at me. “What, you want to see your brother-in-law living on the street? Real nice.”

“Linda, am I really being petty?” The words tasted bitter. I searched the room for any sign of support, but found nothing.

“You insist I pay for Derek’s wedding house in full, but I don’t have the money!” I yelled. My voice bounced off the walls—desperate, exhausted.

“Why are you yelling?”

“Letting you buy a house for Derek is for the good of the family. Look, when you helped Marcus and Greg, you only paid the down payment. Now they still have mortgages. Their lives are hard, aren’t you ashamed?” Linda glared, hands on her hips, as if she were passing down a verdict I’d already been living with for years.

I felt dizzy. No wonder Natalie’s oldest and second brothers ignored me—turns out it’s because I made them carry mortgages. So that was it—I was the bad guy for not buying them everything outright. The invisible son-in-law, always just a wallet.

“And don’t your parents have a house?” she added.

“What does my parents’ house have to do with me? They need a place to live too.” A lump formed in my throat. My parents’ little ranch was all they had, the place they’d built together.

“You’re their only child. Their house is yours, and your house is Natalie’s. Natalie should be able to let her brother live in her house, right?” Linda said without missing a beat.

I staggered back, head spinning. Looking out at the streetlights, I almost wanted to jump out the window. The glow from the sodium lamps bled through the blinds, painting everything a sickly orange.

“Bro, your folks can move out to the country. The air’s better out there. I can rent them a farmhouse. They could raise chickens and grow organic kale or whatever—like it was some kind of retirement dream. I’m doing this for their health,” Derek said, his grin smug as ever.

Looking at Derek and Linda, I suddenly laughed—a hollow, humorless sound. “You two really have it all figured out.”

“We’re all family, that’s what we should do,” Derek replied, stretching out, way too at home in my living room.

I turned and walked out, just as my wife’s laughter—louder and sweeter than I’d heard in months—drifted from across the hall with Mr. Carter. Every giggle made my blood boil, a reminder that I was nothing but a pawn in their game.

I wandered downstairs and slumped onto a bench outside our apartment complex, the crisp night air biting at my skin. The distant hum of traffic filled the silence, and the American flag fluttered weakly across the street under a lone spotlight.

I worked overtime, gave everything I had to this family, and this was my reward? My hands trembled, the weight of every sacrifice crushing my chest.

“Ryan.” A gentle voice called out.

I looked up. Aubrey stood there—tall, delicate, her lavender dress catching the light, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her perfume was soft and clean, nothing like the chaos upstairs. For a second, I let myself imagine a different life.

Aubrey wasn’t just Natalie’s best friend—she was also Derek’s fiancée. Their wedding was the whole reason for this mess. Her heels clicked softly on the concrete as she approached.

But even if Derek wasn’t marrying Aubrey, he’d marry someone else, and it would always be my problem. Always me footing the bill.

“Aubrey, you’re here,” I managed a weak smile, cheeks aching from the effort.

She grinned. “I live right below you. What do you mean ‘here’?” Her laughter was light, a gentle tease that made the night feel a little less heavy.

“Right, I almost forgot,” I said, rubbing my forehead. Our lives were way too tangled.

“Ryan, you look upset,” Aubrey said softly, sitting down beside me. Her eyes were full of concern. I realized, with a strange ache, that she actually cared.

“Who says I’m upset? I just want some peace and quiet,” I lied, gazing at her flawless face, the streetlights painting gold into her hair.

Why did Derek get someone like her? It didn’t make sense—not after everything.

He found her, fine—but why was I expected to buy him a house? The thought gnawed at me.

Why?

Jealousy burned inside me. My gaze on Aubrey darkened, a possessive edge creeping in before I looked away.

How great would life be if I’d married Aubrey instead?

She’s smart, gorgeous, only child, both her folks were teachers—no drama, no freeloaders. I pictured holidays—quiet, drama-free, nothing like this endless cycle of giving.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Maybe giving up on this marriage was the answer. Maybe I could start over—with someone who actually saw me.

Natalie and I came from different worlds. She valued family above all else. I just couldn’t keep living like this.

“But I saw you sighing just now. I think you should look on the bright side,” Aubrey said, her hand brushing my arm. The contact was gentle, sending a shiver through me.

Her words soothed something raw inside me. I closed my eyes, breathing deep, letting myself hope for a second.

“Aubrey, I’ll come by your place for tea later,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. Her apartment always felt like a refuge.

“Alright,” she replied, turning to go. Her steps were light, almost dancing as she disappeared inside.

I walked to the mall down the street, swiped my card for a $4,000 violet lace Michael Kors dress, had it wrapped, and went to Aubrey’s door. The shopping bag crinkled in my shaking hands. For once, I wanted to see someone light up because of me.

I knocked, and she opened the door, eyes widening at the sight of the bag.

“Come in,” she said, her apartment filled with the scent of fresh coffee and lavender—a world away from the madness upstairs.

“A gift for you,” I said, handing her the Michael Kors dress. My hands trembled slightly as she took it.

Aubrey’s face shifted—surprise, uncertainty, then gratitude flickering in her eyes.

“Ryan, you really should give this to Natalie,” she said, pushing the bag back toward me.

“Natalie went to do laundry for Mr. Carter next door. She doesn’t care about my gifts,” I shot back, the bitterness sour on my tongue.

Aubrey just stared, stunned. Her mouth opened, then closed, searching for words.

“My marriage is over,” I said quietly, the finality heavy in the air.

She looked at the dress, silent, thinking—her careful intelligence always shining through.

“Is it because of me and Derek buying a house that you and Natalie are unhappy?” she whispered, voice trembling.

“You probably overheard in the stairwell,” I said, remembering the day I caught her pausing on the landing, listening to one of our arguments.

She nodded, hands twisting in her lap.

“In ten years of marriage, I’ve paid for her brothers’ tuition, living expenses, wedding costs, house down payments. Now they want me to buy Derek’s house outright.”

I slumped onto the couch, feeling powerless. “I don’t have that kind of money. I promised Natalie I’d pay the down payment and your wedding costs, but…”

“I’m sorry,” Aubrey said, lowering her head, voice thick with guilt. “I didn’t expect things to get this bad.”

“Because I can’t afford a house, now Linda and Derek have a new idea: take my parents’ house and give it to Derek for his wedding. Do you think I can agree to that?” My voice was sharp, anger leaking out.

Aubrey’s face fell. She looked at me, sympathy and outrage in her gaze.

“The neighbor just said he could lend money to her brother, and she ran over to do his laundry and cook for him. Aubrey, do you want your future kids to grow up in an environment like this?” My voice was almost pleading.

She shook her head, lips pressed tight. It clearly bothered her.

“Our parents were both teachers, and we’re both only children. I’m just a department manager at a local company. If we were together, life would be so much simpler.” I pressed the Michael Kors dress into her hands, not letting her refuse.

Aubrey blushed and finally accepted it, a small smile tugging at her lips. For a moment, hope flickered in my chest.

Seeing her accept the gift, I felt lighter. Maybe I’d finally made the right choice.

After chatting briefly, I went upstairs. The hallway was quiet, muffled laughter and video games drifting through the doors—a soundtrack to my old life.

When I got home, Natalie was already back, eating pistachios with Linda. Derek was still gaming, the TV blaring some mindless reality show.

“Honey, make more food. Mr. Carter likes grilled steak. I remember your steak is the best,” Natalie said, tugging my arm and flashing that practiced cute smile. Her eyes sparkled, but I could see right through it.

Her act made my skin crawl.

“If you want to eat, cook it yourself,” I said coldly, my voice echoing in the sudden silence.

“Are you nuts? Why are you so mad? Mr. Carter agreed to lend us $350,000 to solve our urgent need. I just asked you to make some steak—why are you so stingy!” she yelled, her voice cracking.

I looked her dead in the eyes. “Natalie, let me be clear: this loan is your own, not our joint marital debt.”

At that, she exploded, like someone had stepped on her tail. “Ryan, what do you mean? Derek getting married and buying a house is something we should help with—it’s our responsibility!”

“Bro, you’re bullying my sister!” Derek jumped up, puffing out his chest. “Are you even a man?”

I just slumped my shoulders, too tired to keep fighting.

“Fine! If you won’t cook, I’ll take the steak to Mr. Carter’s place and cook it there!” Natalie stormed out, heels pounding the floor.

“Make your own dinner. Mom, let’s go eat at Mr. Carter’s,” Derek called, not even glancing up from his phone.

Linda shot me a syrupy-sweet look. “Son-in-law, a man should be generous, or you’ll never win a woman’s heart.” Her eyes were hard as ice.

I just stared, numb and empty.

Linda and Derek left for the neighbor’s, their laughter echoing down the hall.

I went downstairs and knocked on Aubrey’s door. She was about to cook, the scent of garlic and herbs drifting into the hall.

“Don’t bother. Let me treat you to a nice meal today, to show my sincerity,” I said softly, every word a lifeline.

“Where to?” she asked, her eyes shining. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, hopeful.

“The new steakhouse downtown,” I said. Why shouldn’t I spend my own money for once?

“That’s… a bit expensive,” Aubrey hesitated, glancing down, but I saw the excitement in her eyes.

“Go put on your Michael Kors,” I urged, smiling.

She came out in the dress, tall and radiant in violet lace. My heart skipped, pride swelling in my chest.

The steakhouse was packed, the sizzle of meat and the clatter of silverware filling the air. Our booth overlooked the river, city lights winking in the dark.

The chef’s skills were top-notch. Aubrey and I savored every bite, then walked by the river after, the city lights dancing on the water, cool air blessing my skin.

Music drifted from the open-air bar, laughter and dancing all around us. For once, I felt alive.

I wanted to hold her hand, but held back. My fingers twitched with longing.

“Trying to win your wife back? Or just pulling her from the fire?” Aubrey teased, her eyes sparkling.

“My situation isn’t fair to you,” I shook my head. “Don’t overthink it. Just give me some time.”

She smiled, squeezing my hand for a heartbeat before letting go.

We walked until late, then drove home under the stars, the world finally quiet and full of hope.

Upstairs, the house was a tableau: Natalie getting ready for bed, Derek still gaming, Linda showing off new clothes. Everyone in their roles, like nothing had changed.

“Honey, tomorrow morning let’s go to your parents’ place and have them move out to the country, free up the house for my brother’s wedding. I’m sure your parents will understand,” Natalie said, as if it were already settled.

“What did you say? Move to the country?” I forced down my rage, fixing her with a cold stare. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Why are you so stubborn? Your parents’ property will be yours sooner or later, and your property is mine. Can’t I let my brother live in this house for now?” Natalie stood, jabbing her finger at me.

“Don’t even think about it,” I repeated, voice like ice.

“If you don’t agree, then our marriage is over,” she threatened.

“Fine, it’s over. Tomorrow morning, let’s go get the divorce papers,” I shot back. After the divorce, I’ll marry Aubrey and finally be free.

She stared at me, stunned.

“Divorce is fine! With my Natalie’s looks, she can marry a man a hundred times better than you. I’ve never seen a man as petty and selfish as you!” Linda stormed in, pointing and shouting. Her words bounced right off me.

“You all get out now! Move out! This house is my premarital property,” I said coldly, voice steady for the first time in years.

With everything out in the open, I didn’t care anymore. I squared my shoulders, ready for battle.

“This house is joint marital property between you and my daughter! Why should we move out?” Linda barked, standing her ground.

“Joint property? This house was bought by my parents before marriage,” I shot back. The law was finally on my side.

Suddenly, Derek charged and kicked me in the stomach, knocking me to the floor. Pain exploded in my gut, stars bursting in my vision.

He leaned down and slapped me, each blow sharp and humiliating.

“Aren’t you ashamed? My sister spent ten years with you and you’re still nickel-and-diming her!” Derek spat, his anger erupting with every strike.

I gasped for breath, too battered to fight back.

Derek finally collapsed onto the couch, lighting a cigarette, the glow burning in the darkness.

“I’m telling you, half the house is my sister’s. All the savings go to her. My sister’s youth can’t be wasted. And you must give her $800 a month as compensation for ten years!” he yelled, voice hoarse but determined.

I wiped the blood from my mouth and looked at Linda and Natalie. Their faces were cold, indifferent. They never cared about me, only what I could provide.

I lay there in silence. Suddenly, footsteps thundered in the hallway, then a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Natalie asked, her voice finally uncertain.

“Community staff. We need to ask something,” a calm, official voice replied.

She opened the door. Four police officers burst in, cuffing Derek. The metallic click echoed through the apartment.

“What are you doing?” Natalie and Linda shouted, panic rising at last.

“Derek is suspected of assault,” the officer announced, badge flashing.

“My son didn’t assault anyone! I can testify!” Linda shrieked, desperation in every word.

“You’re mistaken! I can testify too!” Natalie cried, their voices overlapping in panic.

The officer just sneered, unfazed.

“Sir, please come with us to the hospital for an examination,” the officer said to me, voice steady and kind.

“No!” Natalie and Linda tried to block me, arms outstretched, but the police gently moved them aside.

I looked at my wife and said, “We’ve been married ten years. I’ve done right by your family. I’ll have an accountant tally up the expenses over the years, and I’ll file for divorce in court.” My voice was calm, as if I’d been waiting for this moment forever.

“You’re crazy! I just helped Mr. Carter next door do laundry and cook!” Natalie screamed, her face twisted with rage.

I met her eyes. “After we divorce, you can do laundry and cook for Mr. Carter for the rest of your life.”

She trembled, fists clenched, eyes shining with unshed tears, but I felt nothing.

“Son-in-law, don’t joke. I just won’t let Natalie go over there anymore. Haven’t you always wanted a child? I’ll have Natalie give you a child,” Linda pleaded, her tone desperate now.

“No need. I’ve already found someone to give me a child,” I replied, a sly smile spreading across my face. “Do you want to know who it is? I can tell you now.” I watched their faces pale, waiting for the bomb to drop.