When our grandmother gifted my brother and me equal investment portfolios as kids, she hoped to set us up for a secure future. But while I let mine grow, my brother cashed his out for a brand-new car. Now, years later, he and his girlfriend have come knocking, demanding a share of my success.
When I was four and my brother Liam was 16, our grandmother set up investment portfolios for both of us. She wanted to give us a good start in life.
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Our dad was in charge of the accounts until we were old enough to take control. Liam got access first.
At 19, he cashed out his entire portfolio—around $15,000—and bought a brand-new Honda. He was so proud of it, showing it off to his friends, revving the engine like it made him a millionaire.
A teenager driving his car | Source: Midjourney
I was younger, so I had more time to think. I had watched Liam burn through his money without a second thought. I didn’t want that. So, when I turned eighteen, I asked Dad to help me invest wisely. He did. We put a chunk into Apple, along with other stocks, and let it grow.
By the time I gained full control, my portfolio had turned into something big. Bigger than I ever imagined. Meanwhile, Liam’s car was long gone, and so was his money.
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I didn’t rub it in. I wasn’t that kind of person. But the difference between us became clear. I had wealth. He had regrets.
Over the years, Liam struggled financially. He never saved, never planned. He always lived in the moment, spending what little he had. And I helped him.
When he lost his job and fell behind on rent, I covered it.
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When his car broke down and he couldn’t afford repairs, I sent him money.
When he got in trouble—something about an unpaid loan and a very angry lender—I bailed him out.
Each time, he promised it was the last time.
“Just this once, bro. I swear,” he’d said.
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I believed him at first. I wanted to. But after the third, fourth, fifth time? I saw the pattern. He never changed.
One night, I confronted him.
“You keep blowing through money,” I said. “What’s your plan?”
Liam laughed like I had just asked him to solve world hunger. “Plan? I just need to get back on my feet. One big break, and I’m set.”
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I sighed. “That’s what you always say.”
He grinned. “And you always help.”
That was the problem. I did. And he knew it.
I tried to stop. But then he’d call, desperate. “Just this once, I promise.”
I’d give in. Every time.
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But then something happened that changed everything. It started with a knock on my door.
It came late in the evening. I wasn’t expecting anyone. When I opened the door, there was Liam’s girlfriend, Madison.
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a smirk on her face. She was dressed sharp, like she had just come from work, but her eyes held nothing but arrogance.
A confident woman on a porch | Source: Midjourney
“We need to talk,” she said, pushing past me before I could say a word.
I turned, shutting the door behind her. “Do we, though?”
She sighed dramatically. “Look, I’ll get straight to the point. You got way more than Liam. That’s not fair.”
I stared at her. “He got the same amount as me. He just spent his.”
A shocked man standing in his doorway | Source: Midjourney
She scoffed. “You had Daddy invest yours. Liam didn’t get that chance.”
I folded my arms. “He could have. He chose not to.”
Madison’s smirk faded. “You’re seriously going to hoard all that money while your own brother struggles? Why don’t you share?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t force him to blow through fifteen grand.”
A confident man in his doorway | Source: Midjourney
Her lips curled. “You’re being selfish. He’s family. He needs your help.”
“I’ve helped him plenty,” I shot back. “Rent. Bills. Bailing him out. But this?” I shook my head. “Not happening.”
She took a step closer, lowering her voice. “You’ll regret this.”
A slow burn of anger rose in my chest. “Get out.”
An angry woman standing on a porch | Source: Midjourney
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I pointed to the door. “Leave. Before I throw you out.”
Her face twisted with rage, but she turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I thought that was the end of it.
I was wrong.
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A week later, I found a letter in my mailbox. It looked official, thick cream-colored paper, typed in formal language.
At first, I thought it was junk mail. Then I saw Liam’s name.
I sat down and started reading.
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The letter claimed that our grandmother had “intended” for the investments to be shared equally between us even in the future. Since Liam’s portfolio had been worth only $15,000 when he spent it, I was “legally and morally obligated” to give him half of mine now.
Then came the threat.
“If you refuse, legal fees and fines will eat up your half anyway, and you’ll end up with nothing.”
A surprised man reading a letter | Source: Midjourney
I burst out laughing. They were bluffing.
And then I noticed something else. At the bottom of the letter, Madison had signed her name, listing herself as a legal professional.
I raised an eyebrow. She worked at a law firm, sure. But she was a legal secretary, not a lawyer.
I picked up my phone and called my lawyer.
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“You’re going to love this,” I said, reading the letter out loud.
There was a long pause. Then he laughed. “Oh, this is rich.“
“She’s bluffing, right?” I asked.
“Oh, absolutely. But I’m going to check something. Give me a day.”
I smirked. “Sounds good.”
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I wasn’t going to let this go. If they wanted a fight, they were about to get one. But I didn’t have to do anything, because karma got her first.
A few days after I sent the letter to my lawyer, he called me back.
“Oh, this is better than I thought,” he said, barely holding back a chuckle.
I leaned back in my chair. “Do tell.”
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“Your brother’s girlfriend? Madison? She’s not a lawyer. She’s a legal secretary. But that’s not even the best part.”
I raised an eyebrow. “There’s more?”
“Oh, yeah. She forged details in the letter. She altered firm letterhead, inflated her job title, and made it seem like an official legal notice.” He let out a low whistle. “That’s fraud.”
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I blinked. “Wait—actual fraud?”
“Yep. And guess what? I forwarded it to her law firm.” He chuckled. “They did not appreciate it.”
I grinned. “What happened?”
“They fired her on the spot.“
I let out a long breath. “Wow.”
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“Yeah, and trust me, that’s just the beginning. She could be in real legal trouble for this.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “She really thought she could fake a lawsuit?”
“She really thought you were dumb enough to fall for it,” he corrected.
I laughed. “Guess she learned the hard way.”
“Guess so.” He paused. “So, what now?”
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I smirked. “Now? I wait.”
A week later, I got another knock on my door.
I opened it to find Liam standing there, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. His usual cocky grin? Gone. Instead, he looked…desperate.
“Hey, man,” he started, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can we talk?”
I sighed. “What do you want, Liam?”
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He hesitated, then stepped aside. Behind him, Madison stood with her arms crossed, looking furious.
“She lost her job,” Liam muttered.
I pretended to look surprised. “Oh, really? How shocking.“
His jaw tightened. “Come on, man. She messed up, okay? But we’re in a bad spot. She’s got debts—serious debts.”
Husband and wife standing on a porch | Source: Midjourney
I leaned against the doorframe. “And that’s my problem because…?”
He looked me in the eye. “I need help.”
I let out a short laugh. “You mean money.”
He exhaled sharply. “Yeah. A loan. Just something to get us through.”
A laughing man standing in the doorway | Source: Midjourney
I shook my head. “Unbelievable. First, you try to scam me. Now, you’re begging me for cash?”
Liam looked down at his feet. “It’s different now.”
“No,” I said firmly. “It’s exactly the same. You screw up, and you expect me to bail you out.”
Madison scoffed. “Oh, come on. You have more than enough. You’re just being greedy.”
An arrogant woman standing on a porch | Source: Midjourney
I raised an eyebrow. “Greedy? You literally tried to steal from me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Enjoy your blood money.”
I didn’t say another word. I just slammed the door in their faces.
And for the first time in years, I felt zero guilt.
The next morning, I stepped outside and stopped cold.
A shocked man standing on his driveway | Source: Midjourney
All four of my tires? Slashed.
Deep, jagged cuts, like someone had gone to town with a knife. I crouched down, running a finger along one of the slashes. The rubber was completely destroyed.
Any last bit of guilt I had? Gone.
I pulled out my phone and called the police.
A slashed car tire | Source: Midjourney
An officer arrived within the hour, took one look at the damage, and nodded. “You got any idea who might’ve done this?”
I let out a short laugh. “Oh, I have a very good idea.”
I gave them both names.
Later that day, I called my lawyer. The moment I told him, he actually laughed.
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“Oh, this just keeps getting better,” he said. “You realize we have her on record making legal threats against you, right?”
I grinned. “Sure do.”
“This is open-and-shut,” he said. “Between the fraud, the vandalism, and the threats, they’re both in trouble now.”
A smiling man in a suit talking on his phone | Source: Pexels
Good. I was done playing nice.
Liam and Madison thought they could take what was mine. Now, they were going to learn the hard way that actions have consequences.
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If you enjoyed reading this story, consider checking out this one: Emma thought she had found the perfect man. But when a waitress slipped her a napkin with a secret warning, she uncovered a shocking truth about Liam that turned their romantic evening into a night she would never forget.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
