I Paid Their Rent for Months—Then I Heard the Cruel Joke That Changed Everything
Part 2
Then one evening, everything changed.
It was a Thursday.
I had stopped by their apartment after work with two bags full of groceries.
Fresh vegetables.
Chicken.
Milk.
Coffee.
Even Mara’s favorite imported tea.
I knocked twice before letting myself in with the spare key Dax had insisted I keep “for emergencies.”
The apartment was unusually quiet.
“Dax?” I called.
No answer.
I heard laughter coming from the balcony.
Thinking they hadn’t heard me, I walked toward the sliding glass door.
Then I froze.
“…I swear,” Mara laughed, “your brother is the easiest person I’ve ever manipulated.”
My heart skipped.
Dax laughed too.
“Tell me about it.”
“He actually believes we’re struggling.”
The two of them burst into laughter.
I stood completely still.
Mara picked up a glass of expensive champagne.
“The best part?”
“He’s paying for us to live here while we save every cent for our honeymoon.”
Dax nearly choked laughing.
“I told you Rowan has a hero complex.”
“He loves feeling needed.”
Mara smirked.
“He’s basically our personal ATM.”
“No.”
Dax corrected her.
“Our personal wallet.”
They laughed even harder.
My fingers tightened around the grocery bags until the plastic handles dug into my skin.
I couldn’t breathe.
All those nights I’d skipped dinner to save money…
All the overtime shifts…
The canceled vacation…
Every sacrifice I’d made because I thought family needed me…
It had all become a joke.
Mara leaned back in her chair.
“How much have we squeezed out of him now?”
Dax shrugged.
“Close to forty thousand.”
She whistled.
“Imagine what we’ll get before the wedding.”
Dax grinned.
“I’m thinking I’ll tell him we need help with the venue.”
“And maybe furniture.”
Mara giggled.
“He’ll probably pay for our honeymoon too.”
Neither of them looked guilty.
Not even a little.
I quietly placed the grocery bags beside the kitchen counter.
Then I turned around and walked out.
Neither of them knew I’d been there.
That night, Dax called three times.
I didn’t answer.
Then came the texts.
Dax: Bro, where are you?
Dax: Did you forget about dinner?
Dax: Everything okay?
I stared at the screen.
For the first time in my life…
I ignored my brother.
The next morning, I opened the banking app on my phone.
Automatic rent payment.
Due in two days.
Amount: $2,850.
My thumb hovered over the screen.
For months, I had never questioned pressing “Confirm.”
This time…
I smiled.
Then I pressed a different button.
Cancel Automatic Payment.
A confirmation message appeared.
Recurring payment successfully canceled.
It felt strangely… peaceful.
Five minutes later, my phone rang.
Dax.
I let it ring.
Again.
And again.
Finally, a voicemail notification appeared.
“Rowan, something’s wrong with the rent payment. The landlord says it didn’t come through. Can you call me back?”
I deleted the message without listening to the end.
For the first time…
My brother was about to discover what life felt like without his “personal wallet.”
To be continued…
