Payback By The Receipt
My younger brother has everything I dont, yet hes thriving more than me. How do I deal with this profound internal imbalance?
His fiance is a local, only child, coming with a $300k dowry and a car. I got divorced at the start of the year, and my ex-wife took half my assets.
Im better educated than him, but I was laid off last month, and his career is soaring. Why? What gives him the right?
What is the best way to quietly and completely ruin his relationship?
The top comment, highly upvoted, offered the advice: The fastest way to derail a relationship is to start a cheating rumor about the woman.
A sudden, icy chill hit me. My fianc, Owen, has an older brother. He did get divorced early this year. He did get laid off last month.
The coincidence was too grotesque to ignore. I pulled out my phone, ready to text Owen everything, when his call came in.
My brother just called, Owen said, his voice a flat, dead line. He saw you walking hand-in-hand with a guy and going into the Fairmont last night. Hes my brother, Scarlett. He wouldnt lie.
A stunned silence stretched between us.
Were done. Im too disappointed in you
1
I stood paralyzed, the phone pressed against my ear, disbelief burning away the oxygen in my lungs.
Are you listening to yourself, Owen? Weve been together for five years! You know who I am! How can you accuse me of something so baseless? So vile?
His voice, when it came back, was mocking and cold. Baseless? My brother saw it, Scarlett. Its a fact, and youre still trying to wriggle out of it. Do you actually think Im an idiot?
Max has no reason to lie about you! Hes my flesh and blood.
Five years. You put on a show for five years. That must have been exhausting, Lying to my face every day. Honestly, I almost feel sorry for how hard you worked.
I forced a deep, stabilizing breath. Owen, listen to me. Please, just calm down. Could Max be jealous of you? He just went through a bitter divorce, and were about to get married. He just got fired, and you just got a big promotion. I actually just saw this forum post, and it said
He cut me off, the words like stones. Stop it. Thats my brother. He only wants the best for me. Hes not the villain youre trying to paint him as.
Scarlett, youre so desperate to cover your own tracks that youre trying to turn me against my family? Youre manipulative, and your heart is trash.
You know what they say: Marry the wrong woman, ruin your life. Thank God I saw your true colors before I signed the papers. Otherwise, my entire future would have been destroyed by a woman who sleeps around.
Were through. You honestly make me sick right now.
The line went dead before I could get another word out.
Rage shook me, my fingers digging crescent moons into my palms. Five years. All my commitment, all my effort, dismissed and sentenced to death based on a single, unsubstantiated lie from his brother.
I thought our foundation was rock solid. Turns out, it was sand.
And worse? I meant so little to him.
Before I could even process the shock, his text message buzzed through.
My mom gave you a 0-0,001 engagement gift, and the ring I bought you. Send them back.
Im doing you a favor by not demanding compensation for my wasted time. Scarlett, you are a complete joke.
Max always knew you werent the right fit for a home and a future. He was only keeping quiet for my sake.
2
I actually laughed. A harsh, airless sound. My disgust was total.
I yanked the plain diamond solitaire off my ring finger and tossed it onto the nightstand. The cheap thing. I called a courier service immediately.
My text back was ice-cold.
The ring is on its way. Yes, your mother gave me 0-0,001. My mother gave you $888. Therefore, I owe you 0-013. Ive wired it to your Venmo.
The money was instantly accepted.
His reply followed instantly: You are unbelievable, Scarlett. Youre counting pennies now?
This is the real you, isnt it? Cold, selfish, petty, and unfaithful. I never really knew you.
I rolled my eyes, blocked his number, and deleted his contact without a second thought. This spineless, easily manipulated man was a contamination. I had been blind for five years.
If I was merely disappointed moments ago, this final exchange cemented the death of my love.
I reopened the local forum thread. The original poster (OP) had updated.
UPDATE:
Guys, I told my little brother yesterday that I saw his fiance with some strange man at a hotel, and he immediately broke up with her.
I also told him to demand the ring and the engagement money back. That wedding is officially toast!!
Thank you for all the advice! I used so many ways to sabotage them before, and nothing worked. Turns out, it was this simple
The comment section exploded in fury.
Wait, OP, I thought you were venting. You actually did that?
Thats psycho-level cruel! Did the girl steal your life savings? Why would you maliciously ruin her reputation?
You have serious issues. Your life sucks, so everyone else has to suffer? Seriously, seek help.
Arent you worried your brother will find out and disown you?
The OP replied quickly, reveling in the chaos. Why should I care? I only said I saw a guy walking into a hotel with his girlfriend. That idiot didnt bother to check the facts before dumping her. How is that my problem?
There are a million people who look alike. Maybe I was mistaken?
And if he disowns me? Good! I look down on him anyway! Hes accomplished nothing compared to me, and he still gets the perfect life? He doesnt deserve it!
The community turned on him, defending me.
The girl is innocent, cursed to have run into a family like yours.
If you look down on your brother, deal with him directly! Why use an innocent woman and lie about her?
Max was unrepentant. Shes not innocent! If she hadnt been the picture of perfection, me and my mother wouldnt have started hating my ex-wife so much!
My ex and I were married for years. She never worked, she gambled, she spent money like water, and she had a terrible temper. I was fine with it for years.
Until two years ago, when my brother brought Scarlett home. Beautiful, stable job, good money, gentle, and responsible. Why should my little brother, who is inferior to me in every way, get a wife better than mine?
The moment my mom met the perfect daughter-in-law, she started picking fights with my wife. She constantly complained that I had married a queen while Owen got an equal. I grew resentful, and the fights with my ex escalated.
Ultimately, my brother and this woman are directly responsible for my divorce.
At that moment, the last shred of doubt vanished. The original poster was Max. Owens brother.
And Owen, that idiot, truly believed his brother was only looking out for him.
He had no idea his brother was celebrating, planning to stomp him into the dirt and keep him there.
3
Owen and I fell into an easy, passionate love five years ago. Our relationship was steady, thriving even, until he brought me home to meet the family.
Two years ago, we had a big family dinner.
At the table, Mrs. Miller, Owens mom, took my hand, her eyes shining with unconcealed delight and approval.
My Owen is so lucky to have you, Scarlett. Such an outstanding girlbeautiful, a stable job, so gentle and thoughtful.
A couple who works together, putting their effort into the same placetheyll never fall short.
Unlike his brother, who has so much pressure Mrs. Miller sighed, glancing pointedly at Max and his wife, Brenda.
Brenda, sitting at the table, was scrolling impatiently through a game on her phone. Hearing Mrs. Millers passive-aggressive remark, her face darkened. She shot up, slamming her silverware down, and began shouting.
Who the hell are you to shade me? I honored you by showing up for dinner, and this is how you pay me back? By trying to make me look bad?
What is the big deal? I dont work! Max married me; he has to provide for me! Its his duty! If he cant support his wife, is he even a man? Maybe he should just drop dead!
What? Do I have to be your slave to be a good daughter-in-law? Why dont you just hire a maid!
Pfft! Shes the fool whos willing to be your servant! Im not!
With that, Brenda stormed out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the windows. Max sat there, embarrassed but silent, while Mrs. Miller just shook her head, sighing.
Owen and I exchanged a nervous glance, neither of us daring to speak.
In the chaos, I missed the lightning-fast flicker of pure hatred in Maxs eyes when he looked at me.
After that day, Max began his slow, subtle campaign to undermine my relationship with Owen. And Owen, little by little, started to listen to him.
Scarlett, Max says you spend too much money. Even if you earn it yourself, you shouldnt buy such expensive makeup. He says youre not thinking about the future, not being responsible.
Max says you shouldnt wear those sundresses anymore. He thinks it looks like youreyou knownot serious. He says a respectable woman wouldnt dress like that.
I know youre not like that, but you have to consider my familys feelings, right? Their opinion matters if were going to be together.
We had fiery, screaming fights about it. My eyes would fill with tears of frustration and disappointment.
Your brother says! Your brother says! Do you not have a brain of your own, Owen? Is everything a quote from your brother?
Am I marrying you, or am I marrying Max?
Its my money! Why does he care what I spend it on? Why does he think he has the right to dictate what I wear?
Owen would just sigh, looking stressed and helpless. Scarlett, dont talk about him like that. Hes trying to help us!
It took an ultimatumbreak up or shut him downfor Owen to finally back off.
Fine! Fine! Ill tell him to back off. We wont let him ruin this, okay?
Well live in our own place after the wedding. We just need to focus on us.
Im sorry, I was wrong. Can we please just move past this?
At the start of the year, after his own divorce, Max worked overtime to try and brainwash Owen.
Owen, listen to your brother. Dont settle for one tree when you could have a whole forest.
Scarlett is fine, but you could do better. Marriage is a cage. If you stay single, the world is your oyster.
Owen had rejected him emphatically, looking at me with what I thought was genuine adoration. Scarlett, I love you. Giving up the whole forest for you is an honor.
I was so moved, tears welling up in my eyes. I genuinely thought we had overcome the hurdle.
How long ago was that? A few months? He had forgotten every single word.
Right. He was his brother. I was just an outsider.
How could I have expected him to believe me?
4
Owen never texted me again.
Mrs. Miller, however, called. She asked me to come over for dinner.
I took a deep breath, keeping my tone light and measured. Mrs. Miller, did Owen not tell you? We broke up.
There was a moment of silence, then her voice grew louder, sharper. What? Did he do something terrible? Scarlett, tell me, Ill take your side.
That idiot! Does he want to kill me? A girl as good as you, and he just threw it away? What more could he possibly want?
Dont worry, dear. Im calling him right now. Ill give him a piece of my mind.
Before I could say anything else, she hung up, fuming.
A half-hour later, Owen called. His voice was dripping with scorn.
Scarlett, you are truly shameless, and deeply manipulative.
You think playing the victim with my mom will make me forget you cheated on me? That Ill take you back? You put the worst possible stain on my reputation, and then you cry to my mother?
You betrayed me, and this is the consequence! Im warning you: get over it, stay away from my family, and keep what little dignity you have left!
I rolled my eyes. The cold contempt was back.
Who do you think you are, Owen? You think Id waste my time or a single scheme on you?
I am relieved I didnt marry you. I am grateful I saw your true, pathetic nature before the contracts were signed.
A weak man with no mind of his own, who bites at the first suggestion from his brother? Whats the difference between you and a dog?
I hung up on his subsequent, enraged bellowing.
He was truly full of himself.
Five years of my life, five years of emotional investmentId write it off as the cost of learning a brutal lesson.
I packed up every gift hed ever given me and dumped it into the apartment complex trash chute. Then I called my parents, confessed the break-up, and canceled the wedding.
My dad let out a long sigh of relief. Good. We werent convinced by that man. But you were so stubborn, your mom and I had to respect your choice.
A man with no backbone, who wont stand up for his partner? You would have been miserable for the rest of your life.
Scarlett, move forward. Dont look back. You have so many better options. Dont waste another second on him.
I cut off all contact with Owen. Just when I thought the storm had passed, Max and Owen showed up at my condo complex gate.
Max blocked my path, his face a mask of smug hostility. Scarlett, you think you can play my brother like a fool, waste five years of his life, and just walk away?
I raised an eyebrow. What do you want?
He sneered. You need to pay him back every cent he spent on you over the past five years. Plus, you owe him emotional damages.
I looked over at Owen, my expression purely amused. Wow, Owen. Youre really that broke?
Owen shifted uncomfortably, noticing the small, gathering crowd of curious neighbors. He tugged at Maxs sleeve. Max, maybe we should just forget it
Max elbowed him fiercely. Forget it? This is our familys money! Why should this woman who cheated on you get to keep it?
She spent even one dollar of yours, shes going to cough it back up!
He then angrily shoved a thick stack of papers into my hand.
Pay up! he snarled.
I glanced at Owen, then calmly looked down at the receipt.
I couldnt hold back the laughter.
First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "311556" to read the entire book.
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