My brother got my fiance pregnant and my dad gave him the business I built. But I walked away and what happened after left them speechless. So I, 33 male, grew up with my younger brother, I’ll call him Ethan, 30 male, in what looked like a normal family from the outside.
But things were seriously messed up behind closed doors. Ethan was basically the golden child from day one. Dude came into the world as a miracle baby because my mom had this super complicated pregnancy with him. His first few years were rough. infections, breathing problems, hospital trips, all that stuff.
I remember sitting in those waiting rooms for hours, scared about my little bro. Even after he got better, my parents, especially my dad, kept treating him like he was made of glass or something. Meanwhile, I was expected to be this perfect kid. From like 7 years old, I had to get straight A’s, help around the house, and act like a mini adult. Such garbage.
If Ethan skipped school to rest or whatever, no problem. But if I was late to class, dad would lose it. I remember in high school, I got detention for being late one time, and dad grounded me for a week. That same month, Ethan literally ditched school to hang at the mall, and my parents barely said anything.
Like, what the heck? When I was 15, I started working for my dad’s plumbing business. Not because I was super passionate about pipes or anything, but because it was the only way to get his attention. Turns out, I was actually pretty good at it. I’d watch my dad on the complicated jobs, stay up late reading manuals, watching YouTube videos to learn stuff.
I was determined to master the trade, even if my original motivation was just trying to get my dad to notice me. Dad’s business was nothing fancy, just a small operation doing residential repairs, and some light commercial maintenance contracts in Cleveland. We had a small office, a couple of vans with the company logo, and about five to six guys working for us during the busy seasons.
Dad started it from scratch about 35 years ago and it had a decent reputation in our part of town. Nothing to write home about, but it paid the bills and kept us comfortable. Ethan, on the other hand, smart when it suited him, but zero work ethic. He was still playing the sick kid card to get what he wanted.
He tried college for a bit, dropped out because of stress. Then he tried some drop shipping business that failed, then day trading where he lost like $15,000 of dad’s investment money. But somehow I was still the one getting lectures about supporting your brother and family first. Not going to lie, it was weird.
I loved Ethan because he’s my brother, but living with this stuff was unbearable. We couldn’t be more different. I was the serious, hard-working guy who cared about doing quality work. He was the fun one who never faced consequences for anything. By the time I was 20, I was basically running most of the day-to-day operations for the business.
I was the one who showed up early to load the trucks. I was the one who stayed late to finish paperwork. I was the one customers would specifically request because they knew I’d do the job right the first time. While dad still handled the big picture stuff and brought in most of the business through his connections, I was becoming the backbone of the company.
I saw potential to grow beyond what Dad had built. I learned about water filtration systems, tankless water heaters, and commercial grade installations on my own time. Dad was old school and liked doing things the traditional way, but I pushed to modernize and take on bigger projects.
When I suggested we expand into commercial kitchen installations or start offering maintenance contracts to apartment complexes, Dad would not along but never fully commit. The funny part, even when I landed new clients or nailed big projects, Dad would somehow give Ethan credit. He’d say stuff like, “Ethan’s charm helped with the client relationships because he answered the phone sometimes.
” Or praise him for his innovative ideas, like suggesting we get a website in freaking 2025. One time, I spent weeks courting this big contract with a local restaurant chain. six locations, all needing complete plumbing overhauls.
I put together detailed proposals, met with the owners multiple times, worked out a competitive bid that would still be profitable for us. When we landed the job worth about $85,000, Dad threw a little celebration at the office, and actually toasted Ethan for helping organize the paperwork. Ethan, who had literally just stacked the proposal pages and put them in a folder. As soon as I saved enough, I got my own place about 20 minutes from my parents.
close enough to help with the business, but far enough to have my own space. Nothing fancy, a modest three-bedroom ranch in a decent neighborhood that needed some TLC. I spent weekends fixing it up, replacing the dated kitchen cabinets, refinishing the hardwood floors that had been hidden under old carpet.
It became my sanctuary, the one place where I didn’t feel like I was competing for recognition. Things were looking up. Had my own house, made decent money, was learning new skills, and even thinking about getting my master plumbers’s license to start my own business someday.
I started to think that maybe I could build something separate from the family drama, something that was just mine. This is when I met Olivia, 29, female, about 6 years ago. I was working on a major bathroom renovation job at some fancy downtown condos where she worked as the property manager. First time I saw her, she was arguing with some flooring guys for not following the building code.
These dudes were trying to cut corners on waterproofing in the bathroom, and she was not having it. I was impressed. She actually knew her stuff, unlike other managers who just wanted to cut corners and rush jobs. I remember walking up after the flooring guys sculpted away and saying something like, “Nice to see someone who actually cares about doing things right.
” She turned around, still kind of fired up from the argument, and just said, “If you’re not going to do it right, why bother doing it at all?” And I was like, “Damn, where has this woman been all my life?” Olivia had studied construction management and was genuinely interested in the work we were doing.
She’d inspect our progress, not in a bossy way, but because she wanted to learn. She told me she learned construction stuff from her dad, who was a general contractor, and I shared my ideas about modernizing my dad’s business. We clicked right away. We even joked about starting a support group for the responsible siblings. She had a similar family situation with a younger sister who could do no wrong.
After that project ended, Olivia called the office reporting an urgent plumbing problem at her apartment. Dad sent me to check it out, but when I got there, there was nothing wrong. She just wanted to see me again. Pretty smooth move, honestly. From there, we started dating. Olivia was different from other girls I’ve been with.
She didn’t play games or expect me to read her mind. If something bothered her, she’d just say it. If she was happy, it showed. She was actually interested in my work, helped me study for license exams, and eventually started helping with the admin side of the business.
In less than a year, she set up a scheduling system, improved our billing, and created formal contracts to replace Dad’s old handwritten quotes. Dad wasn’t thrilled about changing from his pen and paper system, but even he had to admit the business was running better. We were more organized, more professional, and honestly, more profitable. We moved in together after 2 years.
I cleared out the smallest bedroom in my house for her to use as a home office, and we started making the place ours. New paint colors, new furniture, photos of us together on the walls. We started talking about getting married and having kids. Olivia would joke that our future kids would be plumbers and continue the family business. I thought I finally had everything figured out.
At first, my family really liked Olivia. Mom would invite us over for dinner and ask Olivia for help with computer stuff or home renovation advice. Even Dad softened up when he saw how much she was helping grow the business. We were landing bigger contracts, getting into commercial work, and building a solid reputation in Cleveland.
Olivia even got along with my brother when his constant mistakes would irritate me. She’d tell me I should try to understand him better, saying his childhood health problems affected how he behaved. He’s trying in his own way, she’d say when I’d vent about him showing up late or messing up an order.
Should have seen that red flag, but when you trust someone completely, it’s hard to see the warning signs. After 4 years together, we got engaged. Nothing fancy. I proposed at home after we finished planning a major plumbing renovation for a restaurant chain. We’d been up late reviewing blueprints and coordinating with contractors, and it just felt right. We were partners in every way.
I remember getting down on one knee in our living room, both of us still surrounded by blueprint pages and contract drafts, saying something like, “I know this isn’t the most romantic setting, but this is us building something together, and I want to keep building with you forever.” She cried, said, “Yes, simple.
No Instagram worthy proposal, no fancy ring.” Though I did save up for a modest diamond, just us making a commitment. We set the wedding date for the following spring, giving us about a year to plan and save up. Nothing extravagant. We were thinking maybe 75 people at most somewhere outdoors if the weather cooperated.
But about a year ago, I started noticing weird stuff. Ethan had blown through dad’s money trying to launch some crypto trading business. And after coming back broke, Dad gave him a job at our office. At first, he just answered phones, filed papers, and scheduled appointments. But somehow, Ethan always wormed his way into doing more than expected.
Meanwhile, Olivia started spending more time at my parents house. She said she was helping mom with wedding planning and that it was easier to focus on company paperwork there. Since I was working in the field most days trying to save for our future, it seemed logical at the time. As months went by, things got more suspicious.
Around 8 months before everything blew up, I noticed small things that didn’t add up. Olivia, who used to share everything with me, suddenly changed her phone password. We always knew each other’s codes, but she said it was just for some banking app security update. I didn’t think much of it, but then Ethan started acting different, too.
He started wearing cologne, showing up in new clothes, and actually coming to work on time, which was unheard of for him. He was weirdly polite, offered to stay late at the office, and suddenly seemed interested in learning the business. What really caught my attention was how Olivia started talking about Ethan.
She’d get all excited talking about how well he managed the schedule and how smart he was when he applied himself. And she’d get defensive whenever I pointed out any of his mistakes, even taking his side in family arguments. One Sunday dinner at my parents’ place, Ethan messed up some numbers on a big estimate we were working on, potentially costing us thousands if I hadn’t caught it.
When I brought it up, Olivia jumped in with, “Everyone makes mistakes. At least he’s trying to learn the business side of things.” I remember looking at her confused. This was the same woman who once spent three hours redoing a proposal because there was a $50 calculation error. The office vibe got weird, too. We have that woman. She’s our receptionist of 15 years who was like a second mom to us. I’ll call her Linda.
She kept giving me weird looks I couldn’t figure out. She’d start to say something when we were alone then stop herself. One time she handed me a file and just said, “You’re a good man.” Remember that? It was strange, but I was so busy with jobs that I didn’t press her on it. Then one day, she called me into her office and closed the door.
Linda was never one to beat around the bush, but that day she seemed nervous, fidgeting with her reading glasses. “Hey, have you noticed anything strange with Olivia and Ethan lately?” she asked carefully. I shrugged. “What do you mean?” Linda hesitated. “Just they seem to be spending a lot of time together when you’re out on jobs.
” “Well, they’re both working in the office,” I said, feeling confused, but also a slight twinge of something in my gut. That’s not what I mean, Linda said, looking uncomfortable. She took a deep breath like she was stealing herself. Listen, I care about you. You’re like a son to me. Maybe you should come back early from your job tomorrow. Just see for yourself.
I tried to get her to be more specific, but she wouldn’t say anything else. Just patted my hand and said, “I hope I’m wrong.” When I asked Olivia about it that night, trying to be casual, she brushed it off. Linda’s just being dramatic. You know how she gets with her drama. She’s probably bored and making up stories in her head.
I didn’t fully buy it, but I also didn’t want to believe anything else could be happening. Olivia was my fianceé. Ethan was my brother. There are some lines you just don’t cross. The next day, I told my crew I needed to grab some extra parts and left the Hartman project early. It was a big commercial bathroom remodel downtown about 30 minutes from the office.
I made up an excuse about forgetting some specialty fittings and said I’d be back in an hour. When I got to the office, I went in through the back door that opens directly into the warehouse. We keep all our inventory there. As I walked through toward the main office, I heard laughing from the break room. Olivia and Ethan.
They didn’t hear me coming because of the radio playing. I stood in the doorway and watched as Ethan had his arm around Olivia’s waist. Way too close for a future brother-in-law. They were looking at something on her phone and laughing. His hand was on the small of her back, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. When they saw me, they jumped apart like they’d been shocked.
“What’s going on here?” I demanded, staring directly at Ethan, noticing every move he makes. “Nothing, man. Just looking at some funny memes.” Ethan stammered, his face turning red. Olivia nodded too eagerly. “Yeah, just taking a break. How’s the Hartman job going? I thought you’d be there all day. I just stared at them, taking in every detail.
How they stood too far apart now. How Olivia’s cheeks were flushed. how Ethan couldn’t meet my eyes. I didn’t say another word. I just turned and walked out. I wasn’t going to make a scene at the office, but I wasn’t stupid either. I went back to the job site, finished my work like nothing had happened, but my mind was racing the whole time.
That night, when I got home, Olivia was acting extra attentive, asking about my day, saying she was thinking about ordering my favorite takeout like nothing was wrong. The next morning, I deliberately left my phone on the kitchen counter when I went to shower. When I came back, Olivia was on the other side of the room looking startled. I knew she’d been checking it.
I said nothing, just got dressed and went to work. Later that day, Linda cornered me in the storage room. She had this determined look on her face, and I knew whatever was coming wasn’t going to be good. “I’m sorry, but I can’t watch this anymore,” she said in a low voice. “They’ve been having an affair for months. Everyone knows except you.
I’ve seen them kissing in the parking lot when they think nobody’s looking. Last month, they both took an extra long lunch and came back in the same car looking well. You know, I couldn’t let it keep going without telling you. I thanked her, my face stone cold. I’m not the type to lose my cool, but inside I was raging.
I spent the rest of the day going through the motions, focusing on the job at hand because that’s what I do. I handle my business. That night, I confronted Olivia directly. No games, no traps, just straight up. Are you sleeping with my brother? I asked as soon as she walked in the door. She froze then started stammering denials, but her face told me everything I needed to know. Linda told me everything.
Don’t bother lying, I said, keeping my voice level. How long? Olivia broke down crying, claiming it only happened a few times and that it was a mistake. But when I pressed harder, the truth came out. They’d been seeing each other behind my back for at least 3 months. I don’t know how it happened. She sobbed. We were working late at the office and it just I’m so sorry.
I didn’t yell or throw things. That’s not my style. I just told her, “Pack what you can carry tonight. You have until the weekend to get the rest of your stuff. I want you gone.” She begged and pleaded, saying we could work it out, that it was over between her and Ethan. That she’d made a terrible mistake. But I didn’t budge.
When you cross a line like that, there’s no going back. I’ve always been the kind of man who stands by his principles. and I wasn’t about to start compromising now. What about the wedding? She asked, still crying. We had deposits on a venue, a photographer, all that stuff. I’ll eat the costs, I said. Consider it the price of finding out who you really are before it was too late.
She moved out the next day, staying with a friend from work. I called the venue and the vendors, cancelling everything. Lost about $3,000 in deposits, but honestly, that seemed like a small price to pay compared to a divorce later. I didn’t contact Ethan or my parents. If Olivia wanted to tell them what happened, that was on her. And I knew if I met Ethan, I wouldn’t leave him alive.
So, I just focused on work, keeping my head down, doing my job. A couple of guys at work noticed something was off. But I just said Olivia and I had broken up and left it at that. About 2 weeks after I kicked that cheater out, she called me crying and asked to meet. I agreed to see her at a coffee shop, neutral territory, public place.
No chance of her trying to manipulate me in private. She showed up looking terrible, like she hadn’t slept in days. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup, which was unusual for her. “I’m pregnant,” she blurted out before I even sat down. My heart stopped. “Not in a good way. Not in the movies kind of way.
It was like getting blindsided by a semi. My stomach dropped and for a split second, my mind went to the worst possible place. What if it’s mine?” I felt my entire body go cold. I couldn’t breathe, being tied to her forever. To the woman who stabbed me in the back and then twisted the knife, that thought alone was enough to make me want to disappear.
I sat there completely calm on the outside while my world crashed around me. It’s Ethan’s, isn’t it? I asked, wanting it to be the answer. She nodded slightly. I don’t know for sure. It could be yours. The timing is, I cut her off. Does he know? I told him yesterday, she whispered. I got up without another word and walked out. I had nothing else to say to her. I drove straight to my parents’ house.
I could have called, but some things need to be done in person. I found Ethan in the office looking nervous like he knew what was coming. Dad was there, too, reviewing some invoices. You got anything you want to tell me? I asked Ethan, my voice deadly calm. He stammered something about it just happened, and we didn’t mean to fall for each other.
Dad looked confused, then shocked as he pieced together what was happening. You’re telling me proudly that you’ve been sleeping with my fiance? I asked, clenching my fists. When Ethan nodded, I didn’t lose it like most guys would. I just laughed. A cold, hard laugh that made both of them flinch. And now she’s pregnant. I stated, “Congratulations, Dad.
” Ethan’s finally stepping up in life. Dad started saying something about working this out as a family, but I cut him off. I’m done. I’m out of the business, out of this family. You’ve chosen your sides for the last 30 years and nothing’s changed. As I turned to leave, Dad grabbed my arm. Son, wait.
The business needs you. We can figure this out. I pulled my arm away. Should have thought about that before you let him get away with everything his entire life. Don’t be dramatic, Dad said. His voice getting that stern tone he’d use when I was a kid. Blood is thicker than water. Family sticks together through everything.
Does that include screwing your brother’s fiance? I asked and Dad actually flinched. “It was a mistake,” Ethan finally said, having the audacity to look ashamed now. “We never meant for this to happen.” I looked at him with pure disgust. A mistake is forgetting to turn off the water man before removing a fixture.
A mistake is ordering the wrong parts. Sleeping with your brother’s fiance for 3 months isn’t a mistake. It’s a choice you made every single time. I walked out and didn’t look back. Mom tried calling that night, leaving tearful voicemails about healing and forgiveness, but I ignored them. I needed space to think, to process, to figure out my next move.
When I got home, I started making calls. I contacted all my major clients, telling them I was leaving the family business, but recommending other quality plumbers in the area, none from my dad’s company. Then I called a buddy who worked at Marshall Plumbing, a competitor, and asked if they were hiring.
They offered me a job on the spot, better pay, better hours, and no family drama. The next day, I went into the office early before anyone else arrived and collected my personal tools and the few personal items I kept in my desk. Linda came in as I was finishing up. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?” she asked, looking sad, but not surprised. “Yeah,” I said.
“Can’t work here anymore.” “Not with them.” She hugged me, something she’d never done in all the years I’d known her. “You’re making the right call. Some bridges can’t be rebuilt once they’re burned. I thanked her for telling me the truth when no one else would. Then I left my keys on my desk and walked out for the last time.
Over the next two weeks, I ignored calls from my family and focused on starting fresh at my new job. The guys at Marshall were decent. The work was good, and most importantly, there was no Ethan, no Olivia, no constant feeling of being second best. Then my mom showed up at my door one evening, begging me to come to a family meeting.
Your father has a solution, she promised. Please just hear him out. Against my better judgment, I agreed. Not for Dad or Ethan, but for Mom. She’d always been caught in the middle. And while she enabled Dad’s favoritism, she at least tried to balance things out when she could. When I arrived, all of them were there.
Olivia, too, sitting awkwardly on the couch, her hand resting on her still flat stomach in a weirdly possessive way. Dad cleared his throat and laid out his brilliant plan. Since Olivia and Ethan are expecting a child, they should get married,” he began. And I think it makes sense for Ethan to take over the family business eventually, he’s shown real interest lately. I couldn’t help but laugh.
It wasn’t even angry laughter. It was genuine amusement at how predictable this all was. “You want me to train the guy who stabbed me in the back to take over the business I helped build?” I asked, still smiling at the absurdity. “The business is still in my name,” Dad reminded me, his voice harder now. and family sticks together.
“What exactly are you asking me to do here?” I asked, even though I knew the answer, Dad laid it out. I’d come back to work, train Ethan in all aspects of the business, and eventually hand over the reigns to him. Meanwhile, Ethan and Olivia would get married, and raise their child, or possibly my child, together as one big happy family.
I couldn’t believe it. I almost made a freaking scene in there. I was seeing Red, but all I did was stand up, looking each of them in the eye. Let me be clear. I’m done with all of you. Ethan, you’re not my brother anymore. Dad, you’ve always chosen him, so keep choosing him. Mom, I’m sorry you got caught in the middle.
I turned to Olivia last. If that baby turns out to be mine, contact my lawyer. I’ll support my child, but you and I are done forever. As I walked out, Dad called after me. You’re making a mistake. Without you, this business won’t survive. I turned back one last time. That sounds like au problem now. You’re being selfish.
Dad shouted as I reached the door. After everything this family has done for you that made me stop and turn around. What exactly has this family done for me? Dad given me a job where I work twice as hard as everyone else for half the recognition. Let me build your business while you gave all the credit to Ethan.
Or maybe you mean raising me to be responsible while teaching Ethan that actions don’t have consequences. I shook my head. If walking away from that makes me selfish, then I guess I’m selfish. The next six months were actually great for me. I thrived at Marshall Plumbing, earning respect for my skills without any family baggage.
I got my master plumbers’s license, something dad always said I wasn’t ready for, and was already being groomed for a management position. They even put me in charge of a team on some larger commercial projects, trusting my expertise in a way my own father never had. I bought a small but nice house in a different part of town and started fresh. It needed some work.
The previous owners had let it go a bit, but fixing things with my hands has always been my therapy. I spent weekends ripping out old carpet, refinishing hardwood floors, replacing dated fixtures. No toxic family stuff, just me focusing on my career and rebuilding my life. I heard through the grapevine that Ethan and Olivia had gotten married in a quick courthouse ceremony.
No reception, just making it official before the baby started showing. Dad apparently gave them a $20,000 wedding gift to use as a down payment on a house. The same dad who told me I needed to build credit and prove responsibility before he’d co-sign my first apartment lease when I was 22.
While Linda, the office receptionist, quit working for my dad’s company about a month after I left. She texted me to let me know and said she couldn’t stand watching them run the business into the ground. She’d gotten a job at a dental office with better pay and normal hours. Karma’s already circling, she wrote. Won’t be long now. Then came the call from mom.
It was late, almost midnight, and she was crying so hard I could barely understand her. Listen, the business is failing. She sobbed. We’re going to lose everything. Please talk to your father. I didn’t want to get pulled back in, but I agreed to hear Dad out. When he got on the phone, he sounded broken. Not the confident, controlling man I knew.
It turns out Ethan had completely run the business into the ground in just 6 months. He’d messed up three major commercial contracts so badly that one client was suing for $75,000 in damages. Basic mistakes, installing the wrong size pipes, failing to pull permits, leaving job sites unfinished. Instead of hiring experienced plumbers to replace me, he brought in his buddy from college who didn’t know a P trap from a pipe wrench.
Most of the veteran staff had quit, including two guys who’d been with the company for over a decade because Ethan would override their expertise on jobs, insisting they do things his way, which was usually wrong. Financially, things were even worse. Ethan had taken out a $120,000 loan against the business without telling anyone, and the money had vanished.
The company credit cards were maxed out. Suppliers were refusing to extend more credit because of unpaid bills. Meanwhile, Ethan was driving a new truck and wearing expensive clothes while their business checking account was overdrawn. We need you back, Dad pleaded. I’ll sign over 75% of the business. You can run it however you want. What about Ethan? I asked.
Dad paused. He and Olivia aren’t together anymore. She left town last week, just disappeared. Left him a note saying not to contact her. We don’t know where she is or anything about the baby. I honestly wasn’t surprised. Olivia had always been ambitious.
Once she realized Ethan wasn’t the golden ticket she thought, she moved on. Classic. I thought about it for exactly two seconds before telling him. Not my problem anymore. But your mother, we might lose the house. Dad tried. Mom’s welcome to stay with me anytime. I replied firmly. You and Ethan can figure out your own arrangements.
Dad started in with the usual guilt trip about family loyalty, but I cut him off. Remember when I told you Ethan would destroy the business? remember how you chose him anyway? Well, this is what you chose. A week later, just as I was settling in my new life, Olivia texted me out of nowhere. The baby is yours. I have the test results.
Ethan took all my money and disappeared. Please help me. I forwarded the message to my lawyer without replying to her. If the baby is mine, I’ll do right by my child. But Olivia burned that bridge with gasoline. 2 days ago, Dad showed up at my house unannounced. He looked terrible, thinner, older, defeated.
He was driving mom’s old sedan instead of his truck, which they’d apparently sold to cover business debts. “Can we talk?” he asked. I let him in, partly so he could see how well I was doing without them. My new place isn’t huge, but it’s mine, paid for with my own hard work.
The living room was freshly painted, new furniture in place, everything neat and organized. A stark contrast to the chaos I’d left behind. Dad sat awkwardly on my couch and laid it all out. The business was bankrupt. Two clients were suing. The bank was foreclosing on their house next month. He pulled out a folder of documents. I’m signing the business over to you 100%. No conditions.
You can save it, he said, pushing the papers toward me. Well, 6 months ago, this would have been everything I wanted. The recognition, the control, the admission that I was right all along. Now I just felt nothing. What happened to Ethan? I asked. Dad looked down, ashamed. He cleaned out our savings account about $28,000 and disappeared.
Left a note saying he needed space to find himself. Classic Ethan running away from his problems. Apparently, after Olivia left him, Ethan started spiraling, showing up to jobs drunk, missing appointments, making excuses. Then one day, he just didn’t come home, emptied their joint account, and vanished. Didn’t even take most of his clothes.
He’s still your son. Dad added weakly. I looked him straight in the eye. He stopped being my brother the day he betrayed me. Sound familiar? Dad flinched. He deserved it. He tried one more time. If we work together, we could rebuild, be a family again. I laughed. Dad, you’re not listening. I don’t want your failing business. I don’t need your help. I’m doing great on my own. But it’s your legacy, too. He insisted.
My legacy? I stood up. My legacy is being the guy who stands on his own two feet. The guy who doesn’t need to hand me down business from someone who never appreciated him anyway. Dad sat quietly for a long time, then asked in a defeated voice, “Where did I go wrong? I could have listed a lifetime of favoritism toward Ethan.
All the excuses, all the times they disregarded me, but I just said, “You didn’t fail. You got exactly what you wanted. Ethan at the helm. You earned this.” He left looking 20 years older than when he arrived today. Mom texted that they’re moving in with her sister in Columbus next month. Dad will look for work there. She asked if I could host them and I repeated my offer.
She’s welcome anytime, but only her. And I’ve been seeing someone new for a few weeks. Taking it slow, doing things right. She’s a project manager at one of the commercial sites where I’ve been working. Smart, straightforward, independent. She asked about my family and I just said, “We’re not close. Maybe someday I’ll tell her the whole story.
As for Olivia and the baby, if it’s mine, I’ll step up. I’m not my brother. I don’t run from responsibility, but will handle everything through lawyers. She made her choice. I don’t feel happy seeing my family crash and burn. I don’t feel sad either. I just feel free.
Free from the expectations, the comparisons, the constant need to prove myself to people who never saw my worth. Sometimes the best revenge isn’t getting even. It’s moving on and building something better without