My Wife's Brother Is Actually Her Son

Late one night, I was scrolling through social media and stumbled upon a trending post.

"Does your husband ever say you're obsessed with your brother?"

One comment sat at the top with thousands of likes. The profile picture showed a cartoon girl covering her mouth, laughing.

"Oh, I can answer this one! My husband used to say that too, but here's the thing: he's actually the son I had when I was 19!"

Every word oozed with smug satisfaction.

Some commenters tore into her, calling her manipulative and her husband a total sucker. She only got bolder. She posted a screenshot of a bank transfer with the details blurred out, right next to a photo of limited-edition sneakers.

"All my son had to say was he liked them, and my husband caved! Then he gave him extra cash for a fancy dinner!”

"A guy like this? If I don't milk him, who will?"

I stared at the sneakers and the transfer amount. They matched exactly what I had bought for my "brother-in-law" that afternoon and the money I had just sent him. Down to the last cent.

Ice shot through my veins.

That sucker she was bragging about? That was me.

"He even feels sorry for me all the time, saying my parents favored sons over daughters and that I suffered because of it. He turns a blind eye to me supporting my 'brother.' What an idiot!”

"Why wouldn't I take advantage of a guy like this? His money is there for me and my son to spend!"

I stared at my phone screen, my fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Vivienne Carter was my wife. For five years, she constantly cried in front of me, saying she was neglected by her parents since childhood and forced to drop out of school to support her brother's education. Every single word oozed self-pity.

I pitied her hardships. I never refused when she asked me to help her brother. I even handed over my bank card for her to manage.

While I sat frozen, she posted again.

"His business is doing pretty well lately. I'm planning to have him buy my son a wedding house. After all, his assets will end up being my son's sooner or later anyway. What's wrong with planning ahead?"

A string of supportive comments followed. Someone asked her how she managed to deceive her husband so flawlessly.

She replied smugly. "How else? Just cry. I told him that not going to college was my biggest regret in life. I told him that my brother is all I have. Men fall for this every time. Once they feel sorry for you, they'll give you anything."

I thought back to how she normally acted.

She always came to me with red-rimmed eyes, telling me how excellent her grades were back then, but because her parents favored her brother, she was forced to give up college and work instead.

She said by the time Dylan was born, their parents were getting on in years, so as the older sister, she had to take extra care of him. She said I was her only pillar of support and that I was the only person who made her feel loved.

I believed every word. So for five years, I paid for Dylan's tuition, living expenses, tutoring fees, and even his gaming purchases. The sneakers he wanted, the gaming console, the latest phone model... Whenever Vivienne mentioned them to me, I never once refused.

I clicked on the poster's profile. Though she never showed her face, her daily posts featured decorations from our living room and the pearl necklace I bought for Vivienne.

Without a doubt, this was her.

I closed the app, my mind spinning. As soon as dawn broke, I immediately dialed my lawyer, Owen Fletcher.

"Owen, I need you to check all the assets under my name. Company shares, property, savings, and all transfer records from the past five years. The more detailed, the better."

Owen was a friend from my startup days and completely reliable. He did not ask questions and just responded quietly, "Got it, Nathan. I'll have the finance team and legal team coordinate immediately. I'll get you preliminary results by the end of the day."

I hung up and sat in the empty living room, staring at our wedding photo on the wall.

In the photo, Vivienne smiled radiantly, nestled beside me, her eyes full of happiness.

Back then, I was fresh off my successful startup. I thought I had married the love of my life. I thought we would have a peaceful life together.