When Jeremy and his wife, Nina, get home from a vacation, they are horrified to find Ted, Jeremy’s slob of a brother, in their home. After a confrontation which leads to angry parents and Nina moving out, Jeremy forces Ted’s hand, making him move out…
When I came home from vacation, I was expecting to relax, maybe pop open a bottle of wine with my wife, and enjoy the peace of our home. Instead, we walked into a living room that looked like a complete frat house after a party from Hell.
A couple on vacation | Source: Midjourney
There were beer cans everywhere, dirty clothes tossed in random piles, and the smell, my goodness, the smell. And there, sprawled out on my couch like he owned the place, was my older brother, Theodore, or Ted, as everyone called him.
“Ted, what the hell? What is this? Why are you in my house?” I asked, trying to stay calm, though my blood pressure was rising by the second.
Nina, my wife, looked around our living room and rolled her eyes. In that moment, I knew that I had to fix it or I’d have to deal with a very upset wife.
A messy living room | Source: Midjourney
My brother looked up, casually, like I hadn’t just caught him red-handed.
“Oh, hey, Jeremy,” he said. “Mom and Dad figured that it would be easier if I just moved in while you were gone. You’ve got all this space, and it’s not like you’re using it, you know? You and Nina are either working or on vacation.”
I blinked, trying to process the audacity of his words.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“You moved in? You moved into my house? Without asking? Ted, are you insane?”
He rolled his eyes, lifting his feet onto the couch and crossing them like he was about to watch a movie.
“Yeah, so what?” he said. “I needed a place to stay, and it’s not like you’d say yes. So, we decided to skip that part. Quit being so uptight, Jeremy. Just help a brother out.”
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
It was like a switch flipped inside me, the years of watching him leech off my parents, his life one big excuse after another, and somehow, he was the victim here.
Now, he’d taken over my house. Really?
Just as I opened my mouth to speak, my phone rang. Mom. Of course.
I answered, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible.
A man holding his phone | Source: Midjourney
“Mom, did you and Dad seriously let Theodore move into my house while I was away?”
“Why are you using my full name?” Ted chimed in from the background.
I ignored him.
“Jeremy, don’t be so dramatic,” my mother said, not even a hint of apology in her voice. “Ted needed a place to stay, and you’ve got all that room. You don’t even have kids yet. So what’s the harm in helping out your brother?”
An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.
“Mom, he is 42 years old. He isn’t a kid. You’ve let him mooch off you for years, and you want to dump him on me? Are you being serious? Why do you want to treat him like he’s a kid just out of college?”
My mother’s tone shifted, and she immediately went on the defense.
“Oh, mooching, huh?” she said. “I’m disappointed in you, Jeremy. He’s been through a lot. You don’t understand what it’s like to be him. You’ve always had everything together. Ted needs a little more help. And as family, you owe it to him.”
A frowning man | Source: Midjourney
Been through a lot? My brother had two children under the age of five, with two different women. And he didn’t bother to support either of them. How was I supposed to feel sorry for this man?
Before I could respond, my father took the phone, his voice taking over my ear, sounding even more irritated.
“Jeremy, stop being selfish. You’ve got the money, the house, the wife. What’s the big deal? It’s your job to take care of your family. Ted is your brother. He is staying.”
Two young children | Source: Midjourney
I almost lost my mind. I almost let my anger take over me. But then I remembered that it just wasn’t my style. Ted might’ve thought that he had won this time, but I had a plan.
“It’s not about the space, Dad,” I said. “It’s about respect. Ted can’t just live here without my permission. Nina and I have worked hard for our home. And what’s even worse? My wife just has to deal with this, too.”
From the couch, Ted snorted.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, come on. Don’t act like you’re all high and mighty. It’s just a house,” he said.
“But you’ve been freeloading off Mom and Dad for years. Why should I trust that you’d do anything differently here? Why can’t you stay with one of your kids and their mom?”
I thought that was the card that would have frustrated him. But he didn’t even flinch.
A frowning man | Source: Midjourney
“Because I’m family, that’s why. Why do you always act like I’m a stranger? It’s my right to stay here. Mom and Dad said that you’d be like this, but I didn’t think you’d be this bad.”
I was done.
“Fine, Ted,” I said. “You want to stay? Sure. Let’s see how that works out.”
I was fine with being horrible to my brother, I mean, someone had to teach him a lesson. But when I went upstairs to tell Nina about everything that had happened on the phone, she was highly frustrated.
A disgruntled man | Source: Midjourney
“Jer, you can’t be serious,” she said as I sat down on the bed across her.
“I’m going to fix it. I promise you, Nina. I’ll make this right. But I’m going to teach him a lesson first.”
“Well, I don’t want to be here for it. You have a week. Get him out, or I’ll stay gone,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
“I’m going to my sister’s house, Jeremy. I can’t stand your brother, and I will not stay here while he’s here,” she said, packing a suitcase as she spoke.
“I’ll make this right, my love,” I promised her.
For the next week, I made Ted’s life a waking nightmare without ever raising my voice. And with Nina gone, I had a bigger incentive to get him out.
A woman packing a suitcase | Source: Midjourney
The first thing I did was disconnect the Wi-Fi. Ted, who spent most of his days glued to his phone or binge-watching shows on the TV, was completely lost.
He complained, but I just smiled.
“Oh, the internet? Yeah, it’s been spotty.”
Next, I shut off the hot water. Ted loved his long, lazy showers, but now he was greeted with ice-cold water every morning.
Water running in a shower | Source: Midjourney
“Must be something wrong with the plumbing,” I’d say innocently when he whined about it.
Then, there was the food.
I stocked the fridge with nothing but tofu, vegetables, and the healthiest food I could find. Ted hated anything that wasn’t greasy or fried. And now, every time he opened the fridge, he groaned like I was starving him.
“You’re family, right?” I’d say. “I’m sure you can deal with a little inconvenience. But it’s for my health, so you’ll be fine.”
An array of healthy food | Source: Midjourney
To top it all off, I started blasting music at 6 a.m. every day while I had my treadmill session in the gym room. I figured if Ted wasn’t going to contribute to the household, the least he could do was get up early.
He hated it all, of course. And by day five, he looked like he was on the verge of losing his mind.
“Jeremy, man, this is BS,” Ted said one morning, his voice filled with frustration. “I can’t stay here. How do you live like this? No Wi-Fi, no hot water, and no food I enjoy. This is torture.”
A man on a treadmill | Source: Midjourney
I raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you’d be grateful to stay, Ted. It’s not like you’re paying rent or contributing anything. What’s the problem?”
He grumbled something under his breath, clearly fuming.
“Forget it, I’m going back to Mom and Dad’s.”
An annoyed man | Source: Midjourney
As he stormed out, dragging his junk with him, I couldn’t help but smile.
But I wasn’t done yet. I cleaned the house top to bottom, went out to get proper groceries, and cooked Nina a good meal. I had already called her during the day and told her that Ted was gone.
“Come home, honey,” I said.
“I’ll see you later,” she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
While waiting for Nina to shower, I knew that there was just one more thing to do.
“Mom, Dad,” I said on the phone. “Ted’s out of my house. And he won’t be coming back again. He’s your problem again.”
My mother was furious.
“Jeremy, you can’t just kick him out! Where will he go?”
“That’s up to Ted, Mom. He’s 42. If you guys want to keep coddling him, go ahead. But I’m done.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
After that, I heard that Ted moved back into my parents’ house, but they demanded that he transform the garage into his own space. They forced him to get a job.
Ted was upset, of course, so they blamed it all on me. But I was fine with that. Nina and I had our home back, and we were at peace.
A garage converted into a bedroom | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
My Husband ‘Accidentally’ Locked Me in the Basement to Watch Basketball with His Friends at Our House
Dani cannot stand her husband’s friends. So when Ethan brings up the possibility of having them over to watch a basketball game, she shuts down the idea. On the evening of the game, Dani finds herself going into the basement to get a pack of beer, but before she knows it, she’s locked inside. What happens next?…
I should have just said no from the start. Not just when Ethan brought up the idea of his friends coming over for dinner. I mean way before that, like when I first realized how awful they were. I never outright said that I didn’t hate them, but let me be honest with you: I think I made it pretty clear.
An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
But my husband, Ethan?
He’s so different from these guys. At 35, he’s a successful manager at a tech company, and for reasons that I will never understand, he’s still friends with the same guys he went to high school with.
They’re loud, rude, and completely unlike Ethan. They’re everything he left behind when he made something of himself.
Except, apparently, his loyalty to them.
A man sitting in his office | Source: Midjourney
“Dani, it’s just one game,” he said that night, sitting in the kitchen with a hopeful grin. “The guys really want to watch the game here. They’re dying to see our new TV setup. It’ll be fun!”
I sighed, trying to stay calm. I could almost see the dreadful evening unfolding. I knew that Ethan’s friends would take over the house, inappropriate comments getting into every conversation.
“Ethan, you know how I feel about them. Every single time they come over, it’s like our house gets turned into a frat house. I’m not cleaning up after them again. It’s not happening.”
A man sitting at a kitchen counter | Source: Midjourney
My husband’s face dropped, a look of wounded pride flashing in his eyes.
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.
I Overheard My Husband Bragging About His ‘Ugly’ Wife – His Payback Was Worse than He Could Have Imagined
When Sarah gets home from the usual errands with her kids, the last thing she expects is to hear her husband spilling his true feelings about her — that she is just a means to an end in his life. But Sarah isn’t about to let Ethan get away with his callous behavior. Instead, she decides to teach him a lesson.
They say marriage is built on love, trust, and respect. I thought I had all three with Ethan. For seven years, we shared a home, two kids, and what I thought was a good life.
A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney
Sure, there were the rough patches that popped up every now and again. But honestly, what marriage doesn’t have those? We always found our way back to each other. Or so I thought.
Then, last week happened.
It started like any other day. I picked up the kids, juggling their boundless energy with the chaos of school bags and snack wrappers. When we got home, I sent them upstairs to play and headed inside to get a moment of peace before dinner prep began.
Two kids in their school uniform | Source: Midjourney
That’s when I heard it. Ethan’s voice, clear as day, drifting out of the living room.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. He had a couple of his coworkers over, so I figured they were just chatting. But as I walked closer, I caught a snippet of his conversation.
“Take a page from my book, guys,” Ethan said, his tone dripping with confidence. “I got it all figured out. I took the ugly wife for the housework and raising the kids, and I take the pretty ones on vacation. I know what I’m doing!”
A man sitting on a couch and holding a can | Source: Midjourney
I froze.
My breath hitched, and I felt the grocery bag slip from my hand. My heart pounded, and the blood rushed to my ears as my husband kept talking, oblivious to my presence.
“I mean, come on. Sarah doesn’t even realize it. She thinks I’m some kind of saint. Meanwhile, I’ve got the house, the car, and everything handed to me on a silver platter. And the best part? She’s just happy to keep everything running while I have my fun.”
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
I felt sick.
My husband, the man I’d trusted with my life, was bragging about how he was using me.
To his friends.
I clutched the stair railing, struggling to stay upright.
A woman standing by a staircase | Source: Midjourney
“Wow, Ethan,” one of his coworkers said, laughing nervously. “You’re, uh, really living the dream.”
“I know, right?” Ethan replied, his voice full of disgustingly smug pride. “It’s all about playing your cards right. It’s easy, guys. I’ll coach you. Ugly wife in the left hand, pretty wife in the right.”
The word “ugly” kept ringing in my ears, like a cruel echo.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
I wanted to scream, to storm into the room and demand answers. But I didn’t. Instead, I stepped back quietly and slipped upstairs, ready to get into the shower and wash away the slimy feeling that had taken over me.
That night, Ethan acted like nothing had happened. He came into the kitchen and helped me cook the salmon and broccoli, a dish that the kids loved. He even kissed me on the cheek, asked about my day, and helped put the kids to bed.
It was almost comical how oblivious he was to the storm brewing inside me.
A tray of food | Source: Midjourney
“You okay?” he asked later when I was making mugs of hot chocolate for the kids. Finally, he seemed to realize that I was quieter than usual.
I forced a smile.
“Just tired. It’s been a long day,” I said.
“Well, don’t overdo it,” he said, patting my shoulder like he was doing me a favor.
Two mugs of hot chocolate | Source: Midjourney
I nodded, biting back the urge to scream.
The next morning, I got up early, my mind racing. Ethan left for work with his usual kiss on the cheek, and I plastered on a smile as he walked out the door.
As soon as he was gone, I started planning. I wasn’t just angry. I was determined.
A man wearing a suit | Source: Midjourney
By mid-afternoon, I had everything I needed: photos of Ethan with his “pretty ones,” screenshots of flirty messages, and a few financial records that painted a very clear picture of his double life.
I sat there with my laptop, feeling like how I felt at university when I was putting an assignment together. The same looming anxiety because of a deadline. The same dread as I put things together. Like everything was riding on this. And if I’m being honest… everything was.
I had no idea how long this had been going on for, but what I wanted was to make Ethan feel pain.
A woman sitting at a laptop | Source: Midjourney
I wanted to embarrass him and break his heart. I wanted him to understand how humiliating his words were. I wanted him to grow up and realize that he wasn’t behaving like the man worthy of a wife and children, unworthy of the life we had built.
He deserved nothing.
When he came home that evening, he had no idea what was waiting for him. I hadn’t bothered to cook for him. Instead, I had taken the kids to get Chinese food and dropped them off at my mother’s.
Children holding a bag of fortune cookies | Source: Midjourney
Ethan and I were going to have a showdown.
“Hey, babe,” he said, flashing his usual smug smile. “How was your day?”
“Oh, just the usual,” I replied casually. “But I did get something special for you.”
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“Special? What’s the occasion? I’m the luckiest man alive, aren’t I? What’s for dinner?”
“I just felt like treating you,” I said with a sweet smile. “Come to the living room. I’ll show you.”
He followed me, curiosity plastered across his face.
“Sit, honey,” I said, gesturing for him to sit in the chair I’d placed in front of the TV. I’d even left a bowl of pretzels and a can of beer on the coffee table for him.
Beer and pretzels on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
“What’s this about, Sarah?” he asked, still grinning.
“You’ll see!” I replied, handing him the can of beer.
I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
Then, the slideshow began.
A woman holding a TV remote | Source: Midjourney
At first, Ethan didn’t understand what he was seeing. The first few photos were harmless enough—scenic shots from vacations he’d taken under the guise of “business trips.”
But then the pictures shifted.
There he was, arm in arm with a woman I recognized from his Facebook friends list. Then another photo of him laughing with a different woman, drinks in hand.
A couple holding drinks | Source: Midjourney
“Sarah,” he began. “Look, I can explain.”
I held a hand up.
“Hush, honey,” I said. “Keep watching. Enjoy the show.”
More photos appeared, each one more damning than the last.
A pensive woman | Source: Midjourney
“You didn’t think I’d find out, did you?” I asked.
“Where did you get these?” he demanded, his smugness replaced by panic.
“You’re not exactly subtle, Ethan,” I replied. “But that’s not the point. The point is, I’ve put up with a lot over the years. And I’ve ignored all the red flags, much to my mother’s dismay. I’ve ignored every stupid excuse. But this? Bragging to your friends about how you’re using me? That’s a new low, even for you.”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
“Sarah, please, let’s talk about this, honey,” he pleaded, his hands actually trembling.
“Oh, we’re going to talk,” I said, stepping closer. “But first, let me introduce you to someone.”
I opened the door, and in walked my divorce lawyer.
A man in a suit | Source: Midjourney
“What the hell? Who is this?” he sputtered.
“This,” I said calmly. “This is the beginning of the end, Ethan.”
The lawyer explained the terms:
Ethan would lose the house, which was my parents’ wedding present to us. He’d lose the car, which was in my name. And most of his paycheck would go toward child support.
An angry man | Source: Midjourney
“You can’t do this, Sarah!” Ethan shouted, his face turning red.
“Actually, I can,” I replied. “You made your choices, Ethan. Now you get to live with them.”
The next day, Ethan packed his things and moved out. He planned on couch surfing until things “settled for him.”
A man packing a bag | Source: Midjourney
At first, he tried to win me back with apologies and promises. He swore that he would change and that he’d been “stupid” and “selfish.”
But I wasn’t interested.
“I gave you everything,” I told him during one of his desperate calls. “But you threw it away. This is on you.”
The kids and I are doing fine. They’ll ask about Ethan occasionally, and they do get excited when I take them to meet him. But at the end of the day, we’re better off this way.
Two smiling children | Source: Midjourney
Months later, I heard through a mutual friend that Ethan was struggling.
“He’s still crashing on Joshua’s couch,” she said. “Apparently, he can barely keep up with his expenses.”
And it turned out that his “pretty ones” had all disappeared, leaving him alone to face the mess he’d made.
As for me?
A man sleeping on a couch | Source: Midjourney
I was thriving. Between work and all my free time, I started taking time off for myself. I rediscovered my love for embroidery, which is something I did with my grandmother when I was a child. And I even went on a few dates.
But the best part? Seeing my kids smile, knowing that they were growing up in a home filled with love and respect.
A woman doing embroidery | Source: Midjourney
Ethan thought he’d broken me. He thought he could take and take without consequences. But in the end, the only thing he broke was himself.
And honestly? I don’t feel bad about it.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
Enjoyed this story? Here’s another one for you:
My Husband Left Me and Our Toddler in Economy Class and Went to Business Himself – He Regretted It So Much in
When Claire, John, and their son, Ethan, board a flight to John’s parents, John mysteriously disappears to Business Class, leaving Claire to tackle the flight with the baby alone. But when they get to their destination, Claire’s father-in-law teaches John a lesson that he won’t forget.
About a week ago, my father-in-law really showed my husband that despite being married and having a son, he still had a lot to learn.
A couple with their toddler | Source: Midjourney
My husband, John, and I were gearing up for the long-awaited trip to his parents with our energetic two-year-old son, Ethan. John had been particularly stressed with work and kept going on about how much he needed a break.
“Claire, I can’t wait to finally relax,” John said as we packed our bags. “I just need some peace and quiet, you know?”
I smiled, though I was preoccupied with packing Ethan’s toys.
“I know, John. We all need a break. But it’ll be fun for Ethan to see his grandparents and be spoilt with their love for a bit.”
Little did I know, my husband had rather selfish plans in mind.
A woman packing suitcases | Source: Midjourney
At the airport, I was busy wrangling our toddler and managing the luggage while still trying to open a container of applesauce for Ethan. John mysteriously vanished.
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.
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