David, my father began, his voice laden with disappointment. What you’ve done isn’t just a betrayal of your brother, but a betrayal of this family. You slept with your brother’s wife and continued the affair even after they were married.
Your actions have severe consequences and have irreversibly shattered the trust we had in you. I raised both of you to value family, loyalty, and decency. What you’ve shown today defies everything I’ve tried to teach you.
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink into David’s conscience. Your disregard for your brother’s feelings and the lack of respect for his marriage are unacceptable. You’ve not only hurt him but also torn apart the bonds that hold our family together.
Your mother and I are partly to blame for what you’ve become, but we will no longer tolerate this behavior. From today, you’re cut off from the college funds I set up for you. You’ll have to figure out how to pay your university fees on your own.
I will also stop funding your lifestyle. Do you think it makes you more of a man to sleep with married women? Let’s see how you manage without my money. Throughout this, I maintained a composed demeanor.
Although I initially wanted to scream at David, watching my dad punish him was the ultimate vindication. I had exposed his true nature, and it was clear he had underestimated the consequences. My mother, despite David’s persistent protests, continued to justify him, but my father swiftly ended the call, shutting down David’s attempts to explain away his actions.
Afterward, my mom approached me and hugged me. It had been a long time since we shared such a moment, but in that embrace, there was an unspoken understanding and support amid the family turmoil. She apologized for not believing me all this time.
My 14-year-old self could never have imagined this moment, being vindicated and embraced by my mother. Following this, my dad helped me find a good lawyer to divorce Karen. She and her lawyer tried to fight dirty, asking for alimony since I earned more than her, but her affair played heavily in my favor.
We also conducted a paternity test, and it was confirmed that David was indeed the father of the child. The news was incredibly painful, even worse than discovering Karen’s infidelity. I was furious that the son I had loved and raised wasn’t mine.
However, I decided to stay strong. Karen begged me to continue visiting my son, arguing he shouldn’t be punished for the situation, but I couldn’t bear to see him. He reminded me too much of David, and I hated it.
After my divorce was finalized, I felt a sense of freedom wash over me as I moved into my own bachelor pad. It felt surreal to live alone since I had married so young and never really had the chance to experience independence. However, my naturally independent nature allowed me to quickly adapt to my new lifestyle, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Two weeks ago, my dad called to tell me he was considering changing his will because he didn’t want to leave anything to David. My dad is incredibly stubborn, and once he decided to cut David out of his life, he stuck to it. David tried reaching out to our parents and even showed up at their doorstep, begging for forgiveness, but they refused to let him in.
Even my mother, who usually gave in to David’s tantrums, seemed done with him, though it must have been hardest for her. David never texted me to apologize for what he had done, showing he didn’t regret his actions, he was just upset about being cut off from our parents. Dad told me he planned to leave everything to me, ensuring David wouldn’t contest it later.
He would leave David only $1. My eyes widened in shock as my dad had worked hard his entire life. Including his assets, retirement fund, and life insurance, the total came to nearly $2 million.
The only condition in his will was that if my dad passed away before my mom, she would continue living in their house, even though ownership would transfer to me. I didn’t mind this, as I wanted to care for my mom in her final days. Somehow, David found out about this, and, unable to reach our parents, called me yesterday, trying to make amends.