Ariella, my sister-in-law, sold our family home behind our backs just to meet her favorite celebrity.
And if that wasn't enough, she even tried to set me up on a blind date with a sleazy, middle-aged divorcé— just to get a front-row ticket to her favorite singer's concert.
When the truth came out, she showed no remorse.
Instead, she had the audacity to threaten our entire family with divorce, demanding our support.
1.
In the living room, my parents and I sat on the couch, faces grim, waiting until the early hours of the morning.
Finally, my brother, Kory, walked in with Ariella.
The moment she saw me, her face twisted in rage. She grabbed her purse and flung it at me, cursing. "Cecelia, you little brat! How dare you get Jonathan arrested! Are you trying to ruin me?"
Jonathan, the man she had set me up with, was a notorious creep in the entertainment industry—a sleazy director with a terrible reputation.
And yet, Ariella had the nerve to trick me into meeting him for a blind date!
She described him as a successful, charming gentleman and insisted we were a perfect match.
I hadn't wanted to go, but she kept pushing, and out of respect for my brother, I reluctantly agreed to meet him.
The moment I arrived, Jonathan wasted no time getting handsy.
He grabbed me, whispered disgusting things in my ear, and tried to drag me into a hotel, claiming he had already booked a room.
I fought back, beat him up, and had him sent straight to the police.
During the investigation, I learned that Ariella had orchestrated the entire thing.
She was willing to throw me under the bus—all for a concert ticket that would let her stand closer to her idol.
I was nothing but a stepping stone in her obsessive fan-girling.
My well-being? My dignity? She didn't care in the slightest.
The most infuriating part?
Kory knew all about it.
2.
As I sat there in silence, Ariella grew bolder.
She grabbed my wrist, trying to drag me outside, shouting that I had to apologize to Jonathan at the hotel.
I laughed bitterly.
Then I slapped her across the face.
Kory immediately panicked, rushing to hold her and glaring at me with pure rage. He raised his fist, ready to strike me—
Only for my father to kick him to the ground.
"Kory! Are you even her brother? Your wife tried to sell your own sister, and you can't even see that?"
But Kory, lying on the floor, had no remorse.
"Sell?" He scoffed.
"Jonathan is wealthy and well-connected. Plenty of women would kill for a chance with him. Cecelia should feel lucky he even noticed her! And another thing—Ariella is her sister-in-law. What's wrong with making a small sacrifice for family?"
The moment those vile words left his mouth, my father lost it.
He grabbed a bat and started beating Kory with it.
Ariella, furious, threw a tantrum and shouted, "I've had enough! I didn't marry into this family to be treated like this! So what if I'm a dedicated fan? Is that a crime? If you don't like it, fine! I'll divorce Kory! Let's see how he likes being single for the rest of his life!"
With that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Kory shoved my father aside and ran after her without hesitation.
In his rush, my father lost his balance, hit the back of his head against the floor, and immediately lost consciousness.
But my heartless brother?
He barely spared us a glance.
Then, he turned and left without a second thought.
As my mother and I screamed in panic, I even heard him mutter under his breath— "Wouldn't be so bad if he died. At least then Ariella wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense anymore..."
The hospital results came in quickly.
My father had suffered a brain hemorrhage from the impact.
My mother and I stayed by his side through the night, barely closing our eyes.
Thankfully, after a long surgery, the doctor said he had a good chance of full recovery with proper rest and care.
During those months in the hospital, my mother and I never left his side. Even with a hired caregiver, we couldn't bring ourselves to trust anyone else.
And by some miracle, my father pulled through.
He woke up. He was stable. No major complications.
3.
But what truly disgusted me?
From the moment my father collapsed, through his surgery and recovery, a full two months passed.
Kory never called. Never asked about my father's condition.
Never visited.
I wanted to press charges, to make him pay for what he had done. But my mother stopped me.
She said it would only bring shame to the family, that we needed to focus on my father's recovery first.
We could deal with Kory later.
And so, we endured.
On the day my father was discharged, my brother still didn't show up. My mother urged me to stay calm and not act rashly.
But all that patience, all that restraint—
Shattered the moment we got home.
Our house was gone.
A neighbor spotted us standing in shock and hesitated before speaking. "Oh... you came back for one last look, huh? Bad timing—the new owners just changed the locks. You won't be able to get in now."
No wonder my key didn't work.
Panicked, we confirmed the worst— The house had been sold.
And the one who sold it? Ariella.
While my father lay unconscious in the hospital, she had hired a real estate agent, emptied the house, and sold it off.
She took everything of value and threw the rest into the trash.
She told everyone in the neighborhood that we had bought a new place and wouldn't be coming back.
The neighbors had no reason to doubt her.
The most enraging part?
Legally, there was nothing we could do. Last year, my father had transferred the house into Kory's name, thinking it would help with school zoning for his child.
The plan was to transfer it back once they were done.
But now? Since Kory was the legal owner, Ariella had full rights to sell it—with his approval.
We had no home to return to.
With no other choice, we went to Kory's house to confront them.
Ironically, it was our first time stepping foot in his home.
My parents had bought that house for him when he got married— paid in full. They had furnished it, decorated it, made it a true home.
But after Ariella moved in, she changed the locks and passwords.
It was clear she didn't want my parents around.
And my parents, being kind and understanding, had let it go. Because back then, they still had their own home.
Now?
Thanks to Kory and Ariella—That home was gone.
4.
The doorbell rang for a long time before Kory finally opened the door.
When he saw us standing there, his expression soured instantly. "What are you doing here? Great, just great. Ariella was finally in a good mood, and now you're here to ruin it again."
His words, full of disdain and irritation, cut deep.