Just after stepping out of the shower, I received a private message from my so-called uncle, Hank Shephard—a distant relative I barely ever spoke to.

"Francis, that new car you posted looks impressive. Perfect for William's wedding!"

I hadn't even figured out how to reply to that out-of-nowhere comment when another message popped up.

"Your cousin William is getting married next month. Just treat your car as his wedding gift."

The entitlement in his tone made my head hurt. I didn't bother arguing and closed the chat window.

Apparently, he did not think there was anything wrong with what he had said. Messages kept coming.

"Don't worry, your uncle won't let you suffer a loss.

"When it's your turn to get married, I'll have William drive that car as your lead wedding car. It'll make you look good."

I stared at the screen in silence.

That was the moment I realized—Some people don't just feel entitled to your belongings.

They believe your life exists to serve theirs.

I was momentarily stunned by the sheer shamelessness of what he was saying.

To stop him from continuing his ridiculous theories in private messages, I typed out a brief reply.

[Uncle Hank, that car isn't an option.]

I thought I had made myself clear enough. Surely that would be the end of it.

Instead, my response seemed to light the fuse.

He immediately took the fight to the family group chat.

[Francis Shephard, why are you being so distant? We're family. There's no need to draw lines like that.]

[I've already made a decision for you. Your new car will be your gift to your younger cousin William for his wedding!]

[Everyone, don't you think Francis has really made something of himself? Now he knows how to support the family!]

One message after another flooded the group.

He even attached screenshots from my social media feed.

I stared at my phone in disbelief. I could not believe a grown man could pull something like this.

That car was not just any car.

It was a reward approved personally by the company chairman after I secured a major deal. The vehicle was registered under the company's name and primarily used for business receptions.

To me, it was not just transportation. It was recognition, proof that my work had value.

My parents always said that with distant relatives, maintaining surface-level harmony was enough.

There was no need to get too close, especially with Hank Shephard's family. Back when my grandfather was still alive, they had already had an ugly falling-out over trivial matters.

Just as I was about to clarify things in the group chat, an unfamiliar number called.

I answered, and a woman's voice, thick with sobs, came through the line.

"Francis, it's your Aunt Sharon. You can't treat your brother like this.

"Your uncle already told me everything. It's just a car. Do you really have to be this stingy?

"William has admired you since he was little. Now that he's finally getting married, can't you take pity on us and let him have one moment of glory?"

Listening to her tearful complaints only made my irritation grow.

Back when they borrowed money and never paid it back, nearly causing my father's business cash flow to collapse, I did not hear a single sob from them.

I calmly replied, "Aunt Sharon, I'm really sorry. That car belongs to the company, not to me personally. I don't have the authority to give it away. The company's rules are very strict. I simply can't let William use it."

She clearly did not care what I said.

"That's easy, Francis. Just talk to your boss. Tell him there's an urgent family matter. You've made the company so much money. Surely he wouldn't refuse you over something so small?

"Francis, you can't be so rigid in life. You're still young. I'm just teaching you how the world works."

That was the moment I lost all patience.

"No. Find someone else."

Either my refusal was too blunt, or she never expected me to take this stance.

She dropped the sobbing instantly, her voice turning sharp and shrill.

"Fine, Francis. So now that you've made it, you look down on poor relatives like us, huh?

"Alright, alright! We won't take the car, okay? However, your cousin is getting married, so you at least have to give a decent cash gift!"

"Just give us two hundred thousand dollars as a wedding gift, and we'll call it even."

I stared at my phone screen and actually laughed. The shamelessness of that family was almost impressive.

I did not reply. I ended the call and blocked her number.

…

Early the next morning, I was jolted awake by the doorbell ringing nonstop.

When I opened the door, a man with an honest, almost timid face stood outside. It was William Shepard.

"It's me, William," he said quickly.

"My parents said a lot of nonsense in the family group chat yesterday. I'm here to apologize on their behalf.

"Um… Could I come in and talk?"

Despite how disgusted I was by his family's behavior, I stepped aside and let him in.

The moment he sat down on the sofa, he started rubbing his hands nervously.

"Francis, don't blame my dad. He's just doing this for my own good. My fiancee, Lily, insists on having a decent car as the wedding car. If I don't have one, she won't marry me. I really don't have a choice."

William looked miserable. He sighed and went on.

"Actually, Francis, I've thought of a win-win solution. One that won't put you in a tough spot, and still lets me get married."

I gestured for him to continue.

His eyes lit up, and he leaned forward.

"How about this? You lend me your car just for the wedding day. That way I can explain things to my future in-laws. After the wedding, you can continue using the car as usual."

I looked at him without saying a word. He seemed increasingly confident in his idea.

"Here's the key part," he said eagerly.

"To make my wife believe the car is mine, I'll need you to make a small sacrifice. You can still drive it, but officially, the car will be under my name. Every month, you just transfer me a symbolic amount of money.

"Let's say you're renting the car from me. That way, if my wife asks, I can say I rented it out and even earn a little extra. She'll definitely be happy hearing that."

He smiled.

"See? Everyone wins. You lose nothing, and I get married. As for the rent, you decide. A thousand dollars or two thousand dollars a month is fine."

He finished speaking and looked at me expectantly.

I was completely stunned by his logic.

Paying rent for my own car?

I could no longer tolerate this kind of moral blackmail. My voice turned cold.

"William, your marriage is your own responsibility. I didn't create this situation. Please leave. I've got a meeting soon, so I won't be keeping you."

Seeing how firm my attitude was, William immediately switched tactics.

"Francis, you've made it in life. You don't understand how hard it is for useless men like us. I'm just a wage worker trying to support a family. Now, my marriage is falling apart over a car.

"Lily said if she doesn't see that car, she'll abort the baby immediately. What choice do I have? We're both part of the Shephard family. You can't just stand by and watch us die like this."

I said nothing.

I stood up, walked to the entrance, and opened the front door.

The fake humility vanished from William's face instantly.

"Francis, don't push things too far. I know which building you work in. I know the name of your company. If you don't help me, I'll go downstairs to your office and tell everyone how you forced your sister-in-law to get an abortion."

Of course, I understood exactly what he meant. However, my father was the company's largest shareholder. I had nothing to fear.

I did not respond. I shoved him out the door and turned back into the living room.

No sooner had William left than I received a friend request.

It was from his fiancee, Lily Hansen.

I did not accept it. I did not even open it.

I ignored it outright.

The very next second, my phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

"Is this Francis Shephard?"

A young woman's voice came through the line.

"I'm Lily Hansen, William's fiancee."

Her tone was nothing like William's usual politeness.

"I heard you refused to lend the car?"

I replied calmly, "That car belongs to the company. I don't have the authority to lend it out."

She let out a cold laugh.

"Don't give me that excuse. I'm not as easy to fool as William. The child in my belly carries the Shephard family blood.

"If you won't even provide a wedding car and ruin my marriage, then I won't keep this baby either. When that happens, can you bear the blame of driving your own family to death?"

Her voice dripped with threat.

I responded, "Are you using an unborn child to blackmail me? That's your child, not a bargaining chip. Whether you give birth or not has nothing to do with me."

I did not give her another chance to speak. I hung up and immediately blocked the number.

To avoid further trouble, I blocked the entire family as well.

I thought that would be the end of it.

However, the next day, a weekend, I had plans to go fishing in the suburbs with a friend.

Carrying my fishing gear, I walked into the underground garage.

When I reached my parking spot, I froze.

Three people were standing by my car.

It was Hank, Sharon, and a young woman I did not recognize.

My heart sank. I tightened my grip on my phone and hurried over.

Only when I got closer did I see clearly.

The woman was leaning against the hood of my car, striking poses and taking selfies.

Hank was holding a thin metal wire, struggling to poke it into the crack of the car door.

They had not noticed me yet and were chatting among themselves.

"Dad, can you do this or not? You've been poking at it forever."

"Don't rush me. These luxury car locks are tricky. I should've brought a hammer."

Rage surged through me.

I stormed forward and shouted, "What are you doing?! Stop right now!"

The woman frowned when she heard my voice.

"Who are you, yelling at us like that? Do you have no manners?"

I was so angry I almost laughed.

"Step away from my car immediately. You're attempting theft. I'm calling the police right now!"

Sharon rolled her eyes at me.

"You child, how can you talk like that? We're family. This is Lily, William's future wife. We're just checking out the wedding car. What theft are you talking about?"

I did not want to waste another word on those unreasonable people. I pointed straight at the security camera on the garage ceiling.

"Get out. Now. Once the police arrive, none of you are leaving."

Sharon was about to start making a scene when Lily raised a hand and stopped her.

She sneered, "Call them. Go ahead. I'd love to see whether the police care about family matters."

Hearing that, I did not hesitate. I unlocked my phone and started dialing.

"Hello, officer? This is Santos Residential Area, B2 section, parking spot G-07. Someone is trying to break into my car. They may be carrying tools that could be used as weapons. Please…"

Before I could finish, a hand came from the side and slapped my phone to the ground.

"You fool! You actually called the cops?!"

I turned my head and saw that the one who knocked my phone away was Hank.

The fury boiling in my chest was beyond control.

Before I could even bend down to pick up my phone, William appeared out of nowhere.

He shoved me hard against the car.

"Did you really call the police? Are you looking for death?!"

My back slammed painfully into the car door, and the watch on my wrist struck the metal with a sharp knock.