While taking the high-speed train home, I came across a post online.

“My brother-in-law is pushing thirty, but no wedding bells so far. Would it bother you if he came back to visit all the time?”

The comments were all over the place.

With the post blowing up, the poster started arguing with commenters.

“It’s bad enough that he doesn’t start his own family, but he took one of my yogurts. I can’t stand him.

“Geez. Does he know nothing about keeping boundaries? I’ve been dying to put him in his place.

“I converted his room into my walk-in closet. Well, that should show him for staying here.”

At that point, I stopped reading.

Since I paid for the family home back then, one room would always be reserved for me.

As I stepped off the train, my mother texted me.

“I booked you a room at the hotel, Miles.

“You might want to skip staying home this time.”

My mobile screen faded to black.

The crowd pushed me toward the exit.

Since my father, Thomas Silver, wasn’t there to pick me up, I gave him a call.

“Oh, Miles.

“My memory must be failing me. Your brother, Sebastian, is craving lamb this morning, so I came down to the market. It slipped my mind to pick you up.”

Thomas apologized to me. “Sorry, son.

“Why don’t you catch a cab?”

Not wanting to make a big fuss over the matter, I took up on his idea.

It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened anyway.

I typed my family’s home address into the ride-share app and got a ride.

The driver was a friendly, chatty guy.

“Whoa, you’re going to the best luxury complex around here. I remember that the place cost a fortune at launch.”

I smiled. “It was.”

At 30,000 a square, and almost 2,000 square feet, the scale was massive.

Even after putting two million dollars down for the down payment, I had to pay nearly twenty grand for the monthly mortgage.

The upfront payment wiped out my savings from ten years of grinding in Port Coastal, the capital city. To keep up with the mortgage, I had to pinch every penny.

I took the 5-hour train ride home because I couldn’t justify the extra hundred bucks by plane.

As I rubbed my numb legs, my phone rang.

It was my mother, Teresa Silver.

“I’m not home right. Get settled at the hotel. I’ll head to you in a bit.

“I haven’t had time to give the house a good clean, so you should stay elsewhere.”

I typed, “I can let myself in since I know the code to open the door. I bought some gifts to bring over.”

For some reason, my mind flew back to the post I had read.

Deleting the draft to Teresa, I opened the link to the post.

The thirty and single bit lined up with my situation.

However, I would only come back once a year, so that didn’t quite fit the description.

I did remember on my trip back last year, I took a bottle of yogurt out of the fridge since the heat was getting to me.

Cass Silver, my sister-in-law, gave me an attitude when she caught me quenching my thirst upon her return.

She didn’t hold back on the snide remarks at the dinner table.

“You might want to watch what you eat. It’s harder to find a partner when you let yourself go.

“It isn’t as easy to earn a living in our sleepy town than where you are. The prices are ridiculous. I don’t know how we survive.

“You’re pretty generous to yourself. I bet you burn through a ton of cash every month.”

In a fit of frustration, I headed out of the apartment and bought two bulks of yogurt to shut her up.

With the yogurt incident playing in my mind, I couldn’t brush the post off as a coincidence.

The post gained quite some traction.

Someone commented, “Who bought the place? If your husband’s family paid for it, your brother-in-law has every right to come home for a visit.”

The original poster snapped back, “The in-laws bought the place for my husband and me. He has no claim to the apartment.”

I sighed.

Every penny of the place was mine. I paid for everything.

The purchase was simply to provide my parents with a better place to live.

I intended to move back home in another two years, and we could share the place.

The original poster kept bashing her brother-in-law.

“He’s constantly asking for a care package from home. Does he think the stuff is free?

“Sometimes, he texts my husband late at night. How old is he anyway? He should have some boundaries. Some nerve.”

I frowned.

Teresa sent me some local treats once, but before the parcel arrived, I got a call from Cass.

She said, “I’m going to be blunt, Miles. Can’t you see what you’re doing here?

“We are here, denying ourselves of good things, but you’re hogging all the goodies from Mom.”

After the call, I wired a thousand bucks to Teresa.

When the package arrived, I nearly burst out laughing.

I thought I’d be spoiled, hence the phone call, but it was barely two pounds of anything worthwhile.

The late-night texting sparked yet another fight between Cass and me.

I came across an article about influenza and sent a reminder text to Sebastian to take our aging parents for their flu shots.

Cass saw the message and went off on me via voice message.

“Are you insane to text Sebastian this late at night?

“Look at the time. Come on. Show some consideration.”

We got into a huge fight and didn’t speak for a long time after that.

My eyes furrowed tighter as I read on.

The car pulled up just outside the neighborhood.

After paying for the fare, I carried my luggage to the apartment complex and headed straight up.

I pressed my thumb against the fingerprint scanner, but the door wouldn’t unlock.

Pausing for a second, I tried again.

My attempt failed once more.

I punched in the code I knew by heart. It was a combination of my birthday and my mom’s, but it came up as an error.

The smart lock blinked red, keeping me out of my own home.

The sinking feeling in my gut grew stronger by the second.

I tried Alexander’s number, but my call went unanswered.

Then, I called my mother. It took several rings, but she eventually picked up.

“Was the door code changed, Mom?”

The line went quiet for a bit before Teresa’s embarrassed voice came on.

“Huh?

“Oh, oh…. Yes, it was changed. Cass mentioned that the previous code was too easy to guess, so she changed it.

“Why have you gone home? Didn’t I book you a room at the hotel?”

“What’s the new code?”

Dismissing her questions, I went straight to the point.

“Um… Cass set the code. I’m not too sure myself. Why don’t you wait until I get back?”

“Mom.” I cut her off, my voice serene.

“I’m outside the apartment right now. Just tell me the code.

“Otherwise, I might have to call the locksmith right now.”

She stammered, probably picking up on my tone.

“Why do you have to be difficult?

“Fine. I’ll send you a text right now.”

A text message arrived once the call ended. The notification showed four digits—0105.

It was Alexander’s birthday.

Smiling to myself, I entered the numbers.

The door opened with a click.

The heat in the apartment was on full blast, a sharp contrast to the cold outside.

I checked the shoe rack for my house slippers, but they were nowhere to be found.

Even the two pairs of sneakers I had kept there were abandoned in the corner, gathering dust.

With my luggage in tow, I stepped inside.

While passing the master bedroom, I noticed something about the rug at the door.

It was decided that the master bedroom was reserved for my parents.

Since I worked out of town, I was happy with the smaller bedroom.

The other bedroom was supposed to be a temporary space for Alexander and Cass.

As it stood, the décor of the master bedroom wasn’t in my parents’ taste.

My bedroom was down the hallway, at the very end.

As I drew close, my heart pounded out of my chest.

I opened the door and froze.

My cozy oak bed was gone.

It was replaced by built-in cabinets in an off-white finish.

Every trace of my life, from books, awards, to pictures, was missing.

The space was now furnished with clothes, bags, and shoes.

My room in the apartment I had paid for had been converted into Cass’ walk-in closet.

Blood rushed to my head, and my ears rang.

As it turned out, I was the unwelcome brother-in-law in the post.

The post was about me.

I stood there, shaking with chills while burning with rage. My grip on reality was slipping fast.

Just then, the sound of the door clicking echoed in the air.

Cass strutted in in her heels, a brand-new designer bag slung over her shoulder.

The smile on her face went stiff when she saw me.

Her voice was shrill. “How did you get in?

“Where are your manners? How can you enter a home without the owner’s permission?”

My voice was icy.

“This is my home. Why can’t I come in?”

Cass scoffed. “Your home? You’re just my husband’s brother. Don’t try to act like you own the place. Take a look at the mirror and ask if you belong here.

“Stop overstepping. It’s pathetic, really.”

She ditched her bag on the floor before making her way toward me. She blocked the entrance of her walk-in closet.

It was as if she were guarding a vault.

She looked me up and down, the disdain in her eyes apparent.

“Didn’t Mom book you a hotel? Why are you hanging around someone else’s home?

“Check your outfit. I doubt your clothes cost more than a hundred bucks altogether. Don’t bring your frugality in here.”

Frugality?

My gaze fell on her down jacket. I recalled buying the exact same one for Teresa.

Cass wouldn’t even be in this complex building, talking to me if it weren’t for my money.

I took a step forward, inching closer toward her.

“My name is on the title deed. So, tell me. Whose place is this?”

Cass grimaced and raised her voice.

“Cut the crap!

“This place was promised to your brother and me at our wedding. Alexander is the oldest, so the family home goes to him. Alexander and I are the rightful owners of this apartment. Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“Promised to you?”

I smirked in rage.

“Are you suffering from amnesia or playing dumb, Cass?

“I let you stay in this apartment because we are family. Have you or Alexander contributed even a penny?”

With my words striking a nerve in her, Cass turned red in the face.

“Show some respect!

“So what if you paid for the place? You’re part of the family, so providing for us is the least you can do!

“Mom and Dad agreed to give me the room. You’re just a nobody.”

“I’m just a nobody?”

I repeated her insult, rage building in my chest.

“I’ll show you who’s the nobody here.”

Not wasting another breath on her, I shoved her aside.

I stepped into what used to be my bedroom and pulled out my phone to film everything from the wardrobe, the dressing table, to the scattered shoes on the floor, and her cosmetics on the ledge.

With a shriek, Cass lunged to snatch the phone out of my hands.

“You have no right to take a video.

“You’re invading my privacy! Get out of here!”

I stepped aside to dodge her, causing her to stumble back, nearly falling. She became even more hysterical.

Just then, the front door swung open.

My parents and Alexander were back.

Taking in the mess and Cass’ tearful eyes, Alexander furrowed his brows.

“What did you do? Why do you have to come home and get on Cass’ nerves?”

Teresa pulled a face. “Didn’t I tell you to head straight to the hotel? Why do you have to pick a fight at home?”

Thomas gave me a tug on the sleeve.

“Miles, why the fighting when you get back? Can’t you be civil?”

This was my family.

Without even getting to the bottom of the matter, they had already decided that I was at fault.

Alexander spoke matter-of-factly, “You aren’t back for a few days a year anyway. What’s wrong with Cass using an unused space for her clothes?”