My girlfriend found out that my water bottle cost $30,000. She then demanded I buy her father an $8 million luxury apartment in the city center.

I politely refused. She said furiously, “Don’t be so stingy! He’ll be your father-in-law someday. What’s wrong with getting a head start on being a good son-in-law?”

She even compiled all of our expenses during our relationship into a PowerPoint presentation and demanded we split everything.

“If splitting everything equally is too much trouble for you, then just cover it all. You can afford it!

“My family and I have already discussed it. I’ll give you a one-dollar gift. It means you're my only one. How perfect is that?”

When she noticed I was silent, she played her final card. “If you can’t agree, then let’s forget about getting married.

“You’ll never see me, your darling baby, ever again!”

I looked at the detailed list of expenses on the screen. It even included $2 she had spent on a bus ride to see me.

I smiled and said, “Sure. I’ll give you a $143-million gift, with more romantic meaning. And I’ll buy that apartment for your father right now.”

“That’s great, Miles! I knew you were a generous man!”

Joy Wren practically sprang from her chair and grabbed my hand in delight.

She then fished out a business card from her bag, as she had done a million times before. Then, she handed it to me. “Go to this developer, Grand Vigor Real Estate. I’ve already made an appointment with their manager, Mr. Wallace. He’s the top salesperson.”

I took the card. It was still warm from her hand, but a chill went through me.

She had planned this the whole time.

I drove us to the city center. Joy, who was sitting in the passenger seat, called her family excitedly.

“Dad! Miles said yes! We’re going to see the place now. Get there quickly!

“Hello? Uncle Bill? It’s Joy! Dad’s getting a new apartment. Yes! You should all come down. Please help us look it over, and tell us what you think!

“Hello? Aunt Mary…”

I stared ahead with an indifferent face. All I could hear was what sounded like a flock of sparrows chattering around me.

By the time we arrived at the sales office, I saw that Joy’s relatives had gotten there before us.

“Oh, Miles, you’re an absolute godsend for our family!”

Brenda, one of Joy's aunts, held my hand. “Absolutely! Joy is so lucky to land a catch like you. This is surely a gift from God.”

Mary chimed in from the side, but her eyes were fixed on the limited-edition watch on my wrist.

From the crowd, Mr. Wallace led us into the showroom.

It was a penthouse-style apartment of nearly 2,200 square feet. The unit was lavishly decorated and had an open, panoramic view.

Joy’s father, Patrick Wren, paced around the room with his hands clasped behind his back.

“These floor tiles won’t do. They need to be replaced with more expensive tiles. Something that shows class.

“That crystal chandelier looks tacky. Get rid of it. I want one that cascades all the way down to the floor.

“This balcony is too small! I’ve seen those stunning sky gardens on TV. I want one of those.”

I watched calmly without offering any response as they discussed the interior design among themselves.

Just then, Joy’s phone rang.

She answered it. Her tone instantly softened as she asked, “Lucas, where are you? We’re all at the showroom.

“Hurry! Everyone’s waiting for you.”

After hanging up, she turned to explain things to me. Her face wore an expression of absolute certainty.

“I invited Lucas, too. He has better taste than you. He’ll advise us on the design.”

Lucas Julian was Joy’s childhood friend. We had been dating for three years, and he had always been the third wheel in all that time.

When we went to the movies, Joy would buy three tickets because Lucas said he was bored alone.

When we traveled, our couple’s trip would turn into a group of three when he said he was in a bad mood and wanted a getaway.

When I gave Joy a birthday present, Lucas would post it on his social media the very next day with the caption, [Thanks, Joy.]

Joy always said, “Miles, don’t overthink it. I only see him as a younger brother!”

A few minutes later, Lucas walked in. He was dressed in trendy streetwear.

“Joy! Patrick!” he said brightly in greeting. Only then did he seem to notice me. He offered a small apologetic smile.

“Miles, I hope I’m not interrupting!”

“Wow, this unit’s layout is really nice!” Lucas looked around, then he frowned.

“But I feel a negative energy here. This won’t be ideal for you as a family.”

He then said, like he was an expert, “Miles, you might not understand this, but having both the right energy and layout is very important in a house.

“We’re men, after all. Our career is very important to us. That’s why we need the right energy in our home.”

Before I could speak, Joy immediately chimed in from the side, “That’s right! That’s a good point, Lucas.”

“Mr. Wallace, do you have any other units in the building? I want a unit with better energy.”

Mr. Wallace promptly began to introduce other units to them enthusiastically.

I watched their coordinated act and felt nothing but disgust.

I had felt this irritation many times over the years. Today, however, it was particularly intense.

As if oblivious to my increasingly cold expression, Lucas walked around the room enthusiastically.

He paused at the doorway of a secondary bedroom and peered inside. Then, he turned to Joy with a serious face.

“Joy, I think this room could be my music studio.

“We should paint the walls premium gray. It’ll really help spark creativity. And if we knock down this wall for a full-height window, the natural light would be amazing! It would give me a wide-open view for when I’m writing songs or working on projects.”

He said all that while waving his hands around, as if the apartment already belonged to him.

I held back long enough. I could do it no more.

“Mr. Julian, if I recall correctly, I will buy this house for my future father-in-law to retire in.”

Everyone in the unit turned to look at me.

I kept my eyes on Lucas. He was visibly taken aback.

Then, I smirked and said scornfully, “So, how exactly does your workspace fit in this floor plan? Aren’t you getting a bit carried away?”

The tension in the room became palpable.

In a heartbeat, Lucas looked crestfallen and wounded.

“Miles… I… That’s not what I meant…”

His voice dropped to a mumble.

“I was only… I was just trying to help Patrick create a nicer home… I…”

He left the sentence hanging, then looked at Joy with hurt in his eyes. “Joy… did I say something wrong?

“We grew up together. I’ve always considered Patrick as my family. I just wanted to contribute more to this family. How could Miles think of me like that…”

Joy immediately stepped in front of him to shield him. She comforted him, all the while glaring at me reproachfully.

“Miles Sterling! That’s enough! You know Lucas means well. He was only trying to help! How could you twist his compassion into something so ugly?”

Her other family members also piled on me.

“That’s right, Miles. Don’t be so insecure.”

“Lucas and Joy grew up together. He’s practically family to us! Why’re you drawing such a hard line?”

“Be the bigger man. We’re all going to be family soon! Don’t let something this small ruin things.”

I looked at them. They were playing judge and jury, lecturing me as if I were petty or unreasonable.

Meanwhile, the one who started it all was hiding behind Joy as he shot me a smug, provoking glance.

I took a deep breath. I was ready to drop all pretense and settle this once and for all.

Then, an authoritative voice sounded from behind the crowd.

“Enough, all of you! Quiet!”

Patrick walked over slowly.

He first gave Lucas an approving pat on the shoulder. Then, he looked at me with a thorough and evaluating gaze.

“What Lucas said stands for me, too.

“I’ve watched him grow up. He’s like a son to me, and Joy sees him as her own brother.

“You’re going to marry Joy, which makes Lucas your future brother-in-law.

“It’s only natural for you to set aside a room for Lucas.”

His twisted logic made me laugh in disbelief.

“Patrick,” I said, emphasizing the title deliberately, “I’m not married to Joy yet. Even if I were, Mr. Julian is only her childhood friend. He’s not, in any way, related to the Wren family.

“So please, tell me, how exactly is he my future brother-in-law?”

“You!” Patrick’s expression darkened instantly. He was taken aback that I had the nerve to talk back to him.

Lucas instantly started playing the victim again. “Patrick, it’s all my fault! Miles doesn’t like me. Maybe I should just go. I don’t want to cause any trouble in your family.”

“Leave? Nonsense!” Patrick grabbed his arm to stop him. He then glared at me and said firmly, “Alright, look. If you’re really so bothered by Lucas living with me, and if you can’t stand the sight of him, then just buy him his own place!

“Buy the one next door! That way he can have his own space, and I can have some peace and quiet.”

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.

Even Mr. Wallace was looking at them in disbelief.

Did he really want to get another apartment worth eight million dollars?

Joy’s eyes lit up. She clapped her hands together in excitement. “That’s a brilliant idea, Dad! Yeah! Miles, you’re rich anyway. What’s one more apartment?

“If a problem can be solved with money, then it’s not a problem at all! It’s settled then!”

She looked at me like she was entitled to everything I owned. It was as if she were just asking me to run downstairs for a bottle of soda, when in reality she was asking me to spend another eight million dollars.

Lucas stopped pretending. He looked at me with a mix of hopeful expectation and feigned embarrassment.

“Miles… are you sure? Wouldn’t it be too much trouble for you?”

I looked at the three people moving together like a perfectly choreographed family unit. Their behavior was absurd, to say the least.

I did not answer immediately. Instead, I turned to Patrick and slowly asked, “Patrick, your idea is worth considering.

“But I’d like to ask, given all I’m contributing to the Wren family, what exactly is Joy prepared to contribute toward me and our future home?”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Joy.

Joy clearly had not expected me to ask that. She was caught off guard. She paused for a second, then puffed out her chest and said in a patronizing tone, “Marrying you is the biggest contribution I can make.

“Miles, you should know that many men wanted to marry me, and I refused them all. Choosing you is my commitment to you.”

She said it with absolute conviction, as if marrying her was the jackpot I had spent my whole life trying to win.

Patrick immediately took over the conversation. He said with his voice dripping with disdain and contempt, “Contribute? You’re a man! How dare you ask a woman to contribute?”

He sneered and said loudly, “Joy is my precious treasure. She should be treated like a queen!

“A man’s job is to hustle, build a career, and provide for his family. Your duty is to make sure your wife lives a happy and comfortable life.”

He looked around the room as if he were leading a family intervention.

“It’s exhausting enough for a woman to maintain her looks and style!

“When she comes home, you must make her feel comfortable and relaxed! If she’s tired, you must be considerate of her. If she’s upset, you must console her!”

He paused deliberately to shoot a profound glance at Lucas. Then he continued, enunciating each word slowly, “Even if she occasionally gets a little carried away outside and makes a minor mistake, you should be tolerant and understanding!

“She’d only be making a mistake any woman could make. Sometimes situations are beyond her control. A real man must see the big picture and not be petty. That’s our family principle!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mary started clapping.

“Well said, Patrick! You’re a man of great principle! With values like these, Joy is sure to have a happy future!”

Bill joined in with the flattery.

“Exactly! They say a man’s happiness lies in marrying well, and a man is blessed for generations by marrying a good woman like Joy. Miles here is one lucky man. You can’t buy that kind of luck anywhere, Miles!”

Patrick was glowing with pride from the praise. He was on cloud nine.

Growing increasingly carried away, he grabbed my hand and boasted to the crowd, “And let me tell you, Miles is very sensible!

“Joy said he’s offering a $143-million gift! Tell me, where else could you possibly find such a good son-in-law these days?”

“What? A $143-million gift?!

“Good heavens! Joy is so lucky to be marrying Miles!”

I pulled my hand free from Patrick’s tight grasp. “Patrick, Bill, Mary, you really are too kind.

“Hearing you speak so kindly warms my heart. It makes me think that just buying a place for Patrick and Lucas might actually be thinking too small.”

I looked around at the crowd, which had fallen silent at my words.

“Since we’re all going to be family, we should do this equally. Here’s my proposal…”

I clapped my hands and said with emphasis, “I’ll buy one apartment for every elder present here today.”