My Husband Cut My Brake Lines To Steal My $5m Inheritance. The Next Morning, His Sister Demanded To Borrow My Car. I Let Her Take It. Am I The Monster?
Just then, the doorbell rang loudly, shattering the awkward atmosphere between them. The door opened, and Tiffany, Ethan’s favorite sister with bleached blonde hair, walked in with a tattooed man. That’s her new boyfriend, reportedly a debt collector.
Tiffany didn’t even greet anyone. She tossed her designer bag onto the sofa and went straight to the dining table. “Ethan, Olivia, I’m borrowing your new SUV today, okay? My car’s in the shop, but I promised Shane I’d take him and his friends up to the mountains. It would be embarrassing to show up in a junker.”,
Sharon, Olivia’s mother-in-law, came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of warm cinnamon rolls. Hearing her favorite daughter’s request, she immediately agreed, her voice shrill. “Oh, just let your sister borrow it. A car just sitting there will get ruined. Let your sister use it to warm up the engine. You’re rich now; don’t be so stingy with your own sister-in-law.”
Olivia glanced at Ethan, seeing his face turn pale and sweat begin to bead on his forehead. Ethan knew perfectly well that the car was now a moving coffin, but he couldn’t tell the truth. Nor could he forbid it too strongly for fear of his secret being exposed.
Olivia pretended to frown, putting on a hesitant face. “Well, but I was going to take that car to the Poconos to see my parents. Besides, it was just serviced. The engine isn’t stable yet. How about Tiffany takes my old car?”
Hearing that, Tiffany shot up like she’d been scalded. She slammed her hand on the table, stood up, and pointed at Olivia’s face. “Don’t be so cheap, Olivia. You get a little inheritance and suddenly you’re looking down on your husband’s family. Your old car is fine for a dusty road trip, but when I want to borrow the new one for a day out, you say no?”,
“Mom, look at my sister-in-law.” Sharon put her hands on her hips, glaring at Olivia as if she wanted to set her on fire. “You’re being ridiculous, Olivia. It’s just one car and you’re being so calculative with your own sister. What kind of sister-in-law are you? Ethan, say something. Are you scared of your wife?”
Ethan was caught in the crossfire. On one side were his pride and his family; on the other was the fear of his secret being revealed. He stammered, “Maybe it’s better if Olivia just…”
But seeing the threatening look from his mother and his sister’s pout, coupled with his own deep-seated ego, Ethan let out a long sigh. Perhaps he thought the mountain roads were easy enough, or perhaps he thought luck would be on his side.
Olivia saw the cowardice and cruelty in her husband’s eyes. Her heart was completely numb. With a faint smile, she picked up the car keys and tossed them onto the marble countertop. The sound of metal clinking was sharp and cold.,
“Fine. Since Mom has spoken, I’ll lend it to her. Be careful, Tiffany. She’s got a lot of power. One tap on the gas and you’ll be pinned to your seat.”
Tiffany snatched the keys as if she’d struck gold, laughing with satisfaction until her eyes narrowed. “Now that’s a good sister-in-law. Thanks, Olivia.”
Ethan started to reach out to stop her, but it was too late. His hand froze in midair and then fell limply to his side. Olivia watched Tiffany and her boyfriend walk out cheerfully, then turned her gaze back to Ethan, who stood frozen.
Those keys didn’t just open a luxury car; they opened the gates of hell for their family.
The roar of the SUV’s engine faded as it disappeared beyond the large iron gate, leaving a chilling silence in the lavish home. Olivia remained on the leather sofa, holding a fruit knife and slowly peeling an apple in one long, thin, even strip. Her calmness was a stark contrast to Ethan’s agitation.,
Her husband paced back and forth in the living room, occasionally glancing at the clock, then pretending to pick up a newspaper. But his eyes kept darting around nervously. Sweat dampened his forehead even though the air conditioning was set to a low temperature.
He was scared. Olivia knew it. But his fear wasn’t for his sister’s safety; it was fear that his crime would fail or, worse, that his weak conscience was gnawing at him.
Sharon had gone up to her room to rest, leaving the two of them in this awkward atmosphere. Olivia bit into a piece of apple. The sweet, crisp flavor melted in her mouth but felt bitter in her throat.
“Ethan, dear,” Olivia said softly, breaking the tension. “Why do you look so anxious? Tiffany is a good driver, and that new car is very advanced, full of safety features. You’re worried to the point of looking pale.”
Ethan jumped as if a thief had been caught red-handed. He turned to face Olivia, his eyes flashing with panic for a second before he quickly masked it with a stiff, forced smile. “Oh, I’m just a little worried. The roads up the mountain have a lot of sharp turns, and that girl loves to speed, especially going with that boyfriend of hers. I just don’t feel at ease.”,
Olivia stared deep into his eyes, thinking to herself, Is he worried about Tiffany, or is he praying that the car plunges into a ravine with me inside it?
Time ticked by, second by second. The rhythmic ticking of the wall clock sounded like a hammer nailing a coffin shut. 1 hour, 2 hours passed. The silence in the house grew thicker, pressing on their chests like lead.
Ethan could no longer maintain his false calm. He tossed the newspaper onto the table, his hand trembling as he reached for his phone, intending to call, then stopping. He did this repeatedly. He was afraid—afraid that no one would answer, or afraid of hearing news that was outside his perfect scenario.
Suddenly, Ethan’s phone rang, tearing through the silence and making them both jump. Ethan looked at the screen: an unknown number. His hand shook so violently he nearly dropped the phone on the marble floor. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, then pressed the answer button.,
His voice was choked with tension. “Hello? Yes, this is he.”
Olivia sat still, holding her breath, watching every change in her husband’s expression. From confusion to shock, and finally to an overwhelming terror that drained his face of all color. The phone in Ethan’s hand fell to the floor with a dry clack.
He stumbled backward, his legs giving way, and he collapsed onto the cold floor. His mouth hung open, his purplish lips trembling, unable to form words. Tears streamed down his cheeks—not of grief, but of the devastation of his plan.
“No… it can’t be… Why Tiffany? Why did it have to be Tiffany?”
