\n\n\n\nTwo smiling women | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n
Melissa has always been a leech. She\u2019s been married to my brother for about ten years now, and he is blind to her manipulative ways. You see, Melissa has a knack for getting anything for nothing and expects the entire world to cater to her whims.\n\n\n\n
Last month, Melissa invited me to go grocery shopping at this fancy, overpriced store she loves.\n\n\n\n A fancy grocery store | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, come on, Hannah,\u201d she said. \u201cIt will be fun for us to spend some time together.\u201d\n\n\n\n It was right before her birthday, so I thought it might be good to spend some time together, and maybe even pick out a nice gift.\n\n\n\n Little did I know we were walking into a trap.\n\n\n\n A fancy grocery store | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cYour shoes are definitely not made for spending hours to walk around and shop,\u201d Melissa said when she got out of her car at the parking lot.\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll be fine,\u201d I laughed.\n\n\n\n We spent a few hours wandering through the aisles, and Melissa kept throwing things into the cart, chatting away like it was no big deal.\n\n\n\n A woman wearing high heels | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you really need an entire collection of these candles?\u201d I asked Mel as she picked up about six different candles and put them into the cart.\n\n\n\n \u201cYes!\u201d she replied, looking at boxes of collections and other imported items.\n\n\n\n When we got to the checkout counter, the total came to a whopping $1,470!\n\n\n\n A candle display | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n My jaw hit the floor, but if Melissa was happy with spending that amount of money, then it truly wasn\u2019t up to me.\n\n\n\n Except when Melissa turned to me.\n\n\n\n \u201cOh no!\u201d she exclaimed. \u201cHannah, I think I left my wallet at home! Can you cover this? I\u2019ll pay you as soon as we get back home.\u201d\n\n\n\n A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cSure, but this is a ridiculous amount, are you sure you need everything?\u201d I asked.\n\n\n\n I was financially well-off and I could afford to pay the bill, but I didn\u2019t know if I needed to do it. Melissa had bought random things that nobody would really need.\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, Hannah,\u201d she replied. \u201cThis is all stuff I need for my birthday. I\u2019m planning that.\u201d\n\n\n\n I reluctantly agreed, not wanting to cause a scene.\n\n\n\n An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cI promise, you\u2019ll be reimbursed. Either Brandon or I will get the money to you, Hannah!\u201d\n\n\n\n I nodded and took my wallet out of my handbag.\n\n\n\n When we left the store, Melissa got into her car without a second glance at me and drove off.\n\n\n\n A woman holding her handbag | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n Soon, days turned into a week and when I saw Melissa at our family brunch, I asked her about the money.\n\n\n\n And do you know what? She had the audacity to laugh and sip on her mimosa and say:\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, come on! Why are you being so greedy? Consider it a birthday gift. You can afford it.\u201d\n\n\n\n A table of food | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n I was speechless. I couldn\u2019t believe that this was my sister-in-law. How do you treat family so callously?\n\n\n\n But I knew that it was time to teach her a lesson that she\u2019d never forget.\n\n\n\n An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n First, I knew that Melissa had been bragging for months about a new luxury car that she was planning to buy.\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s luxurious, Hannah. It\u2019s like the seats were just made for me. And you know what\u2019s even better? Brandon is going to co-sign the loan so that we can get the car!\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy him?\u201d I asked. \u201cShouldn\u2019t you just do it yourself?\u201d\n\n\n\n A fancy car | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n Mel looked at me sheepishly.\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause my credit is shot, so there\u2019s no way the dealership will allow it,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n \u201cBut that\u2019s why I have a husband,\u201d she laughed as an afterthought.\n\n\n\n I anonymously tipped off the dealership, telling them that my sister-in-law was approved for a loan, when I knew that she wasn\u2019t good for it.\n\n\n\n A car dealership | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cI just wanted to know how I could go about the same thing, but my credit score isn\u2019t the best either,\u201d I said, acting like I didn\u2019t know how the system worked.\n\n\n\n The dealership asked me questions, and I gladly gave them Melissa\u2019s name. This made them extra cautious, and they started asking for more documentation and references.\n\n\n\n Mel was getting frustrated about the delays, and my brother was getting annoyed by her complaints.\n\n\n\n A frustrated woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is this taking so long?\u201d she whined one evening when they came over for dinner. \u201cI\u2019m supposed to have my car by now.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThey said they need more paperwork,\u201d Brandon said. \u201cI don\u2019t understand it either, but you need to be more patient.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cStupid formalities,\u201d she muttered under her breath as she picked up her fork.\n\n\n\n An annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n Next, I reached out to a friend who worked at a high-end bakery. The same bakery Melissa had ordered a ridiculously expensive custom cake from for her upcoming birthday party.\n\n\n\n \u201cShe tends to stiff people on payments, Jess,\u201d I said. \u201cAnd as much as I love her, this is your business. So, I think you should demand payment upfront.\u201d\n\n\n\n A display at a bakery | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is all ridiculous!\u201d she fumed to my brother. \u201cWhy do they need all the money now? They\u2019ve never asked for this before! When we ordered your mother\u2019s birthday cake, it wasn\u2019t an issue.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cBut you\u2019ve got the money, right?\u201d my brother asked, confused.\n\n\n\n \u201cOf course, I do! But that\u2019s not the point! It\u2019s the principle of it, Brandon.\u201d\n\n\n\n An annoyed man | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n And this was just the beginning. I wanted to cause more drama.\n\n\n\n Mel loves to shop online, so that was going to be my next target.\n\n\n\n \u201cBrandon, can I use your Amazon account?\u201d I asked my brother. \u201cI really think it\u2019s time for me to get myself a Kindle.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cSure,\u201d he said, beaming that I asked for his help with something. \u201cI\u2019ll text you all the details.\u201d\n\n\n\n A person holding a kindle | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n I logged into the account and changed the password. Mel, who was sitting in my living room, was browsing when she decided to buy new things, and of course, she was locked out.\n\n\n\n She spent hours on the phone with customer service trying to regain access, only to find out later that it was me all along.\n\n\n\n \u201cAmazon customer service is useless!\u201d she ranted later when Brandon came over to pick her up. \u201cThey can\u2019t even secure their own website.\u201d\n\n\n\n A person shopping online | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d my brother asked.\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t log in. It\u2019s like your account doesn\u2019t exist.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe you should just take a break from shopping,\u201d he suggested, half-joking.\n\n\n\n She shot him a withering look.\n\n\n\n \u201cNot funny, Brandon. It\u2019s my birthday soon, so I deserve nice things!\u201d\n\n\n\n I sniggered behind my glass of wine. Mel\u2019s entitlement of life was getting from bad to worse.\n\n\n\n A woman drinking wine | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n For the final touch, Mel\u2019s birthday dinner at home came. I went around, talking to my family and some of our mutual friends about how she had ditched me with a $1,470 bill and refused to pay me back.\n\n\n\n At the end of the evening, most of the people had left.\n\n\n\n Mel\u2019s birthday present was a massive cake, a canceled car deal, and very few guests.\n\n\n\n A fancy table setting | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d she asked my brother, looking around at the almost empty living room.\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cDid they leave? Maybe they\u2019re just running late. Hannah? Where is everyone?\u201d\n\n\n\n I shrugged my shoulders.\n\n\n\n \u201cThe party started an hour ago,\u201d she whined.\n\n\n\n An upset woman | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n And do you know what my birthday present to her was? A birthday card with $14.70 in a gift card for her.\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a little something toward your next shopping trip. Happy Birthday, Melissa!\n\n\n\n She was humiliated.\n\n\n\n One evening, as I was sitting with a cup of tea, my brother called me, sounding more tired than I\u2019d ever heard him.\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, can we talk?\u201d he asked.\n\n\n\n A woman drinking tea | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d I replied, already sure that I knew what he wanted to talk about.\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s Mel,\u201d he sighed. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do. She\u2019s been acting so strange. And now, with all the stuff you told everyone, I\u2019m finally starting to see the things I ignored.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d I replied, genuinely feeling sorry for him. \u201cBut you deserve to know the truth. She cannot keep manipulating people through her life and expect to get away with it.\u201d\n\n\n\n A man holding his phone | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, we need to have a bigger conversation, Mel and I,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if she doesn\u2019t get her act together, a divorce may happen.\u201d\n\n\n\n I left him to talk away, hoping that his eyes were finally open to the woman he married.\n\n\n\n A smiling woman | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n What would you have done?\n\n\n\n If you enjoyed this story, here\u2019s another one for you |\n\n\n\n When Judy discovers that her teenage son has been stealing and using his grandmother\u2019s money to satisfy his gaming addiction, she has no choice but to teach him a lesson that he will never forget.\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve always heard about there being one child in every family who just goes overboard and does stupid things.\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t expect my son to be that child in our family.\n\n\n\n A smiling teenage boy | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n My teenage son, Brandon, like most teenage boys his age, had gotten into gaming. And whenever a new game came out, he would get obsessed over it and watch the trailers, begging me to buy it.\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s ridiculous, Brandon,\u201d I would say firmly. \u201cI\u2019m not giving you money for stupid games.\u201d\n\n\n\n But he was as persistent as they came. And when the latest version of his favorite game came out, he would whine and plead daily.\n\n\n\n A teenage boy playing on a computer | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease, Mom,\u201d he would ask at every opportunity. \u201cPlease, just this game and I won\u2019t ask for anything else.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cBrandon, I\u2019ve already said no,\u201d I would say. \u201cPlease, stop nagging. This discussion is over.\u201d\n\n\n\n Then, a week ago, the whining stopped. Brandon retreated to his room and was stuck behind his computer again, talk of the game long forgotten.\n\n\n\n I was relieved, thinking that he had finally moved past this phase.\n\n\n\n A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n Read the full story here.\n\n\n\n This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.\n\n\n\n The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided \u201cas is,\u201d and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Hannah\u2019s sister-in-law forces her to pay her grocery bill, she has no choice but to do it. But it doesn\u2019t stop there. Hannah decides […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5569"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5569"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5570,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5569\/revisions\/5570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/runeecho.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\n\n\n\nMy Teenage Son Spent Grandma\u2019s Funeral Savings on a Game \u2014 The Family Taught Him a Lesson\n\n\n\n
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