When I asked my girlfriend to live with me, I thought it would be a happy new chapter in our lives. But instead, it turned into a terrible experience that made me realize we were never meant to live together.
I’m Brandon, and everything in my life changed two years ago when my parents died in a car crash. I was 28, still figuring out my own path, and suddenly I had to take care of my younger brother, Liam.
He was only 14 back then—just a kid who should’ve been focused on school and games, not grieving such a huge loss.
Those first few months were the toughest I’ve ever faced.
It wasn’t just about losing my parents—it was also seeing my little brother go through pain no child should have to feel. Liam would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night crying, asking me why this had to happen to us. Why did Mom and Dad have to die? Why couldn’t everything just go back to the way it was?
I remember sitting on his bed at 3 in the morning, trying to comfort him while I was barely holding myself together.
“We have to be strong, buddy,” I’d say, even though I didn’t feel strong at all. “Everything will be okay. I promise I’ll take care of you.”
I became his legal guardian, and honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. Suddenly, I had to make sure he got to school, ate right, wore clean clothes—I even had to go to his school meetings and sign forms like a parent. It was a lot to handle, but Liam needed me, and I wasn’t going to let him down.
The hardest part was seeing him try to understand everything that happened.
He would ask me questions I didn’t know how to answer, like if our parents could still see us from heaven or if he’d ever stop missing them so much.
All I could do was hug him and tell him it was okay to feel sad—that we’d get through it together.
After our parents died, we had to make a lot of changes. Liam had to move to a new high school because we no longer lived in the same area. He had to leave his old friends behind, which was really hard, especially after losing Mom and Dad.
But he handled it better than I thought he would. He’s always been mature for his age, and losing our parents seemed to make him grow up even faster.
Now, two years later, I’m proud of how far he’s come. He’s doing great in school, he’s made new friends, and even though he still misses our parents every day, he’s learned how to live with that sadness in a healthier way.
He’s become really responsible. He works two part-time jobs during the school year and full-time in the summer. I wish he didn’t have to work so much at just 16, but I can’t afford to pay for everything on my own.
He needs money for things like school supplies, clothes, gas for his car, and he’s even saving up for college. It hurts to see him carry such a heavy load so young, but life hasn’t been easy for him.
Through it all, Liam and I have grown really close. He’s not just my little brother—he’s my best friend, my roommate, and one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.
That’s why what happened with Melissa was such a shock. She knew how much Liam meant to me. She knew everything we’d been through and how hard we worked to build our life.
But still, she did something that completely turned my world upside down.
I met Melissa about a year ago in a coffee shop. She was at the table next to me, working on her laptop, and when she dropped her pen, I picked it up. We started talking, and I was instantly drawn to her confidence and sense of humor. She seemed like just the kind of person I needed in my life.
“You’re really sweet,” she said when I offered to buy her a coffee. “Most guys wouldn’t even notice something like that.”
We started dating soon after. She was smart, successful in her marketing job, and seemed to genuinely care about me.
When I told her about Liam and everything that had happened, she acted very supportive. She’d say things like, “You’re such a good brother. He’s lucky to have you.”
Looking back now, I realize there were warning signs, but I ignored them because I really wanted our relationship to work.
Like how she would roll her eyes when I had to cancel plans to help Liam. Or how she’d make small comments about him being “spoiled” just because I did his laundry or made him meals he liked.
Then about a month ago, I felt like we were ready to take the next step. I loved her, and I thought she felt the same.
So, I asked her to move in with us.
“Move in with you?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “What about Liam?”
“What about him?” I replied. “He lives here too—this is his home.”
She was quiet for a moment, then said, “I’m not sure, Brandon. It might feel weird having a teenager around all the time.”
I told her that Liam was part of the deal—he wasn’t going anywhere. Eventually, she agreed to move in, but only under one condition.
“I’m not helping with any of the household expenses,” she said firmly. “If I have to pay rent, it feels like I’m just a tenant, not your girlfriend. Couples should be able to live together without getting into money issues.”
I wasn’t doing great financially, but I agreed because I wanted things to work between us. And honestly, her explanation made some sense to me. Love shouldn’t be about money, right?
The night before she moved in, I talked to Liam. He was doing homework at the kitchen table when I sat down beside him.
“So, tomorrow’s the big day,” I said. “Melissa’s moving in.”
He looked up from his math homework and smiled. “That’s cool. I’m happy for you. She seems nice.”
“She is,” I said. “And don’t worry, nothing’s going to change between us. We’re still brothers—we’re still a team.”
He nodded. “I know. I’m actually kind of excited. Maybe she can teach me how to cook something other than ramen.”
That made me laugh. “Yeah, maybe she can.”
The next morning was moving day. I woke up feeling a mix of hope and nerves.
Melissa showed up at 9 a.m. with a moving truck and two movers she had hired. Liam had already gone to school, so it was just me, her, and the movers. I watched as they brought box after box into the house.
“Where do you want this one?” one mover asked, holding a box labeled “Kitchen.”
“Just set it on the floor for now,” I said. “We’ll figure everything out later.”
After two hours, everything was moved inside.
The house was a mess—boxes were everywhere, like we were living in a storage room. I gave the movers a tip, and they left, leaving just me and Melissa surrounded by her stuff.
“I know it looks like chaos now,” I said, glancing around, “but we’ll get it all organized soon.”
She smiled and put her arms around my neck. “I love you, Brandon. Thanks for letting me move in.”
“I love you too,” I said.
I looked at the time and saw it was already noon. I wanted our first night living together to feel special, so I made a plan.
“I’m going to the store to grab some stuff for dinner,” I told her. “I want to make something amazing for us tonight. You can relax and maybe start unpacking while I’m gone.”
“That sounds perfect,” she said. “I’ll go through a few boxes.”
I grabbed my keys and left, feeling excited. I planned to cook her favorite pasta, light some candles, and maybe we’d even dance in the kitchen later.
At the grocery store, I carefully picked everything I needed—fresh basil, fancy parmesan, and the good pasta she loved.
I even bought a bottle of wine to celebrate.
I wanted everything to be just right.
On the 30-minute drive back home, I felt so lucky. Liam was doing great, Melissa loved me, and now we were starting a new chapter as a little family.
But when I pulled into the driveway, something didn’t feel right.
Sitting on the front porch were several boxes and trash bags.
They were the same boxes Melissa had just moved in with—but now, they were filled with someone else’s stuff. I could see clothes spilling out of the bags and recognized a backpack on top.
I got out of the car and walked closer. That’s when I realized what I was really looking at.
The boxes were filled with Liam’s things—his clothes, his books, his computer—everything that made this house his home.
The wine bottle slipped from my hands and shattered on the driveway.
Then Melissa came out the front door, calm and acting like everything was totally normal—even though she had just dumped all of my teenage brother’s things outside.
“Oh good, you’re back,” she said casually. “I got a lot done while you were gone.”
Before I could even begin to understand what was happening, I heard footsteps. Liam was walking home from school. He froze when he saw his stuff scattered all over the porch.
The look on his face is something I’ll never forget. He looked at the boxes, then at Melissa, then at me—trying to figure out what was going on.
“Brandon?” he said softly. “What’s happening?”
Then Melissa stepped forward and said the words that completely ended our relationship.
“Liam, sweetie, you’re old enough to understand—Brandon and I are a couple now, and we need space. You can’t keep living here for free forever.”
I saw Liam’s face fall apart in that moment, and something inside me snapped.
“What did you just say?” I asked, my voice tight with anger.
Melissa crossed her arms and looked at me like I was the one being unreasonable.
“Brandon, be realistic,” she said. “We’re trying to start a life together. Having a teenager around 24/7 isn’t exactly romantic. And come on—he’s old enough to take care of himself.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was the same woman who once told me how great it was that I looked after Liam, the same one who said he was lucky to have me.
“Melissa, what’s wrong with you?” I said, raising my voice. “You can’t just throw his stuff out like he doesn’t matter!”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not throwing him out. I’m just helping him see that it’s time to grow up. He’s 16. Most kids his age are already working and helping with expenses instead of just living off others.”
“Freeloading?” I snapped. “He works two jobs! He pays for his own clothes, his food—everything! And even if he didn’t, he’s my brother. This is his home!”
Liam was still standing there, shocked and silent, staring at his things on the porch.
“It’s okay, Brandon,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to be a problem. Maybe I should just… find somewhere else to go.”
The sadness in Liam’s voice crushed me. This was a kid who had already lost his parents, had to start fresh at a new school, and worked hard just to take care of himself.
And now he was being made to feel like he didn’t belong in his own home. I couldn’t let that happen.
“No,” I said firmly. “You’re not going anywhere. This is your home too.”
I turned to Melissa, my hands shaking with anger. “What you just did was mean and completely wrong. Liam is my family. He’s already been through so much, and I won’t let anyone treat him like he doesn’t matter.”
She threw her hands up and said, “So now I come second to a kid? This is exactly what I was worried about. You’ll never put our relationship first.”
“You’re right,” I said. “Because I’ll never put someone above my brother—especially someone who would treat him like this. Pack your things and leave.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m completely serious. You moved in this morning, and you’re moving out tonight. I want you out.”
“Brandon, you’re overreacting,” she said. “We can fix this. I was just trying to help you realize you need better boundaries.”
“The only boundary I need is keeping people like you away from the people I love,” I said. “Start packing.”
She stood there for a moment, probably hoping I’d change my mind. But when she saw I was serious, she went inside and started stuffing her things back into bags and boxes.
While she packed, I walked over to Liam and began picking up his things from the porch.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice trembling. “I never wanted to be the reason you two fought.”
I stopped and looked at Liam. “Listen to me—you didn’t cause any of this. She just showed me her true colors, and honestly, I’m glad I saw it now rather than later.”
We spent the next hour bringing his things back into his room.
When Melissa came out with her boxes, she made one last attempt to change my mind.
“You’re making a big mistake,” she said. “You can’t keep putting your brother first forever.”
“Just watch me,” I said, holding the door open so she could leave.
After she drove off, Liam and I sat on the couch, surrounded by the mess of boxes that had been packed, unpacked, and packed again—all in one day.
“You know what’s kind of funny?” I said, trying to lift the mood.
“What?”
“Those boxes have been moved around more today than most people’s stuff during a full move.”
Liam burst out laughing, and soon I was laughing too. Before we knew it, we were both cracking up at how ridiculous the whole day had been.
“Thanks for standing up for me,” he said once we calmed down.
“Always,” I told him. “We’re a team, remember?”
Looking back, I realize Melissa actually did me a favor. She showed me that if someone can’t accept and care for my brother, they don’t deserve a place in our lives.
We’re better off without her.