Geraldine, a single mother who lost her husband too soon, juggles three children and the demands of life. She loaned her brother $15,000 for an engagement ring, but when he failed to keep his promise to repay, Geraldine made a shocking decision that shook their family to its core…
I’m Geraldine, 38, and being a single mother of three isn’t easy. Imagine juggling children’s activities, a difficult job, and grief—that’s my life. Losing my husband at a young age meant becoming everything to my children. It’s difficult, but it’s my reality…
Sad woman sitting on the sofa | Source: Midjourney
My late husband, Michael, was the love of my life. One day he was here, the next day he was gone. It’s been eight years now, but some days it feels like yesterday. It’s like a punch in the gut every time I think about it, but I can’t allow myself to dwell. I have three little firecrackers that make up my world.
My mornings start at 5 a.m. I wake up, not because I want to, but because if I don’t, the whole day falls apart. It’s exhausting, but it’s my life.
And yet, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because when they look at me with their big eyes and call me “Mom,” all this chaos is worth it. That’s me. Just Geraldine, doing my best to keep my little world going.
Mother with three small children | Source: Midjourney
Luckily, my parents were there, stepping in whenever they could. But let’s face it, raising three kids is a full-time job, and I knew I had to be the one to provide that stability.
Luckily, I had a good head on my shoulders. I’d earned an accounting degree before the kids arrived, so at least I had a decent job that paid the bills. But every penny counted.
Woman counting money | Source: Pexels
Forget fancy vacations or city trips. My priority was making sure my children had everything they needed: clothes, food, and the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
That’s why I started saving money for college as soon as they were old enough to understand what a piggy bank was.
Then, just recently, my world was turned upside down again. Thomas, my younger brother, appeared with a sheepish smile and a request that made my jaw drop.
Man sitting on the sofa and smiling | Source: Midjourney
“Hey Gerry,” he began, fiddling with his thumbs. “So, there’s this thing…”
We were sitting in the living room, leftover reheated pasta and a little Parmesan cheese scattered across our plates. I should have known something was up by the nervous way he was avoiding eye contact.
“Spill it, Thomas,” I said finally, glancing at him. “What’s bothering you?”
Woman staring at someone | Source: Midjourney
He took a deep breath. “My girlfriend, Layla,” he blurted out. “She’s the one, Gerry. The love of my life. And…” he trailed off, his cheeks flushed.
“And ?”
“And I want to ask her to marry me.”
A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “That’s wonderful, Thomas! I’m so happy for you.”
“There’s just one thing,” he mumbled, sounding even more nervous. “I saw this extraordinary ring. It costs a fortune. Twenty thousand dollars to be exact. I have about five saved up. But I need fifteen more. You’re the only one who can help me, Gerry. Please don’t say no.”
A magnificent diamond ring on display | Source: Midjourney
My smile faded. Fifteen thousand dollars? Seriously? Where the hell did he think I had that kind of money lying around?
“Thomas, that’s a crazy amount of money,” I said gently, trying to soften the blow.
But he wouldn’t budge. He kept insisting, saying he’d pay me back in three months. He even had the nerve to suggest I take the money from my children’s college fund.
Man sitting on sofa and looking ahead | Source: Midjourney
“She deserves the best, Gerry. And I can’t imagine my life without her. Without this ring, she’ll never say yes!” He launched into a desperate plea. “Trust me, okay? I’ll pay you back. With interest. I promise.”
“Listen, Thomas,” I began, trying to reason with him. “This money is for the kids’ college fund. It’s not something I can just dip into.”
The audacity of it all made my blood pressure skyrocket.
Upset woman frowning | Source: Midjourney
I must say that Thomas saved my life during the first years following my husband’s accident. He moved in, helped with the children, and looked after them.
I owe him a lot for that. But this? That was different. It was jeopardizing my children’s future. But still… he was my brother.
In the end, despite my better judgment, I gave in. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was seeing how desperate he was. Whatever the reason, I gave him the money because I trusted him.
Woman holding bundles of cash | Source: Pexels
Soon after, he received the ring and proposed to his girlfriend. Layla said “Yes!” and the wedding bells began to ring in the distance.
Three months later, the money hadn’t materialized. Not a single cent.
When I kindly reminded Thomas of this, he apologized profusely, promising to pay me back next month, no doubt about it. “Next month” turned into the following year, a year filled with empty promises and excuses.
Shocked woman looking to her side | Source: Midjourney
The straw that broke the camel’s back was when he said to me, with a straight face:
“Remember I worked as a nanny for your kids for four years without pay? Consider that $15,000 my salary!”
I almost choked on my coffee. Seriously? That’s when I knew I had to act.
Frustrated man frowning | Source: Midjourney
It wasn’t just about money anymore. It was about Thomas refusing to see the sacrifices I’d made for my children—the years of overtime, the nights spent studying for that damn degree—all so they could have a chance at a better future.
He couldn’t just show up and expect me to risk all that for an expensive stone.
So I decided to bring him back to reality, a reality that I hope will make him understand the burden he has placed on my shoulders and make him realize the mistake he has made.
Stunned woman looking up | Source: Midjourney
The wedding invitation arrived a few weeks ago, a flurry of white lace and raised lettering. A bold plan crept into my head, but hey, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, right?
Fast forward to Thomas and Layla’s big day. My heart raced as I waited for the celebratory chatter to subside.
Finally, it was my turn to give the wedding speech.
Happy newlywed couple with guests | Source: Unsplash
Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the makeshift stage where Layla and Thomas were beaming, basking in the glow of their vows. The guests turned to me, and a hush fell over the crowd.
“Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment?” I began.
“I just wanted to take this opportunity to share a little story about how Thomas and Layla’s love story began. It’s not the typical fairy tale we all know!” I continued, my gaze fixed on my brother. His smile evaporated.
Woman holding a microphone | Source: Midjourney
“You see, Thomas…” I pointed at him, savoring the glint of fear in his eyes, “approached me a while back with a rather… unique proposition. He needed a loan to buy his beloved fiancée an extravagant engagement ring. Fifteen thousand dollars, to be exact. And where did he want that money to come from? My children’s college funds!”
A collective murmur rose from the crowd. Heads swiveled from side to side between me and Thomas, whose face was now the color of a beetroot. Layla’s lower lip trembled, tears welling in her beautiful eyes.
Extremely shocked bride covering her mouth | Source: Midjourney
“Thomas is a generous soul,” I continued, sarcasm dripping from my voice, “and he assured me that this was only a temporary setback. A minor financial blip, you see. He promised to reimburse me every last cent, with interest of course, for my trouble.”
“Unfortunately,” I said, “those promises turned out to be as empty as his bank account. Apparently, being an uncle comes at a high price these days. A price Thomas declared was his payment for babysitting my children, right, Thomas?”
Suppressed gasps filled the air.
Smiling woman holding a microphone | Source: Midjourney
“Well,” I said, pulling a USB drive out of my pocket and waving it in the air, “let’s just say a wise mom is always prepared.”
With that, I turned on the projector screen.
As a single mother, I had installed cameras just after my husband’s death to feel safer. That night, after Thomas drove off with my hard-earned $15,000, a maternal instinct kicked in. That money was for my children’s future, and I knew I had to protect it.
Woman holding a USB drive | Source: Midjourney
I saved the CCTV footage to the USB drive, just in case. It wasn’t the only evidence I gathered.
Throughout our conversations about paying off the loan, I recorded them all, the most recent one just a day before the wedding, when Thomas met me to give me his wedding invitation.
My brother rushed towards me, his face contorted with rage. “What are you doing?” he roared.
“Justice, dear brother,” I replied. “Just a small dose of justice.”
Woman with a fragile smile | Source: Midjourney
I took a step back, my eyes flicking toward the projector screen at the front of the room. I plugged in the USB drive and pressed play. A hush fell over the crowd as the image appeared on the screen.
“There you have it, folks,” I announced. “A little taste of Thomas’s version of brotherly love.”
The grainy video on the screen showed Thomas pacing my living room, his face etched with despair.
Projection screen in the wedding hall | Source: Midjourney
“Come on, Gerry, please,” the screen showed him pleading. “It’s only a loan. A temporary setback. I’ll pay you back, with interest, I swear.”
That’s when my voice echoed from behind the camera. “Fifteen thousand dollars, Thomas? That’s a lot of money. The kids’ college fund…”
“She deserves the best, Gerry. And I can’t imagine my life without her. Without this ring, she’ll never say yes!” Thomas’s voice took center stage.
A small smile appeared on my face.
Woman smiling at a wedding | Source: Midjourney
“There’s more,” I announced, my voice raspy. Rummaging through my purse, I pulled out my phone and pressed play on the voice recorder app.
A familiar voice filled the room… Thomas’s, arrogant and full of authority.
“Remember I worked as a nanny for your kids for four years without pay?” the recording yelled. “Consider that $15,000 my salary!”
Murmurs of disgust rippled through the crowd. Guests exchanged horrified glances, and Layla’s sobs intensified, her perfect day shattered by the horrible truth.
Scared bride with tears in her eyes | Source: Midjourney
“I gave you countless opportunities to repay the money,” I continued, turning to Thomas, “but you chose to lie and manipulate. You even had the nerve to use your own niece and nephew to justify your greed.”
“How dare you?” he roared, his eyes blazing, revealing his anger. “You’ve RUINED everything!”
“The truth has some responsibility in all this,” I retorted.
Angry man staring at daggers | Source: Midjourney
The damage done, I mumbled an apology and hurried out of the reception room, leaving Thomas to pick up the pieces of his shattered dignity.
The cool night air hit me like a slap in the face as I walked to my car. When I got home, my phone was blowing up with messages. Mom texted me, “You shouldn’t have done that to your brother. You were so mean.”
But Dad’s words were soothing: “Maybe this will teach him a lesson.”
I collapsed on the couch, burying my face in my hands. The weight of the evening weighed on me. Had I been too harsh? The answer came a day later.
Upset woman sitting on the sofa | Source: Midjourney
Thomas burst into my house, a storm cloud hovering over him.
He threw a large envelope onto the table, money scattering around it.
“Here’s your damn money, you greedy witch! Just remember… there are some things money can’t buy. Don’t ever fight me again!”
He spat out a series of angry accusations, calling me a “traitor” and a “monster” before slamming the door behind him.
Close-up of banknotes | Source: Unsplash
Silently, I picked up the envelope and that same afternoon, I deposited the money back into the children’s education fund, a bittersweet victory.
I chose my children’s future over my relationship with my brother. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but I know I’ll make it again if I have to. Because ultimately, my love for my children trumps everything else.
So, what do you think? Did I make the right choice?
Happy woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
Read also: My parents moved my brother’s things to my new house while I was on vacation – it was high time I put them back in their place
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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