Then his girlfriend messaged me. She said, “You had no right to cut him off without warning. We already booked a vacation.” That one sentence told me everything. I asked what vacation. She proudly sent screenshots of a beach resort, flights, and a $1,200 deposit paid from the account I had been filling every month.
I didn’t argue. I sent one message back: “Since you two are building a life together, you can build the bills together too.” Then I called the landlord and learned the rent had actually been lowered months ago. My brother had been pocketing the extra money while telling me he was barely surviving.
Two days later, he showed up at my door angry, but I had printed every transfer, every excuse, and every message. I handed him the folder and said, “This is the last thing I’m giving you.”
For the first time, he had nothing to say.