My Wife's Brother Complex

I always thought my wife was just an ordinary "brother-loving sister," the kind who would do anything for her brother. But one night, I watched in frozen horror as she dismembered her brother in our storage room. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned and looked straight at me. She flashed her usual gentle smile. "Honey," she called softly, her voice sweet and familiar—exactly the same as always. Chapter 1 My name is Ross Anders. I'm an ordinary guy, and just a few months ago, I met a beautiful girl and we got married quickly. Her name is Lily Parker. Just like her name, she is stunningly beautiful and coldly aloof. Honestly, I don't think I deserve her. When she first said she wanted to marry me, I was so overjoyed that I couldn't sleep. I'd spent years working hard, building up enough to buy a house, and I decided to give her half of it because all I want is to build a life with her. But as always, things don't go as planned. When her brother, Finn, entered our lives, everything changed. At first, it was just small favors—helping him out here and there—but soon it turned into moral blackmail. He needed money for school, so I gave it. He got into a fight and needed to pay for damages, so I covered it. He didn't have a job, so I did my best to find him one. It never ended. He attached himself to me like a leech, draining everything he could. Over time, I realized: isn't he just a typical example of the 'brother-pampering' syndrome and a parasite? And then, just a few days ago, Finn finally proposed. Lily was thrilled. She took credit for his success, claiming it was all her hard work that made it happen. She turned to me, beaming with excitement. "Darling, my brother's getting married soon. But the bride's family won't agree to the marriage without a house. We still have that empty one, right? Why don't we give it to him?" It wasn't a suggestion; it was a decree. She wasn't asking; she was telling me what had already been decided. She was informing me, as though I had no say in the matter. I didn't answer immediately. Lily's expression shifted, and she raised her voice. "You're giving it to him today, whether you like it or not! He's getting married and has nowhere to live. What's wrong with letting him have that extra house?" That house—my parents' lifelong effort—was all they had worked for. I didn't want to touch it. They had left it to me and returned to the countryside, so that I could rent it out to ease my financial burden. Now that they're gone, I want to keep it as a memory, something to hold on to. But Lily wasn't listening. She wasn't even trying to understand. In a fit of frustration, I stood up. "If you want to hand it over to him, you're ruining him. He's useless, and you're enabling him." The words barely left my mouth when Lily threw her bowl down. The ceramic smashed loudly on the floor. The kitchen was suddenly a mess of shards. Her hands were on her hips as she pointed at our house, the one we considered a symbol of our life together. "This house is joint property. Even if we get divorced, I'm taking my half to give it to my brother to buy a place," she declared. I was shaking, fury coursing through me. She would divorce me for her brother? "Fine! Let's divorce, then!" My anger flared, and I wasn't backing down. This house, which had once held love and laughter, was now a battleground for our bitter fights. She cried. Loud, heart-wrenching sobs. Her finger pointed at me accusingly, her voice thick with emotion. "You're heartless! When you had nothing, I stayed by your side. And now, when I say I want a divorce, you're ready to walk away?" I knew she was manipulating me. She knew how much I loved her, and she was using it against me. As she cried, I felt my anger fading, replaced by a deep ache. I shouldn't be angry. I shouldn't let her push me into a corner. I had to talk to her, to make her understand. I reached for her, pulling her small frame into my arms. She rested her head against my chest, her soft hair brushing my face, the familiar scent of her soothing my nerves. "Baby, listen. The problem is, your brother still doesn't have a job," I murmured gently. "Let's help him find a job first. We can worry about the house later." I rubbed her back, trying to calm her, and the soft rhythm of my hand against her spine was a small comfort. "Okay." Her voice was unexpectedly quiet. A wave of helplessness washed over me. I loved Lily, but I couldn't be a fool. I couldn't just keep giving in to her and her brother. I'd thought about it. Maybe I should just go ahead and buy him the house. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized—it would never end. Once I gave him the house, there would be more requests. And I'd be stuck, trapped in this endless cycle. "Darling," Lily whispered softly, her voice almost a plea as she looked up at me. "Help him find a job, then. And if he manages to turn things around?" Her eyes were full of hope, but there was also something else—a vulnerability that tugged at me. She was asking me to believe in him, in her brother. She looked at me with those teary eyes, and for a moment, I felt my resolve cracking. "Alright. If he works hard, I'll help him with the house." I sighed, my heart heavy with the weight of the decision. In the end, I couldn't say no. Part of me held onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, Finn would change. Maybe he wouldn't continue to drain us dry. Chapter 2 The moment Lily's phone rang, she glanced down at the screen. She pressed the receiver to her ear with one hand, covering it with the other, before slowly walking toward the window. I caught a faint trace of joy in her voice as she spoke. "Ross has agreed. He said as long as you work hard, the house won't be a problem." The next day, I swallowed my pride and asked a former school friend for help. He agreed to introduce Finn to an assistant position. When I shared the news with Lily, her face lit up with a smile, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction in my chest. The sight of her so happy filled me with warmth. Two days later, I was having a quiet dinner with my wife when my phone vibrated incessantly with calls from my friend. His voice was full of frustration, but he managed to calm himself before speaking. "Ross, I'll tell you the truth. That brother-in-law of yours is nothing but trouble. I gave him an assistant job, but he's acting like I've hired a goddamn king. He insisted I drive him to work, and when I didn't agree to it, he laid his hands on me. I'm done with him. You handle him however you want." Before I could even apologize, the line went dead. And then, just as I was about to process what had happened, a loud, hurried knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Lily moved quickly to open it. Finn burst in, full of energy as usual. He didn't even let me speak before he exploded, "Sis, you wouldn't believe that crap job Ross found me. He doesn't even treat me like a brother-in-law. How did you even fall for such a useless man?" He barged inside, complaining without any gratitude. His entitled attitude struck me like a slap in the face. Without a second thought, he sank down onto the sofa, his legs carelessly crossed over the coffee table in front of him. He looked entirely at ease, as if he owned the place, completely disregarding any kind of decorum. I wanted to scream at him, to tear into him for his lack of respect, but I forced myself to hold back. Lily looked at me, annoyance creeping into her voice. "Ross, why didn't you find Finn a decent job? You should've known better." She shot me a glare, as though I was the one who'd done something wrong. She walked over to the fridge and pulled out a drink for Finn, smiling as she handed it to him. That was it. I couldn't hold back anymore. My fists clenched so tightly that my knuckles cracked. "Do you know what Finn did?" I snapped at her. "He asked the boss to drive him to work, and then he hit his boss when he got upset." Finn barely reacted, still lounging with his legs up. He leaned back casually like a spoiled child. "What's the problem? I made him drive me to work. What's the big deal? Yeah, I hit him—hell, I want to hit you too." Lily stood frozen, unable to say anything, her expression distant. It was like she was shutting herself off from all of this. She didn't even seem to care. I was about to charge at Finn and give him a piece of my mind, maybe even knock some sense into him, but before I could move, Lily stepped forward, wrapping her arms around my waist, holding me back. Finn, clearly enjoying the spectacle, grinned widely and made a face at me, relishing my fury. Lily's patience snapped. She turned to Finn her voice rising sharply. "Finn, don't push it. Do you know how hard Ross has worked for you?" Finn shrugged nonchalantly, like it was all a joke to him. "I don't care. I never asked him to help me." With that, he stood, brushing past her, heading straight for the guest room without another word. He didn't even look back. I stood there, speechless, staring at Lily with a bitter laugh. "So this is the brother you're so proud of." Her face flickered between a pale blush and a sharp whiteness, unsure of what to say, as she stood rooted to the spot, silent. She stammered for a long moment before finally speaking, "Maybe Finn's gone too far today. You're his brother-in-law, try to be more understanding." "Tsk," I scoffed. I pushed past her, heading for the door, grabbing a lighter and a cigarette, eager to escape the suffocating tension. Lily didn't stop me. She probably thought I needed a moment to cool off, to get away from it all. Chapter 3 As I stepped out of the neighborhood, I passed by a small park where a group of children were playing. One little boy, in the middle of a game of chase with his friends, accidentally crashed into my knee. "Ah!" the boy cried out in pain. He stumbled and fell to the ground. A woman, who had been sitting nearby, immediately rushed over. I was about to explain that it had just been an accident, that the child had tripped on his own, but her expression shifted from anger to something warmer when she saw who I was. "Ross, is that you? I didn't recognize you from so far away!" she exclaimed with a smile, as she helped the child up. Hearing her call my name, instantly, I recalled who she was. "Josephine Wells? Your son's all grown up now!" I was genuinely delighted to run into an old high school classmate after all these years. At first, I hadn't recognized her either. As I spoke, I instinctively reached down to pick up her son, but when I looked at the boy's face more closely, I froze. The child bore a striking resemblance to Finn. A jolt of recognition ran through me—could it be? No, he had been too young before. He must have just grown into a look-alike. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing my hesitation. "It's nothing," I replied quickly, forcing a casual tone. "I just… didn't see his father around. Where's he?" Her answer came out curt, clearly reluctant to answer my question. "He's at home, doing fine." The topic seemed to make her uncomfortable, so I decided to let it go. "Mommy, mommy, I'm hungry!" the boy tugged at her sleeve, whining. Without thinking, I scooped him up into my arms. "Alright, let's go. I'm hungry too. Let's have something delicious!" "Thank you, Mister! Yay!" he cheered. We headed to a family-style restaurant and ordered a few dishes that I knew kids loved. I was enjoying the meal, laughing at the child's endless chatter, and even having a little beer. The atmosphere was light, and I was genuinely happy. As we were finishing up, the boy suddenly looked up at me and said, "Thank you, Mister. This is the best meal I've ever had." His words caught me off guard, and I felt a warm twinge in my chest. I smiled at him, but a wave of questions lingered in my mind. I pushed them away—this was none of my business. People's personal lives were theirs to manage, and I had no right to pry as an outsider. I gently took his hand, placing it in mine. "If you ever want to eat with me again, just come find me." He nodded eagerly, his face lighting up. Josephine stroked his head affectionately, then turned to me with a smile and said, "Thank you." Just as I turned to leave, Lily's call came through. I didn't answer it. I swiped the call away, about to say my goodbyes to Josephine, when the wind lifted her skirt, and I noticed a dark bruise on her calf. It was still summer, but she was wearing long sleeves. She was clearly trying to hide signs of domestic abuse. She noticed that I'd seen it, and instinctively pressed down on her skirt to cover the bruise. I stepped closer, grabbing her hand and pulling up her sleeve. What I saw made my blood run cold—her arm was covered in bruises, and there were burn marks, as if from a cigarette. She jerked her arm away quickly, her voice stumbling as she mumbled, "I'm fine." Without saying another word, I pulled out my phone and transferred five hundred dollars to her via the payment code she showed me. She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, but she didn't say anything. I knew this was her battle, not mine. And as much as I wanted to intervene, I couldn't force her to confront what was happening. It was up to her to handle. I thought about my own life—how I had once believed that as long as I loved my wife with all my heart, everything would be fine. But now, I saw the truth: loving her wasn't enough. I had to love everything about her—her family, her troubles, even her brother. I gave her shoulder a gentle pat, then turned to leave, but not before reminding her, "Call the police, alright?" Chapter 4 After parting ways with Josephine, I sat alone in the park for a while longer, allowing the alcohol to wear off. The crisp evening air was a welcome relief, and I found myself reflecting on how suffocating it would be to return home, to that place where anger and tension simmered just beneath the surface. The sun set slowly, casting long shadows across the park. What had once been filled with the laughter and chatter of children had now fallen silent. Even the usual noise of playful kids had died down as their parents called them home. The autumn breeze carried a chill, and I could feel the last remnants of my anger dissipating with it. I flicked the dust off my jacket and decided it was time to head home. But as I stepped through the door, the house was plunged into darkness. There were no lights on. I stopped for a moment, puzzled. Was the power out? "Honey?" "Finn?" There was no response. The silence was thick and oppressive. Finn was nowhere to be found either. From the direction of the storage room, I heard a sound—an odd, sickening crack, like the sound of bone being hacked into. My body tensed as I instinctively crouched low and moved toward the source of the noise. The door to the room was ajar, with the faintest sliver of light leaking through. As I approached, I peered through the crack. I saw Lily with her back to me. She seemed to be chopping something. The room was too dark for me to make out much more, but I could see the vague silhouette of her movements. Then, suddenly, a loud clatter broke the stillness. Something small and soft brushed past my ankle, a round object, furred and cold. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I bent down instinctively and pulled out my phone to illuminate the space. The light flickered on, revealing the object—a head. Finn's head. My pulse spiked, and panic clawed at my throat. The realization hit me like a hammer: Lily had been chopping her brother, Finn, and the sound I heard was the sickening crack of bone. As my eyes darted up, Lily turned to face me. Her expression was ghastly, her face as pale as death. A twisted smile, as cold and empty as ever, played on her lips. Her bloodless mouth moved, forming the words, "Honey?" Chapter 5 I stared at her, transfixed, as she approached. Her hands were stained with fresh blood. My body felt frozen, and the sound in my throat was trapped, useless. She drew closer, and the darkness in my vision closed in on me. The next thing I knew, I was blinking awake, the harsh light of day spilling through the window, yet it brought no warmth. "Ahhh! Stay away from me!" A scream split the air, sharp and high-pitched, and I jerked upright in bed, my heart hammering in my chest. The bedroom. Was it just a dream? "Darling? Are you awake? Come get up and have some breakfast. Why are you lying down like that last night?" It was Lily's voice, but it wasn't the soothing tone I was used to. There was an eerie quality to it, one that sent a chill crawling down my spine. It was as though the words were dripping with something dark and cold, something from the depths of hell. "Finn? Where's Finn?" My voice was hoarse, laced with fear I couldn't suppress. "Oh, he had something to take care of, so he left early," she responded nonchalantly, as if it were nothing. She turned to leave, her footsteps soft, almost too light, and I listened intently, waiting until the sounds faded. Only when I was sure she had gone to work did I get up. My limbs felt heavy, my mind racing with confusion and dread. I made my way to the storage room, only to be met with an odd calm. It was spotless, untouched, everything in its place, just as it always had been. No blood, no sign of anything unusual. "Darling, what are you doing here?" Her voice drifted in from behind me, soft but chilling. I spun around, stumbling back in panic. My heart pounded in my chest as I stammered, "Nothing, just... just came to look around." Lily chuckled. She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around my waist, and rested her head against my shoulder. "Are you still upset about yesterday, darling?" she murmured, her voice low and soothing. "No. I'm not upset. Not at all." I forced the words out. The warmth of her body pressed into mine, and I could feel her body heat mingling with the cold sweat of fear crawling across my skin. When she heard me say this, her grip tightened, and she pulled herself closer, her body like a vice. "I have to go to the office. Something came up," I said abruptly, pushing her away, desperate to escape, to get out of this room, away from her. "Honey, what's the rush?" Her voice called after me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. Chapter 6 Why weren't there any signs of what had happened in the storage room? It was as though yesterday had been nothing but a nightmare—a hallucination of my own making. Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Lily. She said Finn was back, and he had brought his girlfriend. She told me to hurry home. The joy in her words was unmistakable. After all, the siblings had grown up without a mother. Finn was alive? My heart, which had been clenched in fear, suddenly loosened. I knew it—I knew Lily couldn't have done such a thing. She had always been gentle and obedient. It was all a product of my stress, my mind playing tricks on me. Just a figment of my imagination, nothing more. I hurried home. The doorbell rang, and Finn opened it. The moment he saw me, his expression soured. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "You decided to come back? Well, if you have the guts, don't come back at all." I couldn't help but feel that something in him had changed, like there was something different lurking in his gaze. Without another word, he turned and plopped onto the couch, immediately glued to his phone. The sounds of movement came from the kitchen, and Lily stepped out, wiping her sleeves. "You're home," she said, smiling brightly. "Dinner will be ready soon." I glanced toward the kitchen, where a young woman stood. She looked vaguely familiar from behind. Finn's girlfriend, I assumed. Before long, Lily was placing dishes on the table—dishes that seemed almost too perfect, all of them my favorites. It was as if she had orchestrated this whole thing. The meal felt like a feast with a hidden agenda, a trap I couldn't escape. The girl, seeing me, immediately greeted me. "Hello, Ross. I'm Sandra Mckinsey." She smiled at me, and I returned her smile politely, taking in her white dress. She looked sweet and innocent. As we all sat down together, Sandra raised her glass. Her voice was soft but full of gratitude. "Thank you for the house, Ross. Now, Finn and I finally have a place to call home." Her tone was sincere, and her pale face lit up with a delicate smile, one that felt almost excessive. It stirred something cold and bitter in my chest. I glanced at Lily and Finn, their faces unreadable, each betraying a different emotion. Lily quickly nudged Sandra's hand, signaling her to stop talking. "Don't listen to her; she's just being silly," Lily said with a smile. "Of course, Ross is going to give you the house. As long as you two live well, Ross and I will be happy." Sandra nodded, her innocent smile unwavering. I remained silent, my thoughts darkening. Then, Finn spoke up with a sneer. "Maybe he doesn't agree. Why the hell are you thanking him?" His words cut through the tension in the room like a knife, and everyone turned their eyes toward me. "You're right," I said coldly, my voice sharp. "I don't agree." Finn's face twisted in disbelief. He hadn't expected me to embarrass him in front of Sandra. His anger flared, and he slammed his spoon down onto the table. "Ross, don't get ahead of yourself. The house isn't even yours." "It's not your sister's either," I shot back. "Why should I give it to you, you parasite?" I was done letting him have his way. I shoved him hard, sending him sprawling to the floor, my eyes boring into him with a cold intensity. Finn flinched, fear flickering across his face. He scrambled toward Lily, and Sandra hurriedly knelt beside him, helping him up. Sandra spoke softly, her voice laced with concern. "Ross, don't be angry. Finn didn't mean it. We can talk about the house later." She tried to smooth things over, but the damage had been done. Finn fell silent, no longer daring to speak. I huffed out a bitter laugh. "Hmph." The meal was nothing short of a disaster. It was clear the evening would end in bitterness, a result as inevitable as the setting sun.