Lana had been dating Ashton for several months when he suddenly brought up a big idea.
“It’ll be great,” Ashton said with a grin. “We’re both recent graduates, so living together makes more sense. We split the bills 50-50, and both of us win.”
Lana hesitated. They had only been together for eight months. Moving in felt… serious.
“I don’t know, Ashton. It’s a big commitment. As you said, we both just graduated from school,” she said slowly, her voice unsure.
But Ashton was ready with answers. “Well, it’s the only way we can move to the city and find jobs together. I already have some money for a deposit. I’ll go find the apartment and handle all that stuff if you let me.”
He looked at her, hopeful, excited. Part of her wanted to say no. But the thought of starting their careers together, in the city, side by side—it pulled at her heart.
“Ok,” Lana finally said, nodding. “It makes sense because living in the city has become pretty expensive. Once we find jobs, it’ll be fine.”
Ashton jumped on it immediately. Within a week, he had found an apartment and signed everything. Lana was surprised at how fast he moved. “Wow, that was quick,” she said as she packed her bags. “You really weren’t kidding.”
The apartment was beautiful—cozy, bright, and in a perfect part of town. Lana was relieved. Rent wasn’t outrageous, and splitting it made it manageable.
“You can send the rent money to me. I’ll send it from my account to the landlord directly,” Ashton told her when she asked how to pay.
She nodded. “Does that cover utilities and stuff? What about the Wi-Fi?”
“How about you pay the Wi-Fi from your account?” he suggested casually.
“Sure,” she agreed, happy to contribute. He’d handled so much already. She wanted to pull her weight.
The arrangement worked for years. Rent was always paid on time. Utilities were shared. They built a routine—Saturday night takeout from their favorite Italian place, Sunday cleaning days, weekday movie nights. It felt like a real home.
Until one night, things changed.
They were curled up on the couch, empty pasta boxes on the coffee table, when Lana turned to him.
“Honey, we’ve been living together for several years,” she said gently. “Do you see us going further?”
Ashton blinked. “Of course, Lana. But I wasn’t sure you wanted to get married anytime soon.”
She smiled. “Well…I’ve never been into weddings that much. We could have something simple. But I asked because I thought that it might be time to find a house. I’m tired of paying rent every month. I’d rather use that money toward a mortgage.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Ashton said, but there was hesitation in his voice. “I just don’t know if we’ve saved enough for a down payment.”
“Oh, I know that. I have some savings,” Lana replied. “I just wanted us to start thinking about moving forward together.”
“You’re right. Let’s plan it,” Ashton agreed.
But weeks passed. Then months. Every time Lana brought it up, Ashton changed the subject or said “later.” Her gut told her something was off.
Then one Saturday evening, everything exploded.
Ashton had gone out to pick up their usual Italian dinner. Lana decided to clean the bedroom. As she straightened the closet, she noticed a folder peeking out from under a pile of clothes.
She picked it up, meaning only to tidy, but then curiosity took over. Inside were official-looking documents.
She scanned the papers—her eyes froze.
Their address.
Ashton’s name.
But it wasn’t a rental agreement. It was a property deed.
Ashton was the owner of their apartment.
Lana’s heart dropped. He owns this place? But he said we were renting. We’ve been splitting rent for years!
She stared at the document in shock.
Just then, the front door opened. “Honey, I’m here! The food smells amazing today!” Ashton called cheerfully.
Lana marched into the living room, holding the folder in her trembling hands.
“What is this, Ashton?” she demanded. “You own this apartment? Or condo? Whatever it is?”
His smile vanished. His face went pale.
“What are you doing going through my things?” he said defensively.
“No. Don’t change the subject. This is an ownership deed, and you are the owner. Tell me the truth right now!”
Ashton let out a breath and sat down slowly. “Ok, Lana. Calm down. It’s not that bad. Yes, I’m the owner of the apartment.”
She stared at him, eyes wide. “What about what I paid in rent?”
“I used it to pay the mortgage,” Ashton admitted. “Listen… my parents gave me money for a down payment after graduation. I saw a great opportunity. But the mortgage would’ve been too much from my paycheck.”
“So, you lied all these years?” she asked, her voice cold and shaking.
“Yes, but it’s not a big deal. It’s as if you rented from me,” he said with a shrug.
Lana’s mouth dropped. “But a mortgage would not have been as high as rent. We ‘split’ everything in half. Was your mortgage $1,600 a month?”
He hesitated. “Well, no. The mortgage was a little more than what you paid in rent.”
“I can’t believe this,” Lana whispered. Then her voice rose. “YOU LIED TO ME!”
Tears poured down her face. “I could have saved so much money if we’d actually split things in half. But no! You made me pay your entire mortgage for years! What did you do with your money?!”
“I… I saved it,” Ashton said quietly.
“For yourself, right?! You don’t care about me at all! I’m going to talk to a lawyer. I’m going to sue you! But I’m moving out first!”
She ran into the bedroom and began stuffing her things into a suitcase. Ashton followed her, pleading.
“Please. I’ll send you the money. Just don’t leave. I love you. We’re getting married!”
Lana turned and looked at him one last time. Her face was full of heartbreak. “Goodbye, Ashton. I don’t care what you do with your life. I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff soon.”
She walked out the door and didn’t look back.
That night, she stayed at a hotel. A week later, she found a smaller but cozy apartment nearby. It wasn’t fancy, but it was hers—and no one was lying to her under that roof.
Ashton called again and again. He sent long messages begging for another chance. But Lana never responded.
Then, one day, an alert popped up on her phone. A deposit of thousands of dollars had been made into her bank account.
Ashton had sent her money. It was everything she could’ve saved if they had really split the bills 50/50.
It was a kind gesture… but far too late.
Lana didn’t want his money. She didn’t want his apologies. What she wanted was peace—and she finally had it.
What can we learn from this story?
- Lies ruin trust. Even small lies can grow into betrayals that break relationships.
- Don’t give full control to your partner in financial decisions. Always ask to see contracts and documents.
- Value yourself. Lana realized her worth and walked away instead of staying in a dishonest situation.
- Pay attention to red flags. When someone keeps changing the subject or avoids plans, it’s a sign they may be hiding something.
Trust is earned—and once broken, it’s hard to get back.