His Sister Can Have Him

On our wedding night, I caught my husband in bed with his sister. I aimed my camera at a drunken, unconscious Ethan Hayes and the young woman curled up in his arms. Then I sent the pictures straight to the family group chat. "This is my first marriage, so I had no idea the groom was supposed to spend his wedding night with his sister." "Don't worry, everyone. I'll do my best to make this marriage work with both of them." I filled a basin with cold water and dumped it over Ethan and Lily Hayes. "Ah!" My sister-in-law, Lily, shot upright and glared at me. Her sheer nightgown was soaked, revealing the outline of her body beneath it. "Claire Bennett, have you lost your mind?" Ethan wiped his face. When he realized Lily was lying beside him, his expression turned horrified. "What are you doing here?" Then he turned toward me. I stood with my arms folded as tears filled his eyes. "Baby, I was drunk! I don't know anything!" "Look, I'm still fully dressed!" Ethan scrambled off the bed, fell to the floor, and hugged my legs as he sobbed. "Baby, you have to believe me! I'm still a virgin!" Lily stared in disbelief at Ethan kneeling at my feet. "Ethan! Why are you kneeling to her?" Ethan pointed at Lily, outraged. "That's what I want to know! It's my wedding night. What are you doing in our bedroom?" Lily sat on the bed, eating snacks with her chin tipped up. "Mom and Dad said your house is my house. I have every right to live here." Ethan tried to pull her off the bed. As they struggled, her nightgown ripped. "I want Sleeping Beauty!" Lily suddenly screamed and yanked at her neckline. The ugly surgical scar below her collarbone shifted under the light. "You promised you'd still read me bedtime stories after you got married! Liar! You're all liars!" Lily hurled everything on the bed at Ethan. I watched her meltdown in horror. What was I supposed to do when I discovered, right after the wedding, that my sister-in-law was completely unhinged? Seriously. I needed answers. Ethan immediately rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Lily, soothing her softly. "Okay, okay. I'll read it to you. Don't get so worked up." Under his constant reassurance, Lily finally stopped. I studied Ethan as he continued comforting her. I had paid for this condo in full before we got married. My name was the only one on the deed. I'd chosen Ethan because he was handsome, healthy, easygoing, and unlikely to cause trouble. I hadn't expected my perfectly nice home to somehow become Lily's. And I certainly hadn't expected Lily to act like this. We had signed a prenup before the wedding. Married or divorced, this condo belonged to me. Ethan had no claim to it. Watching the siblings hug on my marital bed, I ran out of patience. Was I supposed to give in just because she threw a tantrum? Lily looked perfectly pleased with herself now that she had Ethan under her control. I couldn't help sneering. "I've never heard of a sister climbing into her brother's marital bed dressed like that." "My sister-in-law showed up with her luggage on my wedding day and moved into my home. I really should ask our friends and family what they think." "Do you even know what shame is?" "Anyone who knows you might realize you're Ethan's sister. Anyone else would assume you're his side piece." Lily's face flushed crimson. Humiliated, she pointed at me but couldn't get a complete sentence out. "You—you—" "What about me? Now that you know this is my home, get the hell out." When I saw another meltdown coming, I quickly stepped out of the bedroom. Unable to win an argument with me, Lily turned on Ethan, who was trying his best to disappear. She started clawing at his arm. "Ethan! Divorce that crazy woman!" "She doesn't deserve to be part of our family!" Ethan gave me an embarrassed, pleading smile. "She's still young. She doesn't know any better." Caught between his wife and his sister, Ethan had turned into a spineless peacekeeper.Ethan lowered his head and tried to reason with Lily, only for her to slap him across the face. Then my in-laws burst into my home, shouting. "My poor baby! Her brother gets married, and suddenly he's throwing her out!" "Who dares bully my daughter? I'll teach them a lesson!" "This is outrageous!" I deeply regretted giving that family my door code. The older couple stormed into the bedroom, and Lily immediately sat up straighter. My mother-in-law rushed over and pulled her into her arms. "My precious girl. You've suffered so much." "What did we do to deserve a son and daughter-in-law like this?" My father-in-law walked in and slapped Ethan across the face again. "This is how you take care of your sister?" "You just stand there and let an outsider bully her?" With two bright handprints on his face, Ethan lowered his head. His eyes were dull as he apologized meekly. "I'm sorry, Dad. It's my fault." "But this has nothing to do with Claire." Lily lifted her head from her mother's arms and gave me a smug, taunting look. Since Ethan was at least making a small effort to defend me, I pulled his defeated figure behind me and faced my furious father-in-law. "What does any of this have to do with Ethan? You're the ones who raised a shameless daughter with no sense of decency." That only enraged him further. He raised his hand to slap me. "I'll beat you to death, you little bitch! You're an outsider. Who are you to criticize my daughter?" I stepped aside, and his palm landed on Ethan instead. I looked with concern at Ethan's swollen face. Those angry red handprints covered his handsome features. Watching him silently take the abuse made me furious with him for not standing up for himself. My brand-new father-in-law and sister-in-law apparently knew only how to slap people. My mother-in-law hid her cruelty behind a sweet act. I had made a terrible mistake marrying into this family. "This condo is mine. Take Lily and leave. Now!" At the mention of leaving, Lily immediately struggled out of her mother's embrace. "Why should I leave? This is my brother's house! If anyone leaves, it should be you!" My mother-in-law joined in, fixing me with a hostile stare. "You married Ethan. That means you married into our family." "So this condo belongs to the Hayes family." "Lily will have this bedroom from now on. Your father-in-law and I will take the other bedroom." "You and Ethan can sleep in the storage room." My father-in-law nodded in approval. "Settled, then. Your mother's worked it all out. We'll all move in tomorrow." Before I could even react, my mother-in-law had assigned every room in my home. This was my condo. Her family would take the big, sunny bedrooms, while Ethan and I squeezed into the storage room with all the clutter? They were out of their minds.Lily happily threw her arms around her parents. "Mom! Dad! You love me best." "And Claire dumped cold water on me while I was asleep. I was sleeping perfectly well, and she scared me awake. She owes me compensation for emotional distress." "Two hundred thousand dollars." Lily swung her bare feet and scattered potato chip crumbs over my bed. "Transfer it, and I'll leave." My mother-in-law looked at her tenderly, then turned to glare at me. "As Ethan's wife, you should be taking good care of Lily. Instead, you threw cold water on her." "Here's what we'll do. Pay Lily two hundred thousand for emotional distress, and we won't pursue this." "From now on, you can learn from me how to be a proper daughter-in-law." They wanted my home and my money. And they said it with such shameless confidence, as if allowing me to pay them two hundred thousand was an act of mercy. How had I not realized how brazen this family was? Most of that basin of cold water had landed on Ethan. Water was still dripping from his clothes. The little that had splashed onto Lily's flimsy nightgown had already dried. She had climbed into my marital bed, and now she wanted me to compensate her for emotional distress? The whole family needed help. "And I don't just want two hundred thousand. You have to get on your knees and apologize!" With her parents backing her up, Lily grew even more arrogant. I let out a cold laugh. "You've really got it all planned out, don't you? This is my home. You think you can just move in?" "And now you want my money?" "Does your whole family think I'm some kind of sucker?" "You'd better take Lily and her things and leave right now. Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next." My mother-in-law looked disapprovingly at Ethan. "Look at the wife you married. No manners whatsoever." "How about this? Come apologize to your sister, and we won't make your wife do it." My father-in-law shoved Ethan, who had remained rooted to the spot. "Ungrateful little traitor." Ethan stumbled forward until he stood in front of Lily. My mother-in-law stroked Lily's hair and fixed Ethan with a stern look. "You need to remember that your sister is this family's precious girl. She comes first. Always." "But Lily was wrong this time." When Ethan continued to resist instead of apologizing, my father-in-law lifted his foot to kick him behind the knee. I immediately shoved my father-in-law aside and pulled Ethan away. He moved like a robot. One parent played the villain, the other pretended to be reasonable. No wonder Ethan had grown up so timid. Fine. He was my husband now. I would protect him. My mother-in-law's face darkened when she saw me pull him away. "This is a family matter. Stay out of it, or I'll make Ethan divorce you."At the word "divorce," Ethan quietly tightened his grip on the hem of my shirt behind me. I had had enough of this family's little performance. In two strides, I grabbed Lily's suitcase, opened the window, and threw it outside. Luckily, I had bought a first-floor condo. Nothing I tossed out was going to hit anyone. So I kept going, enjoying it more with every throw. Out went Lily's suitcase, followed by the sheets and pillows she had been lying on. All three of them stared at me, stunned. Lily shrieked. "My luggage! Claire, you crazy bitch!" My in-laws snapped out of it and immediately blocked the window. My father-in-law pointed a trembling finger at my face. "How dare you! Pick those things up right now. That's an order!" I ignored every word. I turned, walked into the living room, opened the front door, and tossed out the luggage my in-laws had brought, too. Throughout all of this, Ethan silently followed me, still clutching the hem of my shirt. He knew they were his parents and sister, but he did have some sense of right and wrong. They had done something wrong. He ought to stand by me. Only after seeing their true colors today did I realize what a miserable life he must have had. Some families favored sons over daughters. His had done the exact opposite. Growing up with abusive parents and a sister who bullied him, it was a miracle he hadn't turned out worse. My in-laws stared, openmouthed, as I threw their luggage out. Then they rushed into the hallway to retrieve it. Once all three of them were outside, I slammed the door. I turned back to Ethan, who still looked utterly pitiful. The man might be spineless and useless, but he certainly had a handsome face. With a sigh, I found an ice pack and pressed it against his cheek. Outside, my in-laws and Lily pounded on the door. Inside, I watched Ethan obediently hold the ice pack against his face. "Claire, open this door right now! This is my house! What gives you the right to lock me out?" "Open up, and I'll still recognize you as our daughter-in-law. Otherwise, you can wait for a divorce!" "Outrageous! I'm going to teach you some manners on your parents' behalf!" The shouting outside never stopped, but I wasn't worried about disturbing the neighbors. There was only one unit on each elevator landing. Complete privacy. "Claire, I'm calling the police! Just wait until they deal with you!" The police? How had I forgotten such a wonderful idea?