The Day I Was Kicked Out, I Took Back My House

After ten years abroad, I got homesick, and right around then someone offered a staggering price of over a hundred million dollars for my company.

So I sold the company outright and came home with hundreds of millions of dollars.

What I didn't expect was that the moment I walked in the door, my older brother couldn't wait to ask how much money I'd saved up over the years.

I just tossed off a joke: "My company overseas went bankrupt. I've only got a few hundred thousand left to retire on!"

The second the words left my mouth, my brother's expression shifted, bit by bit.

Early the next morning, Vivian and Ryan showed up in front of me.

"Theo Rowe, you're bankruptwhat are you still doing hanging around our house?"

When Vivian finished speaking, I was completely stunned.

Ryan went even further, saying flat out, "Uncle Theo, you've got no money now, so I'm not taking care of you in your old age anymore!"

Listening to Vivian and Ryan, I smiled.

I never expected that Vivian and Ryan, who'd been fawning over me just a few years back, would turn on me the moment I cracked one joke.

But they seemed to have forgotten that the house they were living in now was also bought with my moneyand it was still in my name.

"Vivian, what's that supposed to mean?"

I looked at her and asked.

Hearing me, she shot right back, "Theo Rowe, you're bankrupt and out of workare you really going to keep freeloading here?"

"Our family was never well-off to begin with. What does it look like, you sponging off us?"

As she spoke, she pointed at Ryan. "Your nephew's tuition alone is a hundred thousand a year!"

"Our family really can't afford to keep you!"

Hearing that, I laughed out of pure anger.

All these years, while I was working overseas, my brother was always telling me how hard things were for the family.

And every time I called, Vivian and Ryan would tell me to take care of my health.

I used to think they truly cared about me. Only now did I understandtheir kindness was because Ryan's monthly tuition was also their family's living expenses.

And now that they knew I was broke, every trace of that old warmth was gone.

The way they'd turned on me made one thing clear: from start to finish, the only thing they'd had their eyes on was my money.

I looked at Vivian, whose face had already changed, and at my brother, sitting silently on the living room sofa, my eyes full of disappointment.

"Marcus, is that what you think too?"

I walked out into the living room and looked at my brother as I asked.

His expression flickered, and then he said, "Theo, you know our family is struggling too!"

"With you here, you'd be a burden on me!"

At that, I let out a helpless laugh.

All these years, he'd told me countless times how hard his life was.

To make his life back home a little easier, I'd sent him money almost every month.

I'd even been planning to sign this house they lived in over to my brother once I got back, along with a big sum of money on top.

But now I knew none of it meant anything at all.

"Theo Rowe, why haven't you left yet?"

Before I could get a word out, Vivian cut in quickly, "We've already spelled it all out for you!"

"How do you still have the nerve to stay in my house?"

I looked at Vivian and smiled. "Vivian, I may be bankrupt, but what if I can still make money again?"

At that, Vivian faltered for a moment, then sneered, "Your brother told me all about it long ago!"

"You got lucky and made a little money. Now that you're bankrupt, you really think you can turn it around?"

"Get out of my house right now. You're not welcome in this family!"

She pointed at the front door and shouted at me.

I only shook my head calmly and said, "Leave? Of course someone canbut it won't be me!"

"It'll be the two of you leaving my house!"

"Theo Rowe, what's that supposed to mean?"

The moment I finished speaking, Vivian's face changed, and she hurriedly spoke up.

Even Marcus said outright, "Theo, what did you say?"

"This is my home. You want us to leave?"

I smiled as I listened to my brother, and then quickly said, "Marcus, you seem to have forgotten that this is my house!"

"I'm the one who paid for this house!"

The moment I finished speaking, both Marcus's and Vivian's expressions changed instantly.

Vivian especiallywhen she looked at me, there was not only her initial disgust but now anger too.

"Theo Rowe, just because you say it's yours, that makes it yours?"

"This house belonged to our family all along!"

"We've lived here for so many years!"

"And besides, you gave it to us, so it's ours!"

I smiled as I listened to her, and then turned to look at my brother.

But instead, Marcus grabbed hold of me and said, "Theo, your sister-in-law and I live here!"

"It really is inconvenient for you to stay in our house!"

"And besides, back then you said yourself you'd let us live in the house, so how can you go back on your word now?"

"Enough, you should go now!"

And with that, without another word, he shoved me straight toward the door!

Looking at the way my brother was acting, my own face had turned rather grim.

"Marcus, are you sure you want to drive me out?"

I stared at my brother and asked.

And the moment I finished speaking, before my brother could say anything, Vivian had already thrown out the suitcase I'd brought.

"Theo Rowe, let me tell you!"

"We've lived in this house for so long, that makes it ours!"

"And besides, you don't even have any money right now. You can't expect our whole family to support you, can you?"

"Hurry up and leave!"

After saying that, she shoved the luggage right in front of me.

Hearing that, I laughed in anger.

I turned to look at my brother, a hint of anger in my eyes, and said, "Marcus, just because I'm broke, you're going to drive me out?"

"Theo, I have no choice!"

Hearing that, my brother said, "You know how it ismy life these past few years hasn't been good either!"

"So I don't have much money!"

"Your coming back will only add to our burden!"

"I still have your nephew to raise!"

My brother said, "You're on your own anyway, you can go wherever you like!"

"It's not right for you to live in our house!"

And as he spoke, he shoved me out the front door.

Then, while I stared in disbelief, my brother slammed the door hard shut.

I stared blankly at the door in front of me, my face full of disbelief.

I never expected my brother would do something like this.

A few months ago, I called my brother, and back then he told me that once I came back, I'd live together with them.

At that time, he smiled and told me that since I wasn't married, later on, when I got old, my nephew could take care of me in my old age.

But I never expected that just because I made an offhand joke, they'd throw me straight out the door.

I glanced at the suitcase in front of me and smiledmy brother seemed to have forgotten that the house he lived in was still registered in my name.

And in that suitcase they'd just pushed out, there was the property deed for this house.

I took out my phone and made a call to my assistant.

"Get me in touch with a lawyer. I'm taking back the property that belongs to me!"

After I hung up, I dragged my suitcase straight to the most famous gated villa community downtown, because I had come back to live here.

And now that I had enough money, of course I could buy a villa for my future.

Since I paid in full, I moved in that same day with just my bags.

What I didn't expect was that no sooner had I settled in than my brother called.

"Theo, your nephew's birthday is the day after tomorrow!"

The call connected, and he said, "You promised before! That you'd pay for his tuition-course fees this year as his birthday present!"

"Those course fees are a hundred thousand. You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"

Listening to the voice on the other end, I laughed in anger.

I never imagined my brother could be so shameless.

Even now, he was still thinking about getting me to pay.

And it was a hundred thousand dollars, no less.

"Marcus, I'm bankrupt!"

I said in a cold voice.

And the moment I finished, the voice on the other end immediately changed to his wife's.

Sounding a little worked up, she said, "Theo Rowe, can't you even keep a promise you made yourself?"

"That's something you agreed to long ago!"

Listening to the voice on the other end, I smiled.

Then I said, "You seem to have forgotten!"

"You were the ones who kicked me out of the house yesterday!"

"And now you think I should still pay tuition for your kid?"

I said flatly.

Hearing this, Vivian on the other end immediately said, "Theo Rowe, you promised that yourself!"

"You can't just go back on your word, can you?"

Vivian was especially worked up, and I smiled and said, "Sorry, I'm bankrupt!"

"Right now, I have no money!"

The moment I finished, Vivian on the other end immediately said, "Theo Rowe, don't you still have a few hundred thousand?"

"Since you've got a few hundred thousand, that's more than enough to pay!"

Listening to her, my face was full of disbelief.

I never imagined they could be so shameless.

They were the ones who drove me out.

And now, at a time like this, they were still eyeing my few hundred thousand dollars.

They knew perfectly well that this few hundred thousand was all I had left.

"That few hundred thousand is my retirement money!"

I said coldly.

And the moment I finished, Vivian on the other end quickly said, "Theo Rowe, you have to work hard yourself!"

"You promised this money, so you have to hand it over!"

"As for after that, whatever you earn on your own has nothing to do with our family!"

She said it with complete self-righteousness.

And I smiled and said, "No money!"

"Theo Rowe, since you have no money, then there's nothing more to say!"

"You mark my words, if you have no money, then don't expect my son to take care of you in your old age!"

"Also, since you're the one who broke your word, from now on our two families should have no more dealings!"

Listening to her, I laughed in anger.

By now, of course, I understood: they had cooked up this whole thing because they were afraid I'd come asking them for money someday if something happened to me.

"Don't you worry, from today on, we won't be seeing each other again!"

After I hung up, my face was still tight with anger. I never imagined my brother's family would sink to this.

All these years I'd been overseas, and Marcus knew I'd made some money, so every time he'd come to me with his hard-luck stories.

And every time, I'd hand my brother a large sum of money.

He always told me that if anything ever came up, I should be sure to turn to him.

But I never expected that the moment he heard I was bankrupt, his face would change on the spot.

It was only then that I understood: from start to finish, his whole family had been after my money.

Since that was the case, there was no reason for me to keep being polite with them.

I called my attorney, and he told me they were already prepared to file the lawsuit.

He'd also lined up a moving company, so when the time came, they'd go straight to the house together and settle the property matter.

I told the attorney this had to be handled properly.

Then I hung up.

For the next two days, I stayed inside the villa and barely went out.

But early on the third morning, I got a call from my brother.

"Theo Rowe, what's the meaning of this?"

"You're really serving me a legal notice?"

"Ordering me to move out by a deadline?"

On the phone, Marcus's voice was full of anger. He came right out with it: "The three of us don't even have a house. You want us to move outwhere are we supposed to live?"

Hearing that, I gave a small laugh, then said, "Where you move out to live has nothing to do with me!"

"That house was mine to begin with!"

"You know I have no money left!"

"So there's nothing wrong with me selling my house to pay off my debts!"

The instant I said that, the phone switched to Vivian.

On the line, Vivian's voice was full of anger, and the moment she spoke it was to challenge me.

"Theo Rowe, we've lived in this house for years, and now you're saying you'll sell it!"

"Do you think that's right?"

I laughed and said, "Vivian, the house is mine!"

"And back then, I only lent it to you to live in!"

"Now, what's wrong with me taking my house back?"

As soon as I finished, Vivian on the other end flew into a rage: "Theo Rowe, you take the house back, so what are we supposed to do?"

"Where do we live?"

I laughed and said, "Vivian, that's not my problem, is it?"

"Besides, you should have a house of your own!"

I said it evenly.

I still remembered that before I went abroad, my brother had already bought a house long ago.

So even now, taking my house back was no problem at all.

But to my surprise, the moment I finished, Vivian on the other end broke into tears.

"Theo Rowe, we really have nowhere to live!"

"We sold our house ages ago!"

"Theo Rowe, how could you do this?"

I let out a cold laugh. "Then that's not my concern!"

I was about to hang up when my brother's voice came through the line again.

"Theo Rowe, I'm your own brother!"

"How could you treat me like this?"

"Throwing me and your nephew out of the house?"

"We're blood brothers!"

On the other end, Marcus's voice was full of anger, and as I listened, I laughed and said, "So now you call us brothers!"

"But last night, you were the one who drove me out with your own hands!"

"Sorryfrom now on, you and I are brothers no longer!"