His Family Excluded Him From Their Luxury Italy Vacation — Until They Tried To Check Into The Rome Hotel And Realized Who Actually Paid For It

The panic didn't hit them all at once. It hit them in brutal, agonizing waves.

Thirty minutes after I hung up on Dad, my phone buzzed again. This time it was Mason.

“Bro, what did you do?!” Mason screamed in absolute panic. “My startup’s servers just went completely offline! My investors are trying to access the beta app, and the entire domain is down! The hosting company said the payment method was revoked!”

“I’m not funding your fake company anymore, Mason,” I replied calmly. “Get a job.” I hung up and blocked him.

Ten minutes later, Lily called, sobbing hysterically.

“Ethan! The dealership just called me! They said my car insurance lapsed and the lease payment bounced! They’re putting out a repossession order on my Mercedes! Fix it! Fix it right now!”

“It’s not my car, Lily,” I said quietly. “It’s yours. Pay for it.” I hung up and blocked her.

Finally, Claire called. She was furious.

“The law school just emailed me!” Claire shrieked. “They said my tuition deposit was clawed back! I’m going to lose my seat in the incoming class! You can't do this to us! We are in a foreign country with no money!”

“You’re in a foreign country because you stole from me,” I corrected her, my voice turning into a lethal whisper. “You wanted a trip for just the five of you. Enjoy the bonding time.”