Myles' POV

When my sister-in-law found out I worked at a luxury car dealership, she immediately asked me to help her apply for a test drive of a high-end car.

After the test drive, she held my hand and said with a smile, "Myles, your job is really something."

Then she excitedly added, "Your brother and I talked it over. Our old car’s due for a change. And that Maybach we just drove is perfect! We want that one!"

I froze. “Ma'am, this is a test-drive car from the dealership,” I explained awkwardly but professionally. “It’s worth almost half a million. The best I can do is help you apply for a discount.”

To my shock, she instantly flipped out. “You’re the manager here, aren’t you? Can’t you just drive any car you want? What’s the big deal about giving one to family? Don’t be so stingy!”

I was stunned. Did she really think cars at the dealership were like vegetables growing in my backyard?

——

Still thinking she must’ve misunderstood, I tried to keep my tone calm. “It’s not about being stingy. This car belongs to the company—”

Before I could finish, she cut me off. “Belongs to the company? You’re the manager! You mean you can’t even control a single car?”

Just then, my brother, Justine Schuman, walked in. I rushed over, hoping he could help me talk some sense into his wife.

But after hearing what happened, all he said was, “She likes the car. Just figure something out.”

My heart sank.

When I didn’t answer right away, he grew impatient and spat, “You’re a manager, aren’t you? Don’t tell me you don’t have that kind of authority. Or is your position just for show?”

That did it. I was getting angry now. “Justine, this isn’t about authority. What she’s asking for is illegal!”

My sister-in-law, Tamara Schuman, only got bolder after hearing him back her up. She jabbed a finger in my forehead and started yelling.

“When your brother and I got married, we never asked your family for a cent. And now we’re asking for one car as a favor, and you’re acting like we’re robbing you? You really are heartless!”

At that point, I could feel my blood rushing to my head. Around us, coworkers began whispering. Some even took out their phones to record.

But she didn’t care and kept yelling, “Look at you, young and already a manager. Who knows what tricks you used to get there? And now I’m just asking you to use those same tricks to help your own brother. What’s wrong with that?”

Hearing her sharp accusation, I could hardly breathe.

“What did you just say?” My voice shook.

She scoffed. “Did I stutter? We all know how women climb the ladder.”

And instead of stopping her, Justine joined in. “She’s right, Myles. What’s the big deal in helping us?”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “I earned this position through hard work! Through results and real ability, not whatever disgusting things you’re implying!”

“Ability? Please. Just look at you. What kind of ability could you possibly have?” Tamara sneered.

Customers in the showroom had started whispering, pointing fingers. In that situation, my face burned with embarrassment. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“That’s enough! I am not giving you the car!” I yelled.

Her face instantly twisted in rage. “Not giving it? You ungrateful little brat! Your brother raised you since you were little, and now that you’ve got wings, you’re too good for us?”

Justine's face darkened too and hissed, “You’re really crossing the line, Myles.”

Tears streamed down my face as I retorted, “What did I do wrong? Is standing by the rules so wrong? And what makes you think I owe you a car worth almost half a million?”

When I still wouldn’t cave, Tamara suddenly sat down on the floor and began making a scene.

“Everyone, look! This is my precious little sister-in-law! Now that she's become a manager, she suddenly thinks she’s too good for her own family!”

Myles' POV

A crowd had started to form around us, and I felt like I was standing there, completely exposed and stripped of all dignity.

“Get up!” I tried to pull Tamara off the floor, but Justine shoved me aside.

His expression was grim as he roared, “Myles! How can you treat your sister-in-law like this?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

She was the one causing a scene and making outrageous demands, yet somehow I was the one being blamed?

Just then, our store manager arrived after hearing the commotion. He took one look at my sister-in-law sitting on the floor and frowned.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, then turned to her, “Ma’am, please get up. This is a place of business.”

But she jabbed a finger at him and snapped, “And who the hell are you? My sister-in-law is a manager here! If you don’t give us that car, I’m not going anywhere!”

The manager’s expression darkened immediately.

“Security!” he called out sharply.

Only then did Tamara panic. She scrambled to her feet and pointed at me, shouting, “Don’t think you’re so great just because someone’s backing you up! This isn’t over! We are getting that car!”

With that, she dragged my brother away.

I watched them storm off and finally let out the breath I’d been holding. Right then and there, I promised myself I would never help her again.

The next day, the moment I stepped into the showroom, something felt off.

My coworkers were acting strange, avoiding eye contact and whispering. The second they noticed me, the whispers stopped cold.

A sense of dread settled in my chest.

Then the store manager spotted me and coldly said, “Myles. Into my office. Now.”

Clueless, I followed him in, and he slammed the door behind us.

“The Maybach from the showroom went missing last night,” he said flatly. “Anything you want to tell me?”

I froze. My mind went completely blank. “What? I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t?” He sneered as he pulled up the security footage. “Then take a look at this.”

The monitor showed a clear recording from the night before, after closing hours.

There they were, my brother and sister-in-law, sneaking back into the showroom. Justine distracted the on-duty staff, leading him inside. Meanwhile, Tamara tiptoed over to the display car, found the keys, and drove the Maybach right out.

“That wasn’t me!” I said, my voice cracking in panic. “I had no idea they were coming back!”

“No idea?” The manager’s tone grew sharper. “Then how did they know exactly where the keys were? How did they know which staff member was working and how easy he’d be to distract?”

“I swear, I didn’t tell them anything! I rejected them, remember?” I defended, panicky.

But the manager just let out a mocking laugh. “Rejected them? The footage shows them coming in at 10 p.m. You clocked out at 9:30. Sounds like you had plenty of time to help them plan it.”

I felt the panic rising in my throat and fumbled to pull out my phone. “I’ll call them right now. I’ll tell them to bring it back immediately!”

I dialed Justine’s number, only to find out his phone was off.

With trembling hands, I called Tamara next.

She answered almost immediately, sounding smug. “Well, well. Calling this early, Myles?”

Trying to hold back my anger, I clenched my jaw and asked, “Tamara, did you seriously steal the car?”

But she just laughed. “Steal? Don’t be dramatic. We just took it out for a little joyride. We’ll bring it back tonight.”

“Are you out of your mind? That car is worth almost half a million! What you did is a crime!” I thundered.

But she didn’t even flinch. “Crime? Please. We’re family. What’s the problem with driving my sister-in-law’s car?”

At this moment, I was on the verge of tears. “It’s not my car! It belongs to the company! Bring it back right now or I swear, I’ll call the police!”

Myles' POV

“Call the police? You’d really call the cops on your own brother?” Tamara’s voice was dripping with disdain. “We’re just taking the car for a spin. Why are you overreacting? You’re so stingy.”

And with that, she hung up.

I stood there clutching my phone, my whole body trembling.

The store manager stared at me coldly.

“Well?” he asked.

“They said… they’ll return it tonight,” I said softly, unable to meet his eyes.

But his voice instantly rose. “Tonight? Do you even know how much the insurance costs per day for that car? What if something happens out there? Do you know how much the damages could be?”

My knees were beginning to buckle.

“Sir, I swear, I had no idea they would do this.”

“No idea?” he scoffed. “Myles, I’m giving you one last chance. If that car isn’t back before we close tonight, you’re suspended immediately, and you’ll be held responsible for the entire loss.”

“Almost half a million. Can you afford that?” he hissed.

I sat in the office, overwhelmed, frantically redialing their numbers. But every time, it went straight to voicemail, signalling their phones were off.

As the deadline crept closer and closer, I had no choice but to call my parents.

“Mom, something serious happened!” I cried.

“Justine and Tamara… they took a Maybach from the dealership. It’s worth almost half a million!”

But instead of sounding worried, my mom responded as if it were nothing. “It’s just a car. You’re a manager, aren’t you? Besides, the dealership’s full of cars. What’s the big deal if your brother drives one?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Mom! It’s not my car! It belongs to the company! What they did is illegal!” I shrieked.

“Illegal?” she said with a dismissive snort. “We’re family. Why are you being so petty?”

“Mom, I could get fired for this! I could even go to jail!” I explained, hoping she could understand my point of view at least.

But her voice only turned cold. “Jail? You’re so dramatic!”

Then my dad took the phone, his tone sharp and commanding. “Myles, your brother finally found a wife. If your sister-in-law likes that car, what’s the harm in letting her have it? We raised you all these years just for you to turn against us now?”

“Dad, this isn’t about personal feelings. It’s my job. There are rules—”

Yet he cut me off instantly. “Don’t talk to me about rules! The only rule in this house is that sons come first! Who are you supposed to spend your money on if not your brother?”

My hands were shaking as I held the phone.

“Dad, what they did is theft. I can’t cover for them,” I said, wishing it could knock some sense into him.

“Cover for them?” he shouted. “He’s your brother! So what if you cover for him?”

Then he added, “Listen, fix this immediately, and don’t you dare embarrass us by calling the police. If it really can’t be helped, pay the car yourself.”

Pay it? It was almost half a million!

I was stunned in disbelief. “Dad… that’s almost half a million!”

“So what? You make tens of thousands a month, don’t you? Just pay it off slowly,” he said matter-of-factly.

Yet his words stabbed like a knife.

“Dad… I only make a grand a month,” I corrected him.

But he sounded even more annoyed. “A grand? Who are you trying to fool? You’re a manager! There’s no way you earn that little!”

“I swear it’s true! The rest depends on sales commissions. I—”

He cut me off again, this time with a snarl. “Enough! I don’t care. Just handle it. And if you dare call the police on your own brother, then forget about being our daughter. If anything happens to your brother, our whole family will hold you responsible!”

As such, the call ended.

I sat there in the chair, gripping my phone as silent tears streamed down my face.