Chapter 1: The List She Never Asked For
"My husband took me "for free" to spend two weeks at his brother's house, but the moment I arrived, my sister-in-law handed me a list and said, "You clean the floors and you cook for everyone." I had saved 3,000 dollars to enjoy some time off.
I didn't argue.
I took out my phone and saved a screenshot that revealed the supposed change of plans had actually been arranged months ago.
PART 1
"You're not here on a beach getaway, Brenda.
Since you're not chipping in a single dollar for lodging, you will cook, clean, and get this entire place running every single day."
Paige snapped those words at me the moment I stepped over the threshold of the coastal home she and my brother-in-law had rented in Cape May.
I hadn't even taken off my sunglasses yet.
I was still balancing my heavy suitcase when my husband, Carson, burst out laughing beside me.
"Don't make that face, sweetheart.
It's only two weeks, so just think about all the money we're going to save together."
For ten straight months, I had been setting money aside for that vacation.
I worked as a financial cost analyst at an auto supply firm based in Columbus and had taken overtime shifts, canceled unnecessary subscriptions, and stopped ordering takeout so I could stack up over three thousand dollars.
Our plan, at least the one Carson had laid out for me back home, was to stay at a hotel right by the ocean.
That was why I grew deeply confused when the taxi left the hotel zone and began navigating narrow residential streets deep inside a private neighborhood.
"Weren't we heading to the beachside hotel?" I asked.
Carson didn't even look embarrassed by his bait and switch tactic.
"The plan shifted a bit.
My brother got this house for the whole season.
He's letting us stay here completely free of charge."
Free.
That word started grating on my nerves twenty minutes later.
The house was large, but it was an absolute visual disaster zone.
There were sticky soda glasses cluttered in the living room, sand everywhere, dishes piled up in the sink, and a bathroom that clearly hadn't been cleaned in days.
Garrett, Carson's brother, greeted us wearing stained cargo shorts, no shirt, and holding a beer.
"Welcome to paradise," he said.
"We're family here, so zero formalities."
Paige appeared behind him holding a spiral notebook tightly against her chest.
I thought she was going to show us recommendations for local restaurants.
I was wrong.
She had written out a schedule.
Breakfast: 8:00.
Cleaning: 10:00.
Lunch for six people: 2:30.
Pack ice coolers for the beach.
Wash towels.
Dust bedrooms.
Clean bathrooms.
"I've been doing all of this manual labor alone for a week," Paige explained.
"Now it's my turn to put my feet up and rest."
I looked at her.
"And Carson?"
She burst out laughing.
"Carson?
He went fishing with Garrett."
My husband walked over and casually draped his arm around my shoulders.
"Don't exaggerate.
You're amazingly gifted at organizing houses anyway."
"I'm on vacation too."
"But we're not paying a dime for lodging," he replied as if that settled the matter forever.
Then something even worse happened.
Carson pointed directly at my bag.
"And since we're saving on lodging, I thought we could use some of the money you saved to buy that fishing rod I showed you last night.
It's amazing.
Carbon fiber."
I stared at him for several seconds.
"The money I saved by working overtime shifts?"
"Well, it's our vacation fund after all."
"It's my vacation money."
"Oh, Brenda, please don't start a scene."
Garrett slapped the table excitedly.
"Let's get moving already!
The ocean waves are great today."
Paige grabbed her hat.
"We'll be back around six.
Make something good.
Garrett wants meat and the kids want pasta."
"What kids?"
"My nephews.
They're arriving in a little while with their mother.
They're eating here."
There were more people coming than I had been told.
Paige handed me the notebook as if she were handing me the keys to a corporate office.
"Oh, and the fridge is practically empty.
Buy whatever groceries you need."
Carson was already heading toward the door.
"Use my credit card for today's household expenses," he said.
"Do whatever you need to do, but please make sure everything is clean and there's food when we get back.
I don't want any problems with my brother."
"Are you honestly being serious?"
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you.
Relax."
And he walked out behind the others.
From the window, I watched the three of them happily climb into Garrett's SUV.
Nobody carried my suitcase.
Nobody asked if I wanted to go to the beach.
I opened the refrigerator.
There was half a lemon, three beers, some old salsa, and a plastic container of beans that smelled suspicious.
Then my phone buzzed.
It was a text from Carson:
"Thanks for understanding.
Handle the house with my card.
I'll pay you back later."
I stared at those words.
Then I looked at the list of chores.
And finally, I smiled.
Because Carson had made one small, critical mistake.
He had married a woman who spent every day calculating what everything actually costs.
And they had just asked me to provide professional services.
They had no idea what I was going to find before they came back.
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What did Brenda find before they returned — and what is she planning to do with it?
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