My Roommate Married a Fraud and Tried to Steal My Fortune

I came back from break to find my roommate ready to lay down the law.

"Zelda Heath, from now on your monthly allowance is capped at a thousand dollars. I'll talk to your parents and have them wire you a thousand, max."

"Also, I hear you've got two mansions and three cars in your name. You're transferring all of them to me."

"And those designer pieces of yours? Hand them over. Going forward, nothing you wear can cost more than two hundred bucks."

I stared at her, stunned. "On what authority?"

"On the authority of me dating your brother. We're headed for the altar." Annette Whitney lifted her chin. "I'm your future sister-in-law. Oldest sister-in-law is basically a second mother. What I say goes."

"You're a girl. The second you get married, everything you own belongs to your husband's family. Your brother, on the other hand, is the one who'll inherit the business."

"Really, I'm doing you a favor. You throw money around like water, and all that does is attract men who are after your wallet. Tone it down, live simply, and you'll find a man who actually loves you for you. Don't you think?"

Her logic almost sounded reasonable. Almost. Except for one glaring problem: I was an only child. I didn't have a brother.

……

"Zelda, your brother told me you get a hundred thousand a month in spending money. This month's already been deposited, so we'll start the new rules next month."

"That means you owe me ninety-nine thousand from this month. Transfer it. Now."

I laughed. "Are you messing with me right now?"

"I'm dead serious. Transfer the money!"

I picked up my phone and sent her nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. "Go buy yourself a smoothie and stop bothering me."

I had unfinished homework stacking up, and Annette wouldn't stop buzzing in my ear like a broken alarm.

"I said ninety-nine thousand, not nine ninety-nine! What is this, pocket change for a panhandler?"

"If you don't want it, just hit decline and stop wasting my time!"

Then Annette's eyes landed on the bag sitting on my desk. Brand new, straight from Hermès.

"You bought another bag? That doesn't look cheap. How much?"

"The bag itself was around thirty thousand. But with the required purchase history, about a hundred and fifty on top."

Annette shot to her feet. "What? You're telling me you spent close to two hundred grand on a bag?"

Erica Edwards, my other roommate, didn't look up from her textbook. "Zelda's a trust-fund heiress. Buying a bag is like us grabbing a Coke from the vending machine. Why the shock?"

"And put that down before you damage it. You couldn't afford to replace it."

"You don't know anything!" Annette clutched the bag tighter. "Every cent she spends is mine now. She's spending my money!"

Erica set her pen down. "Zelda's money has nothing to do with you. Even if you are dating her brother, half the family fortune is still hers. Why shouldn't she spend it?"

Annette shoved Erica hard enough to send her stumbling. "God, you really are Zelda's little lapdog, aren't you? Always running your mouth for her. How much is she paying you?"

Her gaze dropped to Erica's wrist. "That jade bracelet. She bought that for you, didn't she? Take it off. Give it to me."

"Are you insane? My mom gave me this."

I stepped forward and pulled Erica behind me. "Enough. What is wrong with you, Annette? Even jokes have limits."

"Who's joking?" Her voice pitched higher, cracking at the edges. "The Heath fortune goes to your brother and your brother alone! You're just a girl. What right do you have to any of it? Now transfer me that ninety-nine thousand. Right. Now."

She yanked open my closet, scooped out every bag and piece of jewelry I'd stored inside, and dumped the whole collection onto her own desk.

"All of this is mine now." She surveyed the pile with a magnanimous little shrug. "Secondhand, sure, but I suppose I can make do."

I stood there, frozen. It hit me then that Annette wasn't playing some elaborate joke.

I pointed at her, my voice low and steady. "You. Right now. Put every single thing back where you found it."