Reddit Stories - GUARDIANS declined to cover my UNIVERSITY expenses since I was COMPETENT enough to

Episode Date: November 15, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #universityexpenses #guardians #competent #financialsupport #familyissuesSummary: GUARDIANS declined to cover my UNIVERSITY expenses since I was COMPETENT enough to handle them. This decision has caused financial strain and strained relationships within the family. Seeking advice on how to navigate this difficult situation.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, universityexpenses, guardians, competent, financialsupport, familyissues, relationships, advice, financialstrain, decisionmaking, familydynamics, personalresponsibility, financialburden, supportsystem, communication, conflictresolutionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Guardians declined to cover my university expenses since I was competent enough to resolve it independently, but now expect me to finance my siblings' educational fees, so I declined. No. But then I discovered that he was stealing their money for Dr. G's and framed me for it. I'm a 26-year-old man, and my younger brother is 18. Growing up, our parents always emphasized the importance of college, but when it was time for me to to go, they refused to contribute financially. Their reasoning, as they put it, was that I was

smart enough to figure it out myself. That line has been burned into my memory. Essentially, they believed I'd manage on my own because I'd always done well in school. So I did manage, I worked part-time through college, lived on a shoestring budget, and took out student loans. It wasn't easy. I remember eating instant noodles for dinner most nights freshman year and juggling two campus jobs in my senior year to cover rent. I graduated with honors and a hefty chunk of debt. My parents never paid a single tuition bill or even co-signed a loan. We never really talked about it much after, I think I just proved them right in their minds, that I was smart enough to handle it. But I won't lie, I resented that they never even tried to help me out. I saw other

kids whose parents helped with textbooks or rent, and it stung that mine just. Wouldn't. They weren't poor or anything. We're a middle-class family. They just had this stance that financial support stopped at high school, at least for me. Now my younger brother is heading to college, he's in his last year of high school, planning to start college next semester. Unlike me, he struggled more academically and didn't get the same scholarship opportunities.

He's a good kid at heart, but he's never been as self-driven with school. Our parents have been much more involved in his college plans than they ever were in mine. Over the past few months, I've heard them discussing college options with him, visiting campuses together, stuff I basically did on my own when it was my turn. I won't lie, I felt a twinge of envy at how much hand-holding he's getting. Still, I kept my mouth shut because it's not my business, until last week, when my parents called me over for an important discussion. When I arrived, they sat me down in the living room

and essentially asked me to contribute to my brother's college tuition. Specifically, they want me to help cover part of his tuition and living expenses. My parents claimed they could pay some, but money was a bit tight and since I have a good job now, I should chip in to support the family. This alone floored me. It was surreal hearing them ask me to pay for the college costs of the very child that chose to support over me. At first, I was too stunned to respond. I asked why they suddenly needed my help, since they'd never mentioned struggling with money before. They exchanged a look,

and my dad admitted that college has gotten more expensive and my brother didn't get the scholarships I did. My mom added, well, we just think it would be fair. We're all family, and you know how hard it can be. You were smart enough to figure it out yourself, but your brother needs help. There it was again, that phrase. It brought back all the old hurt and anger from when I was in high school. I replied, trying to keep my voice even, that I had figured it out myself because I had no other choice, and it wasn't fair to hold that against me as a reason to not help me but expect me to help him. The conversation got heated fast. I told them outright that I would not be paying for my brother's college. I said it was hypocritical of them to ask me, given they provided

zero help for my own education. I asked them, why does he suddenly deserve a college fund when I didn't? Why am I expected to sacrifice my income now, when you wouldn't spend a dime on me then? My tone was admittedly angry, years of pent-up frustration kind of poured out. My mom became defensive and said that I should want to help my little brother succeed, that I know how hard it is out there. She pointed out that I have a stable job now, I work as an engineer and make a decent salary, and that since I managed to land on my feet,

I ought to give back and make things easier for him. She framed it like I was fortunate to have figured things out, and now I had a duty to reach back and help my brother. I responded that it was unfair to suddenly invoke family duty when it's convenient for them. I reminded her and my dad that when I was 18, all I got from them was a pat on the back and that infamous you're smart, you'll figure it outline. I had to learn the hard way how to apply for loans, apply for scholarships, balance work

and studies, without any guidance from them, much less money. They could have at least tried to help or even just check in on how I was managing, but they never really did. And now they have the gall to ask me for thousands of dollars. For the sun they actually chose to support. It blew my mind. My dad then got irritated and said something like, we didn't help you because you didn't need us. You always found a way. But your brother? He's different. He's not you, he said my brother isn't as academically gifted as I was and that if he doesn't get help, he might not make it.

That comment actually made me feel bad for my brother. He's not dumb or incapable. He just doesn't have the same interests and motivation I had at that age, and maybe different talents outside. academics. But the whole thing was so backward. They were basically admitting they're willing to support him precisely because he didn't excel like I did. In their minds I guess that was logical, I was self-sufficient, he isn't, so he gets the help. But from where I stand, it feels like I was punished for being independent and now I'm expected to pay for someone else's lack of it. I told them as much. I said it feels like they're rewarding him and that by not

helping me at all, they sent a clear message back then. I managed without them, so they don't get to come to me years later asking for money as if that's fair. At some point my voice raised, and I said something along the lines of, you know what's really fair. Treating your kids equally. If you couldn't afford to help me, fine, don't ask me to pony up now for him. And if you could afford it but chose not to, then that's even worse. My mom started crying, saying I was was twisting things and that they did what they thought was best at the time. She insisted they weren't playing favorites, it was just that I was so capable, and they were proud of how I handled myself. She kept saying we knew you'd be okay on your own, honey. My dad then said,

a bit sharply, that it's not like I'm being asked to pay everything. They suggested I contribute maybe a few hundred each month or whatever I could comfortably spare. I replied that they, as parents, primary responsibility to help him, not me. I also mentioned that I'm still paying off some of my student loans, which is true. Despite my good job, I have a chunk of debt left from college. I asked if they remembered that I still owe money for my own tuition, because apparently that slipped their mind when asking me to divert money to my brother. That made my dad angry. He said I was being ungrateful for what I have now and petty for dredging up the past. Petty! That made me snap back, how is it petty to bring up the fact that I'm literally being

asked to pay for something I never even got myself? Things were said in the heat of the moment by both sides. I basically told them no way, not happening, and that if they weren't prepared to fund his education they should have thought of that before or encouraged him to pursue a cheaper school or scholarships, like I had to. The discussion ended. pretty badly. I was furious and I think they were furious and upset. I walked out after telling them flat out that their decision years ago set a precedent. I handle my education and they handle my brothers, or he handles it himself. Either way, I'm not responsible for his college tuition. My brother wasn't present for this conversation. He was out with friends,

so he didn't witness the argument. I haven't talked to him about it yet, and I'm not sure. if my parents told him any details. As I left, my mom said I was letting my brother down and that she expected better from me. I didn't stick around to continue the fight. Since then, things have been tense. My parents have sent a few texts basically saying they're disappointed in my attitude. I haven't replied much, because I'm still pretty angry. I did text my brother a bit, just casual check-in stuff, and he didn't mention the tuition issue, so either he doesn't know or he's avoiding it. So, I'd offer refusing to help with my brother's college costs under these circumstances.

Edit, additional info, a lot of people have been asking for more background, so here are some clarifications. My parents are not poor. Their middle class, own their home, and both work. They could have afforded to chip in something for my college, even if not everything. back when I was in high school applying to colleges, they explicitly told me they wouldn't be contributing financially. It wasn't a sudden last-minute thing, I knew their stance. The reason they gave, that I was smart and resourceful enough, always felt like an excuse,

and it did hurt. We didn't have a college fund for me, but apparently they have some money set aside for my brother, I guess they started saving later on. I paid for my college through a combination of a partial scholarship, tuition discount for merit, which helped but didn't cover everything, federal loans, which I am still paying off, and working part-time jobs as I mentioned. I also commuted from home after freshman year to save money, I had stayed in a dorm the first year, which I paid for myself. So yeah, I basically put myself through school. Another thing, some have asked if my parents' financial situation changed over time. It did, a little. They have a bit more disposable income now than they did when I was starting college, but

not so much that they can easily pay full tuition for my brother. I think that's why they're asking me. They can cover some of his costs, but they likely don't want him taking huge loans or struggling like I did. They have an outright set how much they expect me to contribute aside from that vague whatever you can spare line. But I got the feeling they had a number in mind, my guess is a few thousand a year. As for my brother, he's a decent kid, but to be honest he's been pretty sheltered.

My parents have always been a bit more lenient with him. For example, when I turned 16, I had to get a part-time job if I wanted spending money. When he turned 16, they gave him a used car and some allowance without requiring a job. Little differences like that. He's never had to hustle the way I did. I don't really blame him for that, who wouldn't take a good deal if it's given. But it does mean he might not be prepared for the kind of grind I went through in college. I think that's partly why my parents are so worried about him managing.

He's also had a couple of hiccups in high school, skipping classes, mediocre grades. Nothing terrible, but enough that my parents got concerned he might not even get into a decent college. He did get into a college, not a top-tier school, a fairly average state college, and I'm happy for him. I want him to do well. I just feel like my parents created this dynamic by treating us so differently. To answer another common question, I haven't offered to let my brother live with me or anything like that, nor has he asked. I live in a small apartment and his college is in a different city anyway.

I did casually ask him what his plan is for paying for school, and he shrugged and said mom and dad said they'll sort it out. That response kind of irritated me, not at him pretty. per se, but at the situation, because sorting it out apparently means shaking me down for money, unbeknownst to him. It tells me my parents probably haven't leveled with him about the financial concerns or my refusal yet. Anyway, I just wanted to include this info to paint a clearer picture. The bottom line is I don't think I'm responsible for my brother's tuition. I understand he's innocent in how our parents handled things, but if I contribute now, I feel like I'd be letting

my parents off the hook for what I see as their mistake or bias, and also possibly putting myself in a position of being the family ATM in the future. I care about my family, I really do, but this ass crossed a line for me. Update, okay, I did not expect to be back with an update this soon, but things have gotten far more complicated and serious than I could have imagined. First off, I want to say thanks for the overwhelming response on the original post. The general verdict was that I'm NTA, not the asshole, which honestly gave me some peace of mind. I was still stewing in anger when I posted, and seeing objective outsiders agree that my stance wasn't unreasonable helped me feel more confident in it. I certainly didn't expect

what happened next. A few days after the big blow up with my parents, my younger brother showed up at my apartment unannounced, in the evening. This was unusual, he almost never comes by without texting first. When I opened the door, I was shocked by how he looked, he seemed distressed and nervous, like he'd been crying. His eyes were red and he was visibly shaking. I ushered him in immediately, thinking someone had hurt him or he'd been in an accident. He was so jittery that it took a while to get him to calm down enough to talk. I honestly thought he might tell me he wrecked his car or got someone pregnant or something. The reality turned out to be much worse.

After some stumbling and avoiding eye contact, he blurted out that he's in trouble. I initially thought he meant trouble with the law or school, but he quickly clarified, he's been stealing money from our parents. Specifically, he confessed that for the past several months, he's been sneaking money out of our parents' accounts to pay for drugs. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I had no idea my brother even did drugs beyond maybe occasional weed. but he admitted he's been using pills, he later specified it started as painkillers at parties

and now at some kind of opioid habit. He was crying and clearly terrified as he told me all this. He said it started small, taking $20 from Dad's wallet here or there a year ago. But as his usage grew, he started siphoning larger amounts from their joint savings account using online transfers. He knows all their passwords, our parents aren't very tech savvy and often have my brother do online banking tasks for them, ironically enough. Over the last few months, he's taken hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars in total. I was stunned, completely speechless. This was my baby brother, who I never imagined would be mixed up in something like this.

When I found my voice, I asked him why and how this went so far. He said he didn't mean for it too, he claimed he's been trying to stop using, but he's been struggling with withdrawal and cravings. He started crying harder, saying he knows he screwed up badly. Our parents apparently haven't noticed outright yet, but he's sure they're growing suspicious. He overheard them a day ago talking about some unexplained withdrawals from the bank. They were checking with each other about moving money or spending it, and neither of them knew where a few hundred dollars went. My brother panicked hearing that, and that's why he rushed over to me. He was essentially begging for my help to cover it up before they fully realize what's going

on. I didn't even know what to say at first. He looked absolutely broken and desperate. In that moment, despite my anger, I just wanted to help my little brother get clean and not destroy his life or our parents' trust. But the way he wanted me to help was, problematic, to say the least. He asked if I could lend him some money to quietly put back into my parents' account or somehow help him come up with a story to explain the missing funds. Essentially, he wanted me to assist in covering his tracks. He said, I swear I'm getting clean, I just need to buy a little time so they don't find out and hate me forever. You always know how to fix things. Please help me fix this.

I had very mixed feelings. I told him straight up that stealing from our parents was a serious betrayal and that they have every right to be furious if, when, they find out. He kept saying, I know, I know, I'm an idiot, I'm sorry, and was practically bawling. I asked him how much money we were talking about and how on earth he expected me to have that on hand to replace. He admitted he wasn't even sure of the total, maybe around $2,000 or more over time. I nearly choked, that's a huge, huge amount to secretly take from mom and dad, and also an amount I can't just yank out of my savings on a whim. I do have some savings, but I'm not exactly flush with cash after paying

my own loans and living expenses. I certainly don't have a spare two grand lying around that I wouldn't miss. I told him I wasn't comfortable just lying or throwing money at this problem to make it go away. I said the bigger issue is his drug use and that he needs help, not just hiding it. He kept in he was already trying to quit and that if our parents found out now, it would all be over, he said they'll never look at me the same. They'll kick me out or send me away. He was afraid they'd disown him or send him to some harsh rehab program or something. I tried to calm him and said our parents do love him, and while they'd be extremely upset, maybe this could be the wake-up call needed to get him proper help. But he begged me not to tell them. At this point,

I asked if he had any drugs on him at that moment, and he admitted he had a small bottle of pills in his car. I convinced him to give it to me. I didn't want him overdosing or something in my apartment. He reluctantly brought it in and handed it over. I flushed the pills down my toilet while he watched, which made him pretty upset. He was anxious about not having any to stave off withdrawal. But I felt it was the right move immediately. I told him if he was serious about quitting, he had to start right now. He was sobbing and saying, I'm going to be so sick, you don't understand. I do understand withdrawal can be awful, and I felt for him, but I also didn't want to back down from that tough love stance in the moment. I then told him that I wouldn't outright lie to our

parents or become an accomplice in hiding theft. I said, I can't just magically replace the money you took. I don't have that kind of money I can spare, and even if I did, I'm not sure covering this up is the right thing. He kept pleading, asking if I could at least talk to them and gauge what they know, or distract them, or something. He was basically grasping at straws. He even floated the idea that maybe I could claim I borrowed the money from mom and dad's account for something and forgot to tell them, then pay it back over time. That suggestion really made me uncomfortable. He was asking me to take the blame in a way, or at least to create a false story that put suspicion on me instead of him. Given the context, how my parents and I just

argued about money, imagine how that would look. I told him absolutely not, I'm not going to lie and ruin my own reputation to shield him from the consequences of his actions. I was gentle but firm about it. I said he needs to take responsibility, and more importantly, he needs help for his addiction. We talked for a long time. It was one of the hardest conversations I've ever had. I tried to convince him to let me help in a different way, by going with him to tell our parents the truth and urging them to get him into a treatment program. I said if he's up front now, maybe they'll be more likely to forgive and support him. But he was too scared. He practically begged me, just give me a chance to make it right

without them knowing. I promise I'll stop and I'll pay everything back, I just need time. I asked how on earth he planned to pay them back or stay clean without support. He had no answer, just more tears and apologies. I told him I loved him and I wasn't going to throw him out of my apartment or anything, but I also wasn't going to help him dig himself into a deeper hole. I offered to let him stay the night on my couch because he was in no shape to drive, plus I was worried about him being alone while in withdrawal if it hit soon. He stayed over, and it was a rough night.

He was restless, went from crying to silently staring at the ceiling. I didn't sleep much either, I was anxious about what the hell to do next. By morning, I had decided that as much as it killed me, I couldn't keep this secret for him. It's beyond what I can handle alone. He's 18, technically an adult, but he's a young, dumb kid in a serious mess. I was thinking about how my parents are likely to find out anyway, money doesn't just disappear without eventually coming to light. I was also thinking about the fact that just days ago they were asking me to help pay for his college. Meanwhile, money is vanishing from their accounts.

It occurred to me that if they noticed the missing money, who might they blame? A small, paranoid part of me even thought, would they suspect me? I had been over at their house a few times in the last couple months, holidays and such. Nah, I told myself, they wouldn't jump to that. Or would they? I didn't share that thought with my brother at the time, but it was on my mind. I did tell him in the morning that if he wasn't going to fess up, I felt I had to at least alert our parents that something was wrong. He begged me one last time not to. We ended up in an emotional stalemate.

He left my apartment around noon, still upset that I wouldn't promise to keep this secret. I told him I needed a day to think, but honestly I was leaning towards telling my parents. very soon if he wouldn't. He just kept saying, please, I'll fix it, just don't say anything yet. I finally said, I won't say anything today. But you need to start figuring out how to fix this properly, and we will talk again tomorrow. That was about the best compromise I could give in the moment. He looked miserable, but he agreed and left. I hated all of this. I hated seeing my brother like that, I hated knowing my family was about to implode with another conflict, and I hated that on top of the tuition fight, we now had this bombshell.

I am currently mentally preparing myself to talk to my parents the next day about a situation, or at least urge my brother to join me in coming clean. Update 2, well, things blew up in a way I did not anticipate, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I didn't even get the chance to decide how to handle my brother's confession, because my parents found out about the missing money on their own and the situation went from bad to worse fast. In my last update, I was worried that my parents might suspect me if they noticed money disappearing. It turns out that worry wasn't unfounded. Not only did they notice, but they

indeed latched on to me as the culprit almost immediately. Yesterday, just a day after my brother came to me, I got a call for my mom in the afternoon, asking if I could come over to their house after work because we need to talk. Her voice was cold and strained. I knew something was off. I asked what it was about, and she just repeated that I should come over, refusing to elaborate. I had a bad feeling, my mind actually jumped to maybe my brother had told them something, or maybe they found out another way. Given what I knew, this cryptic call made my heart pound with anxiety. I headed over in the evening. The moment I walked in into their house, I could sense the hostility. My dad was standing in the living room with this

stern look, arms crossed. My mom was by the couch, looking upset and angry. Before I could even sit down or say my dad's first words were, is there anything you want to tell us? I played dumb at first and said, what is this about? Hoping maybe my brother had come clean or something. Instead, my mom thrust some printed papers at me, bank statements. She had highlighted several withdrawals slash transfers, each of a few hundred dollars, over the last few months. She said, this money has been vanishing from our account, and it seems it happens on days shortly after you visited us.

I looked at the statements. Indeed, the dates of the withdrawals roughly correlated with times I've been over for dinner or to say hello. I visit maybe twice a month, often on weekends. According to those statements, the suspicious transactions, which were online transfers to some account number I didn't recognize, often posted the day after I'd been over. Now, I understood immediately what likely happened. Those were transfers my brother made, probably timing them to when I had been around,

perhaps hoping to cast doubt were just by coincidence. But my parents had put two and two together in the worst possible. way. I started to explain that I had nothing to do with those withdrawals and that this was the first I was seeing of it. But my dad cut me off. He said they already talked to my brother about it and he told them a story that points to me. I asked what exactly my brother said. My mom snapped, he told us you've been struggling financially and that you asked him not to say anything after you borrowed money from us. I was gobsmacked. That little. I made. I mean, mean, I half expected he might try to throw suspicion off himself, but hearing it confirm still

hit me hard. Apparently, my parents confronted my brother earlier that day, maybe after noticing yet another withdrawal or finally really digging through records, and at first he feigned ignorance. They pressed him, mentioning that I had been over the day before some of those withdrawals. According to them, he then came clean that I had confided in him about needing money, and that I had accessed their online banking while at the house to take some, and I made him promise not to tell. He claimed he was only covering for me out of brotherly loyalty, but that he couldn't keep lying once they directly asked. I cannot fully convey how furious and betrayed I felt in that moment. My brother had taken the scenario we discussed, where he wanted me to fake

being the borrower, and apparently fed them a version of it to save his own skin. And clearly, they bought it hook, line, and sinker. In hindsight, I shouldn't be surprised. It fits the narrative they'd be willing to believe, that I, who refused to do what they say, might have done something vindictive or desperate regarding money. Also, I realized that by telling them this, my brother made himself look like the good guy who was trying to cover for me. I denied it. I told my parents, that's absolutely not true. I never took any money or even knew something was missing until right now. Why would I steal from you? My dad's face was pure anger. He said, we don't know why, you tell us. Maybe you needed it for those loans you never talk

about. Or maybe you were resentful about the college help and this was your way of getting back at us. Hearing that broke something in me. The fact that my own parents would think me capable of stealing from them out of spite. It hurt a lot. I said, I can't believe you'd think that of me. My mom went off about how the evidence was there and even your brother admitted it was you, she said she was heartbroken that I would not only steal from them but also drag my little brother into it by forcing him to lie. She actually accused me of manipulating my brother, saying I put him in a horrible position, making him choose between betraying us or covering for you. At this point, I realized I was losing their trust by the second.

They were convinced. I figured I had to tell them the real story, even if my brother wasn't ready, because otherwise I'm screwed. I told them, listen, brother, wasn't covering for me. He's covering for himself. I then, spilled that my brother has been stealing from them and that he has a drug problem. I didn't go into every detail, but I told them he admitted to me that he's been taking their money to buy opioids and he begged me not to tell. As the words came out of my mouth,

I saw my mom's expression shift from anger to shock, then to instant denial. My dad outright said, Don't try to pin this on him. He's not using drugs. I insisted, that's why he came to my place yesterday, to confess it to me and ask for help. I'm telling you the truth. My mom started yelling, how dare you make up something so horrible. You're just trying to save yourself. She was crying, and my dad was shaking his head like this is unbelievable. They clearly did not believe a word of what I was saying, or didn't want to believe it. Given the choice between golden younger son turned drug-stealing thief versus older son who recently

argued with us turned bitter thief, they chose the latter as more plausible for them. The argument escalated to a very ugly place. I kept defending myself, swearing up and down that I never stole anything and that my brother was lying to them. I even pulled out my phone, offering to show them my bank transactions, my zeal history, anything to prove I didn't have an influx of cash or any mysterious income. They didn't want to see any of it. My dad was laser-focused on the idea that I was now trying to ruin my brother's life by accusing him of drug abuse to distract from my own misdeeds. He said, we already called the police. They're on their way. I was stunned and said, What? Why would you call the police? My mom shouted, because you stole from us. What did you

expect us to do? At this point, I was panicking. Being falsely accused is bad enough, but having the cops called on you by your own parents for theft is another level. I pleaded with them to reconsider and told them calling the police was unnecessary because I didn't do anything. But they were convinced they had a thief in front of them, me, and that they were doing the right thing. Honestly, in their minds I think they saw it as some tough love or necessary action, possibly thinking I was some kind of addict or criminal. I said if the police were coming, then I would also tell the police the truth about my brother. My parents said I was disgusting for trying to throw my brother under the bus for my mistakes. I was so frustrated I nearly screamed.

I couldn't believe how completely the narrative had flipped against me. Within the next 15 minutes, a patrol car did show up, they must have called before I even arrived, perhaps. I ended up speaking to two officers in my parents' foyer, trying to explain the situation. Meanwhile, my mom was hysterical and my dad was sternly telling them I had been stealing. My brother wasn't home at this point. I later found out he'd gone out when things started heating up, likely to avoid facing this confrontation. So he wasn't even there to confront. The police took me outside and asked for my side. I told them calmly that I had not stolen anything and that there was a misunderstanding. However, I also mentioned that there is more to the story and

that it involves my brother. The officers looked a bit perplexed as I tried to explain that my brother had admitted to taking the money for personal reasons, but that my parents didn't believe me. One officer spoke to my parents separately. It was basically my word versus the story they'd been told by my brother. The cops weren't going to arrest me on the spot without evidence, thank God, but they did take an incident report. My parents were adamant that they wanted the theft documented. I in turn was adamant that they note my claims about my brother, since this was now all official. It was humiliating. Neighbors could see the police car, and there I was, the older son, being treated like a suspect in the family home where I grew up.

After some time, the police left, with the officers saying this was a family financial dispute and advising us to maybe seek legal counsel or family counseling. Essentially, without clear proof at that moment or an admission, they weren't going to haul me away in cuffs or anything, again, thank God. They left it at a report. My parents looked so angry and disappointed. I was shaking with anger and hurt myself, and I told them they were making a huge mistake. I remember telling my dad, one day you're going to owe me a huge apology for this. He just said, don't hold your breath. I left the house after that. It was point of to stay. We were practically at each other's throats verbally, and nothing was getting resolved.

They told me not to contact them for now, which is ironic because I had no desire to speak with them after that anyway. The drive home, I was just numb and in disbelief. I tried calling my brother's cell. Of course he didn't pick up. I texted him a long message basically saying I know what he did, and that he'd better come clean because things have gone way too far. No response. So here I am, effectively disowned and blamed for theft, while the real thief, my brother, is being protected by my parents' refusal to see the truth. I've been pacing around my apartment all night, alternating between rage and despair. I'm beyond angry at my parents for immediately assuming the worst of me. I don't know what to do next. If I thought the situation

was bad before, this is a thousand times worse. I might need to lawyer up if they actually try to press charges or something. I have no idea. I doubt it'll go that far without evidence, and presumably the bank could investigate where those transfers went, likely to my brother's own accounts or his dealers, which wouldn't point to me. But still, the fact that I even have to think in those terms is insane to me. This whole ordeal has me questioning a lot. I've basically lost any remaining trust or goodwill with my parents. At this point I'm not even trying to convince them I'm not the asshole about the tuition thing. That's a speck of dust compared to this hurricane.

Now I'm trying to clear my name for crimes I didn't commit. I'll update again if anything more happens, but right now I'm just. At a loss. Edit, clarification on how my brother could have pulled off the transfers before the next update is written. Several people in this update asked why he bothered using our parents' home computer when he already knew their online banking passwords and why the dates of the withdrawals lined up with my visits. Here's the missing piece. OTP requirement.

Their bank sends a one-time passcode, OTP, by text to whichever phone number is registered to authorize every outgoing transfer over about $100. Both of those numbers are, of course, my parents' own phones. Why the house mattered My brother couldn't reliably get the OTP if he tried to move money while he was away from them because the code would pop up on their devices, not his. He needed physical access to at least one of their phones at the exact moment the text arrived

so he could read it before they noticed. His routine, whenever I happened to be over for dinner or a weekend visit, my parents were more relaxed and distracted, busy chatting with me, cooking, or showing me something in the backyard. My brother timed the transfers for those windows. He'd slip one of their phones off the kitchen counter, step into the hallway or office, initiate the transfer from the family PC, read the OTP text, type it in, delete the message alert and put the phone back. The whole thing took him maybe two minutes. Final update, I'm relieved to report that the truth finally came out, but it was one hell of a journey to get here.

It's been a turbulent couple of weeks. I needed some time to process everything before writing this final update. Thank you to everyone who offered support and advice, it meant more than you know during some dark moments. After the disaster of my last update, being accused and the police being involved, I went low contact with my family. I was too angry and hurt to speak to my parents, and I had no idea how to reach my brother since he was avoiding me. I ended up consulting a lawyer, just in case. The lawyer basically said that unless my parents decided to press formal charges, which would be unlikely without more concrete evidence, there wasn't much to do legally at this point except

document everything I know. Still, he advised that I gather any proof of my innocence and my brother's guilt that I could, in case things escalated. That got me thinking, what proof could there be? My brother's confession to me was verbal and in confidence. It was essentially my word versus his. If I dug through my phone, I had maybe one text from him saying I'm sorry about all this but nothing explicit. The bank transfers, maybe the account they went to. If it was his account or a known payee of his, like if he used something like Venmo to pay a dealer, maybe that could implicate him. I passed that thought to my lawyer, who said through proper channels, like if a case opened, that could be pursued, but again, it's messy when it's all within a family.

Meanwhile, I was also genuinely worried about my brother's well-being. Despite what he did, he's still my little brother. I was worried he might spiral deeper into drugs now that everything was hitting the fan. I eventually sent him another text, saying something like, I'm not mad at you anymore, I'm worried. Please let me help you get through this. Mom and Dad will find out eventually anyway. I love you.

No response for days. Well, the breakthrough came not from anything I did, but from an unexpected source, those old security cameras in my parents' house. The irony is that I had completely forgotten about them. My parents apparently had as well. Our house, or my parents' house, I should say, has a basic security system with a couple of small cameras in the common areas. They were installed years ago when there were some break-ins in the neighborhood. One is in the living room, overlooking the front door area, and another in the hallway that leads to the bedrooms. They're not super obvious, tiny, in the upper corner, and truth be told, we all forgot they were there because nothing ever really happened to necessitate checking them.

My parents certainly weren't actively monitoring these cams daily. It turns out, after the big blow-up, my dad was still trying to figure out how I could have stolen from them. He apparently got into detective mode, probably because I kept proclaiming my innocence and it left a seat of doubt. He later told me that while he still believed my brother's story at face value, something about it didn't fully add up to him, so he decided to dig around. That's when he remembered the cameras. He figured if I had been sneaking around the house or doing something on my phone or their computer during visits, maybe it'd be caught on video. So my dad pulled up old footage from the dates in question. These cameras have limited retention, but he managed to

retrieve clips from some of the days surrounding the suspicious withdrawals. And guess what? He found footage of my brother sneaking around. One clip showed my brother entering my dad's home office, which is just a small room with a family PC and files shortly after I had left the house one evening. Another clip, with a clearer angle from the hallway cam, actually caught my brother on my dad's computer on a day when I was there, after I had stepped out to go home. You can see me say goodbye at the door on the living room cam, I leave, door closes. And then a minute later my brother, thinking no one is watching, hustles to the office. My dad confronted my brother with this evidence. I wasn't there for that, but I'm told it was

explosive. At first my brother tried to lie that he was just using the computer for something, but my dad dug deeper, apparently he managed to check browser history or something related to the bank website. I'm not entirely sure on the technical details he used, but he had enough to corner my brother. Finally, with nowhere left to run, my brother broke down and confessed everything to my parents. All of it, the drug use, the money, the lies he told to frame me. My mom called me in tears as soon as it happened. I went over to my parents' house that evening. I went over to my parents' house that evening, at their request. Walking in was awkward and tense.

My parents both immediately apologised profusely. My mom actually tried to hug me, and I stiffened, I couldn't help it. I told them, I'm glad you know the truth now, but you realize how badly you messed up by not trusting me, right? My dad looked absolutely ashamed and kept saying there was no excuse, they just couldn't imagine my brother would do such a thing, etc. He admitted that calling the police on me was extreme and that in hindsight it was a huge mistake. My mom was crying, saying she was sorry for not listening to me and for saying such awful things.

I will be honest, I didn't just graciously accept their apologies on the spot. I let out a lot of what I was feeling. I told them how deeply they hurt me by assuming I was a thief and a liar, and how this incident seriously damaged my trust in them. They understood. They didn't try to defend themselves, they just kept apologizing. It was a heavy conversation, very emotional. Then there was dealing with my brother.

He was a wreck, red-eyed, could barely look at me. He had clearly been crying for hours. The first thing he said to me was a choked, I'm so sorry. I was so wrong. I'm sorry. He kept repeating it. I've never seen him look so small and broken. I did tell him how betrayed I felt.

I asked him why. Why would he do that to me, make me the scapegoat? He said he was terrified of going to jail, of our parents hating him, and when they confronted him the lie just spilled out because it was easier in the moment to let me take the blame. He said he thought I could handle it and would forgive him eventually, crazy reasoning, but he wasn't exactly rational. He also said after he left my apartment that day, his withdrawal got really bad and he wasn't thinking straight at all.

None of this excuses what he did to me, but it gave me some understanding of his state of mind. The focus now shifted to getting my brother help. My parents were already looking into rehab facilities and treatment programs that very day. They were shocked and clueless about his opioid use, and it was a harsh wake-up call for them. In a twisted way, this whole ordeal forced them to see reality. Within a couple of days, they managed to get him into a reputable inpatient rehab program. They were able to use some of the money they had saved for his college to cover the rehab costs. My brother didn't protest, he agreed he needed help.

Before he left for rehab, he pulled me aside privately and gave me what I feel was a very sincere apology. He was crying, saying he would understand. if I never wanted to speak to him again, but that he was going to work on himself and do whatever it takes to earn back trust. I just told him to focus on getting better and staying clean, we'd deal with us later. I did tell him I love him, because I do, and I hope he believed that. As for me and my parents, our relationship has been strained, but on the mend, I guess. They have been trying to be very attentive and apologetic, but I've been keeping a bit of distance to process everything.

In one of our many talks since, my dad actually brought up the initial issue of the college tuition. He admitted that in light of all this, their approach was wrong and unfair. He said, we were so focused on doing right by your brother, we completely neglected what was right for you. And we ended up wronging both of you in different ways. He even acknowledged that asking me for money was out of line, especially given how independent I had to be. So, that's a pretty big turnaround. Not that it erases the past, but hearing him say that was validating. I want to make it clear that while things have resolved in terms of the truth coming out,

it's not like everything's just peachy keen now. I'm still heard about the accusations and the fact that my parents believed I was capable of such cruelty, stealing and letting my brother take blame, as they thought at the time. That doesn't vanish overnight. And I think they are struggling with a lot of guilt, both for misjudging me and for missing all the red flags with my legally, there's no issue now. Obviously my parents retracted any notion that I stole anything, and they informed the police that it was a misunderstanding. There was never a formal charge, just that initial report, which they updated. So I'm not in any

trouble, thankfully. My brother won't face legal consequences either, as my parents decided not to involve the police in his theft since it's being handled within the family and through his rehab, and frankly, they care more about his recovery now than punishment. To wrap this up, the initial question I asked here almost feels trivial now compared to everything that followed. But for what it's worth, I think it's safe to say I'm not the asshole for refusing to pay my brother's tuition. In fact, the whole ordeal kind of proved my point about how my parents' approach was flawed. They tried to overly shelter and prop up my brother, first with money, then with denial of his problems, and it backfired spectacularly.

I don't take any pleasure in saying that, it's just an observation. I do hope after rehab my brother can go to college or pursue whatever he wants clean and sober, but that will be a discussion for the future. And it certainly won't be funded by me, or likely by my parents entirely either, maybe a more reasonable plan involving him working or a smaller college, we'll see. Right now, I'm just grateful that my name is cleared, and more importantly, that my brother is getting the help he desperately needs. It's been a nightmare, but I'm hopeful we can all heal from this in time.

This will probably be my final update. I need to step away from the internet drama and focus on real-life family healing. Thank you to everyone who followed along and offered perspective. Hug your loved ones, and please, keep an eye out for each other. You might think someone would never do X, but sometimes they're exactly the person you need to check on. I learned that the hard way.