My Grandma Gave Us Equal Share Portfolios When We Were Kids – Now My Brother Wants Mine After Wasting His

When I was just four years old and my brother, Liam, was already 16, our grandmother opened investment portfolios for both of us. She wanted to make sure we both had a solid start in life.

Our dad managed those accounts until we each became old enough to take control ourselves. Naturally, Liam got his hands on his funds before I did.

By the time Liam turned 19, he cashed out every single cent—roughly $15,000—and used it to buy a brand-new Honda. He was over the moon about it, proudly showing it off to anyone who’d look, revving the engine like he’d just struck it rich.

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Since I was younger, I had more time to think things through. Watching Liam blow through his money so quickly made me cautious. I didn’t want to end up like that. So when I turned eighteen, I went to Dad for help and asked him to guide me toward smarter investments. He gladly did. We put a good portion into Apple, plus a mix of other stocks, and we let it ride.

By the time I took full control, my portfolio had grown into something substantial. Way bigger than I ever expected. Meanwhile, Liam’s car was long gone, and so was every dollar he’d spent on it.

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I never flaunted it. That’s just not who I am. But over time, the contrast between us became impossible to ignore. I had security and wealth. Liam, on the other hand, was left with nothing but regret.

For years, Liam couldn’t seem to get ahead. Saving wasn’t in his vocabulary, and planning for the future? That wasn’t his thing either. He always lived day to day, spending whatever came into his hands. And when things got bad, I stepped in to help.

When he lost his job and found himself falling behind on rent, I paid it for him.

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When his car finally broke down beyond repair and he couldn’t scrape together the cash to fix it, I wired him the money.

When he got tangled up with some sketchy lender over an unpaid loan and things got ugly, I bailed him out without hesitation.

And every single time, he swore it would be the last time.

"Just this once, bro. I swear," he'd said.

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At first, I believed him. I really did. But after the third time, the fourth, and then the fifth, I finally saw the pattern for what it was. He wasn’t changing.

One night, I decided enough was enough, and I confronted him about it.

"You keep blowing through money," I said. "What's your plan?"

Liam just laughed, like I had asked him to fix world peace. "Plan? I just need to get back on my feet. One big break, and I'm set."

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I could only sigh. "That's what you always say."

He grinned, knowing exactly what buttons to press. "And you always help."

And that was the heart of the problem. I always did help. And he counted on that every time.

I tried my best to draw a line. But every time he’d call, sounding desperate, promising "Just this once, I promise."

I’d cave. Without fail.

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But then something happened that flipped everything upside down. It all began with a knock at my door.

It was late—definitely not a time I’d expect visitors. When I swung open the door, there stood Madison, Liam’s girlfriend.

She leaned casually against the doorframe, arms folded, wearing a smirk that screamed trouble. She was dressed sharply, like she’d come straight from the office, but the smug look in her eyes said she wasn’t here for a social call.

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"We need to talk," she announced, brushing past me before I could even react.

I closed the door behind her and turned around. "Do we, though?"

She let out an exaggerated sigh, making herself at home. "Look, I'll get straight to the point. You got way more than Liam. That's not fair."

I stared back, unimpressed. "He got the same amount as me. He just spent his."

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She scoffed at me, clearly irritated. "You had Daddy invest yours. Liam didn't get that chance."

I crossed my arms and stood my ground. "He could have. He chose not to."

Madison’s smirk faltered as frustration crept in. "You're seriously going to hoard all that money while your own brother struggles? Why don't you share?"

I just shrugged like it was no big deal. "I didn't force him to blow through fifteen grand."

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Her expression darkened. "You're being selfish. He's family. He needs your help."

"I've helped him plenty," I shot back. "Rent. Bills. Bailing him out. But this?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Not happening."

Madison stepped in closer, lowering her voice in an attempt to intimidate me. "You'll regret this."

A slow, steady anger welled up inside me. "Get out."

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Her eyes widened slightly. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." I said firmly, pointing straight at the door. "Leave. Before I throw you out."

Her face contorted with fury, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned sharply on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. For a moment, I thought that was the end of it.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

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About a week later, I opened my mailbox to find an envelope that stood out. It had thick, cream-colored paper and looked more serious than the usual junk mail.

At first glance, I almost tossed it aside, but then I spotted Liam’s name printed inside.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I sat down and started reading it carefully.

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According to the letter, our grandmother had "intended" that both investment portfolios were to be shared equally, even years down the line. Since Liam’s portfolio had been valued at just $15,000 when he cashed it out, I was supposedly "legally and morally obligated" to hand over half of mine now.

Then came the kicker—the threat.

"If you refuse, legal fees and fines will eat up your half anyway, and you'll end up with nothing."

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I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing. It was so obvious they were bluffing.

Then, something odd caught my eye. Right at the bottom, Madison had signed her name, proudly labeling herself as a legal professional.

I furrowed my brow. Sure, she worked at a law firm, but as far as I knew, she was a legal secretary, not a licensed attorney.

I grabbed my phone and called up my lawyer.

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"You're going to love this," I said as I read the entire letter to him.

There was a long pause on the line, and then he burst out laughing. "Oh, this is rich."

I raised an eyebrow. "She's bluffing, right?" I asked.

"Oh, absolutely. But I'm going to check something. Give me a day." he replied confidently.

I smirked, feeling reassured. "Sounds good."

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I had no intention of letting this slide. If they wanted to play games, I was ready. But funny enough, I didn’t have to lift a finger—karma stepped in before I could.

A few days after forwarding the letter to my lawyer, he called me back, excitement practically radiating from his voice.

"Oh, this is better than I thought," he said, clearly trying to stifle his amusement.

I leaned back in my chair, curiosity piqued. "Do tell."

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"Your brother's girlfriend? Madison? She's not a lawyer. She's a legal secretary. But that's not even the best part."

My eyebrows shot up. "There's more?"

"Oh, yeah. She forged details in the letter. She altered firm letterhead, inflated her job title, and made it seem like an official legal notice." he explained, sounding both amused and appalled. "That's fraud."

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I blinked in disbelief. "Wait—actual fraud?"

"Yep. And guess what? I forwarded it to her law firm." he said with a chuckle. "They did not appreciate it."

I couldn’t help but grin. "What happened?"

"They fired her on the spot."

I let out a slow, satisfied breath. "Wow."

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"Yeah, and trust me, that's just the beginning. She could be in real legal trouble for this."

Shaking my head, I could hardly believe it. "She really thought she could fake a lawsuit?"

"She really thought you were dumb enough to fall for it," my lawyer added with a knowing smile.

I let out a genuine laugh. "Guess she learned the hard way."

"Guess so." he said, pausing. "So, what now?"

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I smirked, already knowing the answer. "Now? I wait."

Exactly a week later, there was yet another knock at my door.

I opened it to find Liam standing there. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. The confident grin he usually wore was nowhere in sight. Instead, he looked downright desperate.

"Hey, man," he began, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Can we talk?"

I sighed, already tired of where this was headed. "What do you want, Liam?"

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Liam hesitated, then shifted aside. Standing behind him, arms crossed and seething, was Madison.

"She lost her job," Liam muttered quietly.

I raised an eyebrow and faked surprise. "Oh, really? How shocking."

Liam clenched his jaw, clearly frustrated. "Come on, man. She messed up, okay? But we're in a bad spot. She's got debts—serious debts."

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I leaned casually against the doorframe, not giving an inch. "And that's my problem because...?"

He stared at me, desperation in his eyes. "I need help."

I let out a small laugh, unable to help myself. "You mean money."

He sighed heavily. "Yeah. A loan. Just something to get us through."

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I shook my head, feeling fed up. "Unbelievable. First, you try to scam me. Now, you're begging me for cash?"

Liam stared at the ground, almost looking embarrassed. "It's different now."

"No," I said firmly. "It's exactly the same. You screw up, and you expect me to bail you out."

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I lifted an eyebrow, watching Madison closely. "Greedy? You literally tried to steal from me."

She rolled her eyes with a sneer. "Whatever. Enjoy your blood money."

I didn’t even bother responding. I simply shut the door right in their faces.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t feel the tiniest bit guilty.

The next morning, though, things took a turn.

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All four of my tires were slashed—deep, vicious cuts straight through the rubber, like someone had taken a knife and gone wild.

I crouched down, running my fingers along one of the gashes. The damage was total; no way these could be patched up.

Whatever lingering guilt I might’ve felt evaporated instantly.

Without wasting time, I pulled out my phone and dialed the police.

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Within the hour, an officer was standing in front of my car, taking notes as they examined the wrecked tires. "You got any idea who might've done this?"

I let out a short, dry laugh. "Oh, I have a very good idea."

I gave the officer both names without hesitation.

Later that afternoon, I rang up my lawyer. The second I told him what happened, he actually laughed out loud.

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"Oh, this just keeps getting better," he said, barely holding back more laughter. "You realize we have her on record making legal threats against you, right?"

I grinned. "Sure do."

"This is open-and-shut," he replied confidently. "Between the fraud, the vandalism, and the threats, they're both in trouble now."

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Good. I was officially done trying to play the nice guy.

Liam and Madison thought they could manipulate me and take what wasn’t theirs. Now, they were about to find out what happens when you push someone too far. The consequences were coming—fast.

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While this story draws inspiration from real events and people, it has been fictionalized for the sake of creativity. Names, characters, and some details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance storytelling. Any similarities to actual people, living or dead, or to real-life events are purely coincidental and unintentional.

Neither the author nor the publisher makes any guarantees about the accuracy of events or portrayals. They are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is shared "as is,", and any opinions expressed belong solely to the characters—they do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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