“I told you exactly what you wanted to hear yesterday,” I continued, my voice steady and clear. “You said pay rent or get out. I chose ‘get out.’ And as of this morning, I also chose to stop paying your electric bill, your gas bill, your internet service, your water bill, and the car insurance policy that covers all three of you.”
The silence that followed was profound. My father’s mouth worked soundlessly, opening and closing like a fish pulled from water. Denise finally found her voice, thin and reedy: “You can’t just do that. Those are… you can’t…”
“I absolutely can,” I said calmly. “They’re in my name. I’ve been paying them. And now I’m not. I’ve already called every company and transferred the accounts to your names and this address. They’ll be contacting you about setting up payment.”
Tyler looked between his parents and me, confusion creasing his features. “Wait, you were paying for all that? I thought Dad—”
“You thought wrong,” I interrupted. “I’ve been covering most of the household expenses for four years while being told I was living here for free out of their generosity. Turns out that generosity was just my own money being held hostage.”
