When Natalie first met Evan, she thought he was the one. At 39, he was charming, funny, and an amazing dad to his two kids, Liam and Emma. Natalie, who was 32 and didn’t have kids of her own, admired how Evan handled everything with such ease. He seemed like the perfect guy—until she noticed something strange.
It started small. Once a week, Evan would take his kids out to dinner, and Natalie would join them. Evan always picked the restaurants—sometimes casual diners, sometimes fancy places. “Come on, Natalie,” he’d say with a grin. “Let’s live a little!”
The kids loved it, especially when they got to try new desserts or fancy milkshakes with donuts hanging off the rim. Natalie didn’t mind at first. She thought it was sweet that Evan wanted to make special memories with his kids, and she was happy to be part of it.
But then, things started to change.
The first time Evan “forgot” his wallet, Natalie didn’t think much of it. “Oh no, Nat!” he said, patting his pockets. “I must’ve left it at home. Can you cover this one? I’ll pay you back, I promise.” Natalie smiled and handed over her card. “No problem,” she said.
The second time it happened, she raised an eyebrow. The third time, she felt a little uneasy. By the fifth time, she knew it wasn’t an accident. Evan was always forgetting his wallet, and Natalie was always the one paying.
But what could she do? The kids were there, and she didn’t want to cause a scene. Liam and Emma were sweet, innocent kids who adored their dad. Natalie didn’t want to ruin their fun or make things awkward. So, she kept quiet—even though her bank account was starting to feel the strain.
“You’ve got to say something, Nat,” her sister Laurel told her one day. “This isn’t fair to you.”
“I know,” Natalie sighed, pulling a pecan pie out of the oven. “But I feel bad. The kids love these dinners, and I don’t want to ruin it for them.”
“What about you?” Laurel asked, cutting herself a slice of pie. “You’re working two jobs just to make ends meet, and Evan’s letting his kids order whatever they want—seafood platters, fancy desserts, the works. That’s not fair.”
“I know,” Natalie said again. “But how do I bring it up without sounding like I’m being cheap?”
“Forget your wallet next time,” Laurel suggested with a smirk. “See how he likes it.”
Natalie laughed, but deep down, she knew her sister was right. She couldn’t keep letting Evan take advantage of her. But every time she tried to bring it up, Evan would flash that charming smile of his and say, “Don’t worry, Nat. I’ll pay you back.” Except he never did.
The final straw came on a Friday night. Natalie had just gotten paid from her second job and was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. She’d even bought new nail polish to treat herself. “I’m thinking of trying this deep red color,” she told Laurel over the phone.
“Oooh, that sounds fancy!” Laurel said. “But you know what would be even fancier? If you stopped paying for Evan’s dinners and spent that money on yourself instead.”
Natalie sighed. “I know, I know. I just… I don’t know how to bring it up.”
“You’ve got to stand up for yourself, Nat,” Laurel said. “You deserve better.”
As soon as Natalie hung up, Evan and the kids showed up at her door. “We’re going out to dinner!” Evan announced. “The kids had a rough day with their mom, and they need a pick-me-up.”
Natalie hesitated. “Evan, I haven’t gotten paid yet,” she lied. “I can’t afford to go out tonight.”
“Don’t worry,” Evan said with a wink. “I’ve got this one.”
Natalie wanted to believe him, but she had a bad feeling. Still, she didn’t want to disappoint the kids, so she agreed to go.
Before they left, Natalie texted Evan: Don’t forget your wallet this time! His reply? A laughing emoji. That should’ve been her first clue.
At the restaurant, Evan went all out. He ordered appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks—racking up a bill that made Natalie’s stomach churn. When the waiter brought the check, Evan did his usual routine: patting his pockets, looking confused, and then flashing that sheepish grin. “Guess I forgot my wallet again,” he said. “Can you cover this one, Nat? I’ll pay you back, I promise.”
But this time, Natalie was ready.
She stood up, grabbed her purse, and looked Evan straight in the eye. “No, Evan. I’m not paying for this dinner.”
His jaw dropped. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’m done being your backup wallet,” Natalie said, loud enough for the waiter to hear. “You’ve done this every single time, and I’m not doing it anymore.”
Evan’s face turned red. “You can’t just leave us here!” he hissed.
“Watch me,” Natalie said. She turned to Liam and Emma, who were watching with wide eyes. “I’m sorry, guys. But this isn’t fair to me.”
Then, she walked out of the restaurant, her heart pounding but her head held high.
Later that night, Evan called her, furious. “Natalie, you embarrassed me in front of my kids!” he shouted.
“No, Evan,” Natalie said calmly. “You embarrassed yourself. You’ve been using me to pay for your meals for months, and I’m not doing it anymore.”
He tried to guilt-trip her, saying she didn’t understand what it was like to be a single parent. “Money’s tight, Natalie!” he said.
“And so is mine!” she shot back. “I work two jobs, Evan. Two. And yet you’ve let me pay for every meal without so much as offering to pay me back. That’s not a mistake—that’s a pattern.”
Evan fell silent for a moment, then muttered, “Maybe we need to rethink how you treat my kids. They deserve better.”
Natalie laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laugh. “No, Evan. They deserve better than a father who manipulates people to get what he wants.”
She hung up, blocked his number, and never looked back.
Breaking up with Evan wasn’t just about the money. It was about respect. Natalie realized she deserved someone who saw her as a partner, not a meal ticket. Someone who took responsibility instead of making excuses.
As for Evan? Well, Natalie hoped he learned something from that dinner. And she hoped his wallet had been getting a lot more use since she walked away.
What do you think of Natalie’s story? Would you have done the same thing? Share your thoughts below!
