The Big Lie: How Lana Discovered Ashton’s Secret
Lana had been dating Ashton for eight exciting months when he dropped a big question—not a proposal, but something almost as serious.
“Let’s move in together,” Ashton said, his eyes bright with excitement. “We’re both fresh out of college, and splitting rent 50-50 will save us so much money. It’s a win-win!”
Lana hesitated. Moving in together was a huge step. “I don’t know, Ashton… It’s a big commitment. We just graduated—what if things don’t work out?”
But Ashton was persuasive. “Come on, this is our chance to start our lives in the city! I’ll handle everything—finding the apartment, paying the deposit. You just say yes, and we’ll make it work.”
After some thought, Lana agreed. *”Okay, fine. It *does* make sense. City living is expensive, and once we both land jobs, it’ll be perfect.”*
The Perfect Setup… Or So She Thought
Ashton moved fast. Within weeks, he’d found a cozy apartment in a great neighborhood. Lana packed her things and joined him, relieved they’d be splitting the rent.
But then, Ashton made an odd request. “Just send me your half of the rent every month. I’ll transfer it to the landlord,” he told her.
Lana frowned. “Does that include utilities? What about the Wi-Fi?”
“How about you handle the Wi-Fi bill?” Ashton suggested. Lana agreed—after all, he’d taken care of everything else.
Years Pass… But Something Feels Off
For years, their arrangement worked smoothly. But one evening, as they relaxed on the couch, Lana brought up the future.
“Ashton, we’ve been together for years now. Where do you see this going?”
He smiled. “Of course I see a future with you, Lana. I just didn’t think you were in a rush to get married.”
“I’m not big on weddings,” Lana admitted. *”But I *do* want to stop renting. Why keep paying someone else’s mortgage when we could own our own place?”*
Ashton’s smile faltered. “That’s a great idea… but do we even have enough saved for a down payment?”
“I’ve been saving,” Lana said. “I just wanted us to start planning.”
“Yeah, of course,” Ashton agreed. But every time Lana brought it up again, he dodged the conversation. Maybe he doesn’t really want a future with me, she thought.
The Shocking Discovery
One Saturday, while Ashton was out picking up their usual Italian takeout, Lana tidied up their room. She noticed some papers scattered in the closet—documents she’d never seen before.
Curious, she picked one up.
Her heart stopped.
It was a property deed—with Ashton’s name on it.
He owned the apartment.
“What…?” Her hands trembled. All these years, she’d been paying him rent—money that was going straight into his pocket.
Just then, Ashton walked in, holding their food. “Honey, I’m back! The pasta smells amazing!”
Lana stormed into the living room, waving the papers. *”Ashton, what is THIS? You *own* this place?!”*
His face went pale. “Why were you going through my stuff?”
“Don’t turn this around!” Lana snapped. *”You’ve been lying to me for *years*! I’ve been paying *your* mortgage!”*
Ashton swallowed hard. “Okay, okay… yes, I own the apartment. My parents helped with the down payment after graduation. But the mortgage was too much for me alone, so… I thought splitting ‘rent’ was fair.”
“Fair?!” Lana’s voice shook with rage. “A mortgage is cheaper than rent! How much was I really paying?!”
Ashton looked down. “A little more than half…”
“YOU LIED TO ME!” Lana screamed, tears burning in her eyes. “I could’ve saved so much money! You used me!”
“I’m sorry!” Ashton begged. “I’ll pay you back—just don’t leave!”
But it was too late. Lana packed her bags while Ashton pleaded. “Please, Lana! We’re supposed to get married!”
“Goodbye, Ashton,” she said coldly. “I’ll be back for the rest of my things.”
A Fresh Start
Lana moved into a hotel, then found her own apartment—smaller, but hers. She blocked Ashton’s calls, ignoring his desperate apologies.
Then, one day, her bank app pinged.
$10,000 deposited.
Ashton had sent back the extra money she’d paid over the years.
It was a nice gesture… but the trust was gone. Lana was done.
The Lesson?
Lies destroy love. Some couples recover, but for Lana, the betrayal was too deep.
Always check the paperwork. If Lana had seen the rental agreement years ago, she would’ve known the truth.
And most importantly—never let someone control the money without transparency. Because you never know what they might be hiding.