Nathan is in deep trouble. His father has remarried and his new half-siblings are invading his space and destroying his most cherished possessions. Nathan feels trapped and ignored in his own home. Tired of it all, he quietly plots a bittersweet revenge. But will Nathan’s actions bring him the peace he longs for?
Living with my half-siblings was tough. Penny, 16, Peter, 11, and William, 10, didn’t understand boundaries. They were always going through my stuff and even broke my Xbox!
A sad teenager | Source: Midjourney
The fact is that my father married my stepmother two months ago and nothing has been going well since then. We have a three-bedroom house.
Previously, Dad and I each had our own bedroom with bathroom, and the smaller room was Dad’s office.
A home office | Source: Unsplash
Now Penny lives in my room, and I have to share the small room with Peter and William. All my books, telescope and other things are piled up in the basement because there is no room.
One day, I noticed that my watch was missing. It wasn’t just any watch – it was a gift from my mother before she died of cancer. That watch meant everything to me.
A wristwatch | Source: Pexels
I searched everywhere in our cramped bedroom. I checked under the beds, behind the dresser, even in the closet. I found nothing. My frustration grew, and one day, weeks later, I decided to look in the basement. Maybe, just maybe, the boys had taken it there while playing.
I walked down the creaky stairs, the basement dimly lit by a single bulb. My heart pounded as I moved boxes and old toys. And then, I saw him.
A flight of stairs | Source: Unsplash
My watch was on the ground, but it wasn’t the same anymore. The glass was cracked and the hands were frozen. I picked it up, feeling a lump in my throat.
How could they be so careless? That was all I had of my mother.
A broken watch held in the palm of a hand | Source: Midjourney
I clutched the broken watch in my hand and ran upstairs to find Penny.
She was in the living room, scrolling on her phone.
A teenage girl on her phone | Source: Pexels
“Penny, I need to talk to you,” I said firmly.
She looked up, annoyed. “What’s your problem now, you weirdo?”
“Your brothers took my watch. They broke it!” I said, showing him the damage.
A sad boy holding a watch face | Source: Midjourney
“Well, don’t give them orders. They’re MY brothers, so you have no right to tell them what to do, and they’re just kids,” she said casually.
I was speechless. “That watch is from Mom, Penny! It’s all I have left of her!”
A teenage girl absorbed in her phone | Source: Pexels
“So what? I don’t care. It’s just a watch, after all,” she said, not even looking up from her phone.
“It’s not just a watch,” I mumbled, but she wasn’t listening. I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
A crying teenager | Source: Freepik
I didn’t want her to see me cry, so I walked away, feeling more alone than ever. Sitting on the bed in my small room, I held the broken watch and cried like a little child.
I didn’t feel at home in this house, and I missed Mom more than ever. All I wanted was a little respect, a little space. But here, even that seemed like too much to ask.
A sad boy sitting on his bed | Source: Midjourney
Before my step-siblings moved in, I had $100 allowance. Now Penny gets $75, I get $35, and Peter and William get $30 each. They didn’t like me or respect me, and I was kicked out of my own room. Now what?
I knew I had to tell Dad and Charlotte what was happening. This couldn’t go on like this. That night I found them in the living room.
An elderly couple at home | Source: Pexels
“Dad, Charlotte, can we talk?” I asked, my voice shaking.
Dad turned off the TV and looked at me. “What’s up, buddy?”
An elderly man smiling | Source: Pexels
“It’s about Peter and William,” I said, my head hanging. “They keep going through my stuff. They broke the watch Mum gave me. I told Penny what happened, but she doesn’t care.”
I showed them the broken watch, hoping they would understand how much it meant to me.
A watch with a broken dial | Source: Midjourney
Charlotte frowned slightly but didn’t say anything, and Dad sighed.
“Nathan, I know it’s hard to adjust to this new situation. But we all have to make sacrifices in a family,” he said.
I felt my frustration rising. “Sacrifices? Dad, it’s not just about the watch. It’s about everything. I have no personal space. They don’t respect my stuff, and I feel like you don’t understand me.”
Angry Teenager | Source: Midjourney
“Nathan, they’re young,” Charlotte added. “They don’t understand boundaries like you do. You have to be patient.”
“Patient? I’ve been patient! But nothing changes. I’m losing more than space. I’m losing the connection we had before, Dad. We never talk like we used to!”
An older woman | Source: Pexels
Dad rubbed his temples. “Nathan, we’re all doing our best. This isn’t easy for any of us.”
“I understand, but you have to see how much this affects me. I miss Mom, and now I feel like I’m losing you too!” I said, crying.
A frustrated teenager | Source: Freepik
Charlotte’s expression softened, but she remained silent.
Dad looked at me with a mixture of frustration and pity. “Nathan, we can’t change the situation right now. We have to make the best of it.”
Older man on couch | Source: Pexels
“So I just have to resign myself and deal with it?”
“Yes, Nathan. That’s what being part of a family means sometimes.”
My heart sank. “Fine. But don’t expect me to be happy about it,” I said and stormed out of the room.
Angry Teenager | Source: Midjourney
Back in my room, I stared at the broken watch. It seemed like no one understood or cared about what I was going through. I missed Mom, and I missed the days when Dad actually listened to me.
It was time to teach my parents and half-siblings a lesson.
A serious looking teenager | Source: Pexels
I decided to write about what I was going through and share it online. Maybe someone would understand.
I put my heart into the post:
My name is Nathan, I’m 15 years old and I feel like a stranger in my own home. Since my mother died of cancer, everything has changed. I now share a cramped room with my half-brothers, Peter and William, who don’t respect my space. They broke the watch my mother gave me, the only thing I have left of her.
A teenager holding a smartphone | Source: Pexels
I tried to talk to my dad and my stepmom, but they don’t understand. They tell me I have to make sacrifices, that this is family. But I feel lost and forgotten. Most nights I think about running away. But I know life on the streets would be even harder. I’m so tired of feeling alone and ignored. Does anyone else feel like this?
A person using a phone | Source: Unsplash
I hit “post” and waited. The next morning I checked the post and was shocked. There were so many replies.
“Your parents need to wake up and see what they are doing to you,” one wrote.
“No one should feel so alone in their own home,” another said.
A phone screen showing a Facebook page | Source: Unsplash
A few days later, I decided to show the post to Dad and Charlotte. I couldn’t keep it to myself anymore. I walked to their room, feeling a mixture of anxiety and determination.
“Dad, Charlotte, can we talk?” I asked, holding my phone.
Dad looked up from his book. “What’s up, Nathan?”
A book and a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels
“I need you to read something,” I said, handing them my phone. “Please.”
They began to read, their faces growing more serious with each line. I could see the emotions shifting from confusion to worry. When they got to the part where I thought about running away, Charlotte’s eyes filled with tears. Dad’s face went pale.
A sad couple | Source: Pexels
“Is that what you feel, Nathan?” Dad asked, his voice shaking.
“Yeah, that’s it. I feel like no one is listening to me. I’m so tired of feeling alone,” I replied, my voice shaking.
Charlotte broke down in tears. “We had no idea, Nathan. We thought we were doing our best, but we were clearly blind to what you’re going through.”
A woman in tears | Source: Pexels
Dad put his arm around her and looked at me with sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry, son. We should have taken you more seriously. We’ll make amends. We’ll talk and figure out how to make things better.”
I also showed them the comments. “Look at what people are saying. They understand it, why don’t you?”
Dad sighed, deeply pained. “Nathan, we were so focused on everyone adjusting that we didn’t see how much pain you were in. I’m sorry, I am. We’ll do better.”
A sad man | Source: Pexels
For the first time in a long time, things started to improve.
After our heartfelt discussion, everyone helped transform the basement into my own private space.
One night, as I was painting the walls, Penny came up to me. “Nathan, can we talk?” she asked.
A smiling teenager | Source: Pexels
“Sure, what’s wrong?” I asked, wiping the paint off my hands.
She took a deep breath. “I was very hostile towards you, and I’m sorry. I guess I never really dealt with my feelings about our parents’ marriage. I felt like I was being replaced by you.”
His words surprised me. “I didn’t know you felt that way, Penny. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems that I haven’t seen yours.”
A chilly teenager | Source: Pexels
She nodded, crying. “It’s been hard on all of us. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”
I reached out and hugged her. “Thank you, Penny. That means a lot to me. We all have our struggles, but maybe we can get through this together.”
Two siblings hug each other | Source: Midjourney
Even Peter and William seemed to understand the importance of respecting my space. We also talked about dividing up pocket money to make things fairer.
Dad sat us down and explained the new plan. “Penny, you’ll get $60, Nathan, $50, and Peter and William, you’ll each get $30. We want everyone to feel valued and treated fairly.”
We finally feel at home.
People enjoying their meal | Source: Pexels
What would you have done?
If you liked this story, here is another one where a woman took brilliant revenge on her husband who abandoned her and their children for his mistress.
This work is inspired by real events and persons, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to real events is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims as to the accuracy of events or portrayal of characters and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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