When Dustin’s sister Jessica sells him her old car, he takes the time to fix it up and bring it back to life. But one day, Jessica storms into his house, demanding her car back. Luckily, Dustin already had a plan in place…
To be honest with you, I never thought that a beat-up old car could become the center of a family drama, but here we are.
It all started when my older sister, Jessica, decided to “gift” me her old car. Well, “gift” might be a bit of an exaggeration, because she sold it to me for a nominal amount.
A dilapidated old car | Source: Midjourney
The car was in bad shape. The tires were flat, there was rust under the hood, and the paint was practically peeling. It had sat in our parents’ garage for years, collecting layers of dust.
But as a 22-year-old car enthusiast, I saw potential where others saw a candidate for the scrapyard.
“There’s something, Gabi,” I said to my girlfriend as we sat in a fast food restaurant. “I know it doesn’t seem like a big opportunity, but it is. There’s a lot I can do with the car.”
A couple sitting in a fast food restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“All right, Dustin,” she laughed as she ate her fries. “You do what you have to do. But don’t get your hopes up until Jessica actually gives it to you.”
Jessica made a big show of handing me the keys. She made it seem like she was doing me a huge favor.
“Don’t take this lightly, Dustin,” she said. “I loved that car.”
A woman holding car keys | Source: Midjourney
Her words sounded like a warning. To be honest, she probably thought I’d scrap her for parts and let her rot. But I had other plans.
I invested all my savings in this car, upgrading everything I could. On weekends, I would sit over the car while Gabi told me stories about her friends and professors at university.
“I really think Ben is going to get caught for cheating,” she said. “He copied the whole assignment off the Internet. I’m sure they’ll fail him for that.”
A man working on a car | Source: Midjourney
I chuckled as I worked.
I replaced the interior, repainted the exterior, bought new tires and wheels, and even installed a sound system. In total, I think I must have spent about $5,000 and countless hours to bring this car back to life.
Then one morning, as I was getting ready to leave for college, Jessica burst into the house, looking frantic. Gabi was getting out of the shower and yelped when she saw Jessica running toward our bedroom, clutching her towel tightly.
A young man in a car | Source: Midjourney
“Dustin, I need to get the car back,” she said. “Where are the keys? I need them right away.”
I was stunned.
“What?” I exclaimed.
“Now!” she shouted, looking around the living room as if trying to find the keys.
“Jessica, what are you talking about? You sold me this car,” I said, trying to keep my cool. “It’s not yours anymore. So you have no right to make any decisions.”
Annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
“Well, I never officially transferred the documents,” she replied, waving her hands dismissively. “And anyway, Tom’s car broke down, and we need another vehicle. So I’m taking it back.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Tom, her husband, was known for his reckless driving and wrecking cars. It was his “thing.” In the six years Tom and Jessica had been married, he had already wrecked four cars.
A man next to a broken down car | Source: Midjourney
The thought of him driving my restored car was maddening. But what got to me was Jessica’s audacity. The car was mine. And Jessica had no legal reason to take it. I had bought it and paid for it. Even though we hadn’t finalized the paperwork, it had to be kept.
It’s true ?
Our parents, who had accompanied her, sided with her, of course.
A smiling elderly couple | Source: Midjourney
“She has kids, Dustin,” Mom said, as if that made it all right. I felt betrayed, but I bit my tongue and thought fast.
I didn’t know what else to do. Or even how to feel. My parents had seen all the work I’d put into the car, and yet they wanted me to hand it over to Jessica.
“Okay, Jessica,” I said, forcing a smile. “You can take the car. I really hope it serves you well.”
A woman with two children | Source: Midjourney
She seemed surprised by my compliance, but didn’t question it.
Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to call the police and say my car was stolen, but I had to play it smart.
“Baby,” Gabi said as we sat on the couch that night and talked about everything after Jessica and my parents left. “You’re forgetting something.”
A couple sitting on a couch and talking | Source: Midjourney
“What?” I asked, feeling slightly defeated. I had told Gabi that I was convinced Jessica was up to something. Tom would never drive such an old car, even if I had fixed it up.
“You put a GPS and a camera in the car. If you think your sister is lying to you, access it. See where she is.”
What I found was shocking.
A small GPS tracker in a car | Source: Midjourney
Footage showed Jessica driving recklessly, speeding through neighborhoods and having questionable conversations with Tom about flipping the car for profit.
“Look, I know you hate it, but Dustin has done a lot. It’s going to go up a lot. We can use the money for other things. The kids asked for a backyard gym. This could pay for that,” she said.
“Yes, okay,” he agreed.
A whimsical backyard gym | Source: Midjourney
Although the images were grainy and the sound was slightly distorted, it was still obvious what was happening.
The next morning, I visited a lawyer, armed with receipts for the upgrades and footage safely stored on my laptop. I wasn’t going to let Jessica off the hook that easily.
A young man holding a laptop | Source: Midjourney
The lawyer helped me draft a formal letter to Jessica, outlining the expenses and potential legal consequences of her actions. I also included the section regarding recorded evidence.
“We can work this out, Dustin,” the lawyer told me. “Your sister is just trying to take you for a ride.”
A lawyer leaning on his desk | Source: Midjourney
A few days later, she burst into my house, letter in hand, her face a mixture of anger and panic.
“What is this, Dustin?” she asked.
“It’s simple, Jess,” I said calmly. “Either you sign over the title to the car to me, or I’ll take this to court. And if it comes to that, I’ll make sure the family knows what you did. A gym, huh?”
Close-up of an angry woman | Source: Midjourney
She was furious, but she knew I had her cornered. After a tense silence, she finally agreed to sign the necessary paperwork. To make sure there were no more surprises, I made her sign an agreement stating that the car and all its upgrades were now mine, with no further claims on it.
“I can’t believe you went to see a lawyer, Dustin,” Jessica said, pouring herself a glass of water.
“Yes,” I replied, sitting back down on the couch. “You forced my hand, Jess.”
A woman signing a piece of paper | Source: Midjourney
Now the car is legally mine, and I continue to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Look, it may seem like a piece of junk, but it’s more than just a vehicle. It’s a reminder of the importance of setting boundaries.
“Are you happy now?” Gabi asked me as she made tacos for dinner.
“Yes,” I replied. “Jess had to learn that she can’t walk all over me just because she’s older.”
A young woman preparing tacos | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
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Pretentious coworkers asked new employee to serve them – they were shocked to find out her real identity later
Jessica, who quietly endures mistreatment from her colleagues, is hiding a secret. As tensions rise within a prestigious jewelry company, mysterious financial anomalies surface. Hidden truths are revealed at the annual ball, revealing unexpected identities and shocking betrayals. In this story, nothing is as it seems.
Jessica walked into the bustling office of the popular jewelry brand feeling a mix of nervousness and determination.
An office with a view of the city | Source: Midjourney
A big task awaited her, and of course, she was more than ready to rise to the occasion. Michael had briefed her on everything she needed to do, and now, she was ready to prove herself.
As she moved around, her colleagues noticed her shy nature. She wanted to be easy-going and feel comfortable, which is why she chose simple clothes and minimal makeup.
“No need to make a fuss,” she said to herself as she put on her thin hoop earrings.
A woman in evening dress | Source: Midjourney
But despite her understated appearance, she was undeniably beautiful, and within days of arriving at the office, Jessica became the office’s personal errand girl.
“You’re here!” Melissa barked. “You, go get me a coffee! I’d like a triple-shot iced java chip frappuccino. And a chocolate muffin. Can you handle that? Do you need to write it down?”
A woman sitting at a desk with papers scattered in front of her | Source: Midjourney
Melissa was the self-proclaimed queen bee of the office, and was rarely seen without her phone. If Jessica had anyone to keep an eye on, it was her.
Jessica nodded and hurried to get her muffin from the break room. She would have to leave the building to get the drink.
Close-up of a muffin | Source: Midjourney
“And take it to the dry cleaners,” Linda said, tossing her coat on Jessica’s desk. “There’s one on the other side of the building. Get it done quickly because I need it by tomorrow.”
Jessica complied without complaint. She grabbed the coat and made sure Melissa’s coffee order echoed in her head.
A tall glass of iced coffee | Source: Midjourney
“Do mean girls still exist outside of high school?” she muttered to herself as she got into the elevator.
During lunch, Linda and Melissa sat at a table in the corner of the room, whispering loudly as Jessica opened her container of pasta salad.
Pasta on a plate | Source: Midjourney
“What do you think of the new girl?” Linda asked.
“I think we can crack her soon,” Melissa said. “She’s too quiet, too shy. We can send her on her way soon.”
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 all opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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