I never planned on getting a credit card—growing up watching my parents fight over money made me wary. But at 22, juggling university and saving for a car, I got one to build my credit. I told only my dad; my mom can’t keep secrets, and I didn’t want anyone else to know. Of course, she told my brother Mark. At 28, he’s the golden child turned financial disaster, married to Kendra—his equally irresponsible partner in chaos. Not long after, I got a text: “Can we borrow your card? It’s like free money.” I said no. It wasn’t free, and I wasn’t risking my credit. They didn’t take it well. Days later,
they showed up uninvited, trying to guilt-trip me in front of my mom, who, of course, took their side. “Family helps family,” they said. But I stood firm—and luckily, my dad backed me up and kicked them out. Then, my credit card disappeared. I remembered setting my wallet down while they visited. Suspicious, I called the bank. Sure enough,
