In this tale of financial fraud and personal betrayal, Lana grapples with the shocking revelation that her longtime boyfriend, Ashton, has been lying about their living arrangements for years. The discovery that Ashton owned the apartment they shared – while Lana contributed half of the supposed rent, which actually went towards the mortgage – shook the foundation of their relationship and ultimately led to its demise.
Lana and Ashton’s story began as a seemingly pragmatic agreement between two recent graduates who want to share the cost of living in the city. Ashton floated the idea of splitting the rent 50/50, which Lana agreed to, believing it to be a fair and equal contribution to their shared expenses. This arrangement continued smoothly for several years, fostering what Lana considered a strong and trusting relationship.
Lana dated Ashton for a few months before he asked her to move in with him and share the costs of the apartment. They split everything equally for years until Lana found out that Ashton had been lying all along.
“It’s going to be great. We’re both recent grads so living together makes more sense. We split the bills 50/50 and we both win,” Ashton told Lana. She wasn’t sure moving in after eight months of dating was the best idea.
“I don’t know, Ashton. It’s a big commitment. Like you said, we both just finished school,” Lana said hesitantly.
“Well, the only thing we can do is move to the city and get a job together. I already have some money for a down payment and everything. I’ll go find an apartment and get all that stuff done if you let me,” Ashton continued, urging. Lana says yes.
“Okay, I agree. It makes sense because living in the city has gotten pretty expensive. Once we find work, it’ll be fine,” she finally accepted.
Ashton moved to the city and found an apartment faster than Lana expected.
He arranged everything and Lana packed up and moved in with him just a few weeks later. The rent was quite reasonable and it was better to split it down the middle.
“You can send me the rent money. I’ll send it directly from my account to the landlord,” Ashton told her when she asked about it.
“Does that cover services and stuff? What about Wi-Fi?” Lana wondered.
“How about paying for Wi-Fi from your bill?” Ashton suggested. Lana immediately agreed because Ashton had so much to deal with, but she also wanted to be helpful.
This arrangement worked perfectly for several years until Lana wanted to stop renting and get a house with Ashton. But first, they needed to talk about the future.
“Honey, we’ve been together for a few years now. Can you see us moving on?” she asked one night.
“Of course Lana. But I wasn’t sure you wanted to get married anytime soon,” Ashton said honestly.
“Well…I’ve never been much into weddings. We could have something simple. But I asked because I thought it might be time to find a house,” Lana explained. “I’m tired of paying rent every month. I’d rather use that money for a mortgage.”
“That sounds like a great idea. But I don’t know if we’ve saved enough for a down payment,” Ashton said suddenly hesitantly.
“Oh, I know. I have some savings, but I just wanted us to start thinking about moving forward together,” Lana finished.
“You’re right. Let’s plan it,” Ashton agreed, but whenever Lana brought up the subject again, he distracted her with other things. Maybe she doesn’t want to buy a house or get married together, Lana thought.
One day, Lana cleaned their room while Ashton went to pick up dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant. They have eaten there or picked up food every Saturday since they moved in. It was a lovely little tradition.
Suddenly Lana saw that Ashton had left some of his documents in a mess in the closet. She picked them up and started putting them in his folder. She never saw what he had there because it was his business.
But then she saw something with the address of their apartment. Was it our lease? Lana wondered. She was curious and kept looking. But it wasn’t that kind of contract. Ashton’s name was next to the word “owner”.
She didn’t understand much about the title deeds or titles, but the document said Ashton owned the apartment. He lied to me all these years. Lana realized with horror. Then how did he use the money I paid for “rent”?”
“Honey, I’m here! The food smells amazing today!” Ashton called from the kitchen. She wanted to march into the living room and yell at him. But it was best to keep a calm attitude first.
“What is it, Ashton? Do you own this apartment or condo or what?” Lana asked him with the documents in hand. Ashton’s eyes lit up.
“What are you doing going through my stuff?” he asked, trying to deflect.
“What are you doing going through my stuff?” he asked, trying to deflect.
“No. Don’t change the subject. This is clearly a title deed and you are the owner. Tell me the truth right now!” Lana said finally unable to keep her cool.
“Okay, Lana. Take it easy. It’s not that bad.”
Yes, I own the apartment,” Ashton began but did not continue.
“And what did I pay for the rent?” Lana asked irritably.
“I used it to pay the mortgage. Okay, listen.”
My parents gave me money for a down payment after graduation and saw this great opportunity. But a mortgage on this place would be too much of my first paycheck,” Ashton explained.
“So you’ve been lying all these years?” Lana asked coldly.
“Yeah, but it’s not a big deal. It’s like you’re renting it from me,” Ashton reasoned.
“However, the mortgage would not be as high as the rent. We ‘split’ everything in half.
Was your mortgage $1,600 a month?”
Lana asked.
“Well, no. The mortgage was a bit more than what you paid for the rent,” Ashton admitted. “I’m sorry Lana. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you’d agree if you knew I owned this place.”
“YOU LIED TO ME!” she screamed and started crying. “I could have saved so much money if we split things in half. But no! You made me pay the entire mortgage for years! What did you do with your money?!”
“I… I saved it,” Ashton said.
“For yourself, huh?! You don’t care about me at all. I’m going to talk to a lawyer! I’m going to sue you! But I’m moving out first!” Lana screamed and moved. She packed her things as Ashton begged her to stop.
“Please. I’ll send you money. Just don’t leave. I love you. We’re getting married!” Ashton pleaded.
“Goodbye Ashton. I don’t care what you do with your life,” Lana added. “I’ll be back soon for the rest of my things.
She left and went to the hotel. Lana soon found a great apartment in the area. It was smaller than Ashton’s place, but at least no one lied to her. She may have threatened to sue him, but the truth is she didn’t want anything from him. She wanted to cut ties and move on.
Ashton called and begged her to come back, but Lana refused each time.
Finally, he stopped. However, one day Lana received a notification from her banking app informing her of a deposit of thousands of dollars.
Ashton had apparently given her back what she could have saved if they had actually split things up between them. It was a nice gesture, but too late. The ropes were above him.
What can we learn from this story?
• Lying can destroy a
relationship. While some couples can patch things up after a huge lie, other people can’t tolerate it.
Don’t lie to your partner.
• Ask to see documents before agreeing to large commitments. Lana didn’t ask to see their lease and revealed the truth in the worst possible way. Don’t let your partner handle everything because you never know what could happen.
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In this tale of deception and betrayal, Lana learns a painful lesson about trust and transparency in relationships. After years of paying rent to her boyfriend Ashton under the false assumption that they shared the burden equally, she discovered documents revealing that Ashton actually owned the apartment. This revelation not only exposed the financial fraud but also shattered Lana’s trust in Ashton, leading to the inevitable end of their relationship.
The consequences of Ashton’s actions serve as a stark reminder of how important honesty is in creating and maintaining healthy relationships. While Ashton’s eventual attempt to atone for his wrongdoing by returning the money offered Lana some small consolation, it was too late. The damage was done and the trust that had once formed the foundation of their relationship was irretrievably broken.
This story highlights the importance of transparency and honesty in partnerships, especially when it comes to financial matters, which can often be a source of contention. It also highlights the value of clearly and early discussing and documenting financial arrangements in a relationship to avoid misunderstandings or fraud.
For anyone in a relationship, this story is a cautionary tale that emphasizes the need to foster open communication and ensure that all agreements, especially financial ones, are mutually understood and agreed upon. By learning from Lana’s unfortunate experience, others can protect their relationships from similar pitfalls.