It started like any other normal day, but I didn’t know a little that one conversation would disintegrate.
The kind of secrets I thought were harmless, proved to be a bomb waiting for an explosion, and I stood right next to her. It wasn’t like I was deliberately hiding – I thought it would never matter.
After all, I just lived my life and shared a home with the person I loved. But when Jason found out the truth, it seemed to me that there was a cracked ground under me and nothing was the same again.
When my friend Jason moved with me, everything looked good until he found out that I owned the house. I never imagined that it would not cause any tension, but his reaction led to a sharp argument we haven’t seen.
At the age of 18, my dad gave me the keys to an old two-page house that had been in our family for generations. It was not a huge residence, but it was a special gift. Our family was not rich, but we had a history and I appreciated this opportunity.
My dad bought a house for a great price from my grandmother’s cousin and I was well aware of happiness. Every time I walked into the house, I felt a deep feeling of gratitude.
The house had a unique layout, each floor worked as a separate apartment, each with its entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. I lived upstairs while I rented the ground floor to a beautiful woman named Maggie.
Maggie paid me $ 500 per month for rent, which was lower than most places, but I didn’t want to make money out of it. It helped with the cost of maintenance of the house and I enjoyed independence from things myself.
Three months ago Jason moved with me. We went for six months and it looked like the time. His lease contract ended and my house had enough space, which makes it a logical choice. It also seemed that it was a step towards building the future together.
Jason was relaxed about things and we distributed the cost of food evenly. We have never talked about money and I have never faded the fact that I owned the house. It didn’t seem important, so I didn’t think I could mention it.
One evening, when we watched the television, there was a news story about rising rental prices. Jason sighed and said, “The landlords are the worst. They are immediately after money and do not care about people who cannot afford to live. ”
I stayed quiet, I’m not sure how to react. I didn’t plan to tell him that I was a technical landlord, but I didn’t throw the picture he thought. I charged the fair rent and made sure that Maggie’s life situation was comfortable.
Jason continued and shook his head. “It’s just wrong. People should not benefit from something as basic as housing.”
I nodded, but I changed the subject and hoped to avoid an unpleasant conversation. A few days later I cleaned the kitchen when I heard knocking on the door. I opened it to find Maggie and looked worried.
“Hey, Maggie, is everything all right?” I asked.
She explained that her freezer stopped working. I watched it on the ground floor to check it. The freezer was warm and broken. I sighed and told her that by covering the cost of a new one.
Maggie was relieved and thanked me. When I came back, I realized that Jason probably heard the whole conversation. When I walked into the room, he sat on the couch and looked confused.
“Is Maggie okay?” He asked.
“Yeah, her freezer broke, but I told her she would pay for a new one,” I replied unwillingly.
Jason was stunned. “Do you pay for her freezer?” Why would you do that? ”
Before I explained, “Well, the freezer was here when she moved in, so it’s my responsibility.”
Jason frowned. “I don’t understand. Why is this your responsibility? ”
I felt the tension of the building. “Because … It’s my house. I rent it. ”
Jason’s face changed when he found out what I just said. “Do you own this place?” His voice was sharper than I expected.
“Yeah,” I replied quietly. “I thought he knew that.”
“No, I didn’t know,” he said, his tone colder than before. “You never told me.”
I tried to explain, “It never came. I couldn’t do that. ”
But he shook his head and the atmosphere in the room changed. The days that followed were tense. Jason looked distant, he was no longer a carefree person I knew. Something was gone.
One evening, when I cleaned the kitchen, Jason entered and leaned against the counter. “I still can’t believe you never told me,” he murmured.
“I didn’t hide it,” I said, laying a towel. “It just didn’t look like a big problem.” You never asked. ”
Jason laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laughter. “You’re a landlord.” This is quite significant. Don’t you think I should know? ”
I opened my mouth to answer but cut me off. “I thought we were on the same page.” But now …
I don’t know. Landlords simply use people. ”
“I’m not like that!” I said and joined closer. “Maggie’s rent is fair and repair everything that breaks.” I’m not a greedy landlord. ”
Jason shook his head. “But you still make money from someone else’s need.”
I felt frustrated. “I don’t hurt anyone.” I run Maggie much less than most places. I’ll take care of the house. I don’t make a profit, Jason. It’s just break the place. ”
Jason crossed his hands. “But you still own it. And you’ll still make money out of it.”
“Yeah, cover the cost!” I won’t turn here, Jason, ”I shot back.
Stood up. “It’s all about strength. You have something you need and pay for it.”
The next morning, when I talked to Maggie on the phone in the freezer, Jason entered the room. “So you pay for it?” He asked sarcastically.
“Yes,” I replied, trying to stay calm. “The freezer was part of the apartment when she moved in. It’s my responsibility.” ”
He stared at me, his frustration building. “Incredible.”
“I don’t know what you want from me,” I said, my voice shaking. “What do you expect?”
Jason crossed his hands and his voice was rough. “Either stop charging rent or give me half of what you do.” If you are going to be a landlord, at least share profits. ”
I was impressed. “Share profits? Jasondoesn’t work for the company. Rent barely covers my costs.”
“I don’t care,” he said. “You either with me or not. If you benefit people, I also deserve your share.”
At that moment she was baked in me. “I won’t give you half.” I worked hard to keep this house.
He grabbed the keys from the table, threw them to the wall, and broke through the wall. It was not possible to wake up, but the noise shook me.
“Okay,” he yelled face red anger. “I’m done. I don’t stay here. ”
I reached over the phone and trembled. “Jason, stop. Just calm down.”
But he didn’t look like he went out and killed the door behind him. The house felt empty and cold, silence stunning.
A few minutes later my father arrived. He did not ask questions. He just hugged me and held me tight as I tried my breathe.
The next morning I was still in shock when Maggie knocked on my door and held a cup of muffins. “I heard what happened,” she said quietly. “I’m very sorry.”
I have a weak smile. “Thanks, Maggie.” I’m fine. ”
She handed me a basket. “I thought you could use something sweet.”
I took it and felt the warmth that I hadn’t felt in days. “You didn’t have to do that.”
In the days that followed, I realized that the tension between Jason and me was not just about the house – these were the values, expectations, and dynamics of power that we did not fully understand. I wasn’t left to think about how quickly everything changed and how much I was willing to overlook to keep my peace. My relationship with Jason felt broken, and although I wasn’t sure things would disappear from here, I knew I had to stay faithful to myself and my selections. The unexpected support of Maggie reminded me that sometimes the people we least expect are offering the greatest kindness, and that was something I needed to hold when I moved forward.