When he learned about the inheritance, something changed.

It wasn’t immediate — more like a slow shift in tone. He began talking more seriously about marriage. About “our next chapter.” About how this could be the beginning of “our real future.” He referred to my dad’s house as “our place” and started casually discussing renovations, upgrades, even selling it so “we” could buy something better together.

At first, I tried to brush it off as excitement. Maybe he was simply envisioning a shared life.

But then he suggested that I sell the house outright and split the proceeds so we could “start fresh as equals.” That was the moment my stomach tightened.