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She Stole My Allowance, So I Walked Away From Them
Novelix
Completed
When Chloe Bennett enters college, her childhood friends trust Madison Blake to manage their monthly allowances. But when Chloe suddenly can't afford meals, she discovers Madison has been secretly withholding her money for months. Her brother, boyfriend, and childhood friend all defend Madison and accuse Chloe of being selfish. Forced to work while studying, Chloe finally exposes the truth and walks away from the people who once mattered most. Only after losing her do they realize they took her love and trust for granted.
Chapters (3)
第1章
When we started college, Madison Blake offered to manage the living expenses for our little group. She said the rest of us were too careless with money.
My boyfriend, Ethan Cole, agreed first. My older brother, Ryan Bennett, started transferring his money to her. Our childhood friend, Noah Parker, followed.
From then on, Madison was the one who decided how much spending money each of us received every day.
When Ryan wanted new sneakers, she sent him an extra $120 that afternoon.
When Noah had a dinner with his campus club, she asked whether he needed more cash.
When Ethan made last-minute plans with friends, she transferred money without even asking what it was for.
But when my card was declined at the dining hall and I asked her to advance me ten dollars, she posted my entire weekly spending report in our five-person group chat.
"Chloe, you've been spending a little too much lately."
Ryan told me to hold out for another two days.
Noah suggested I learn to budget.
Ethan studied the spreadsheet and said, "Maddie goes through all this trouble to manage our money. She's only trying to help you."
That very evening, the four of them went out for barbecue, using money Madison had released early.
Halfway through dinner, Ethan finally texted me.
*Why didn't you come?*
I stared at the message and laughed.
They hadn't even noticed I was missing.
Fine, then. From now on, I'd control my own money.
And I didn't want any of those four in my life anymore.
I turned my phone facedown and checked my bank account. There were only eleven dollars left.
Madison was still holding more than two weeks of my allowance.
I opened our private chat.
*Send me the rest of my money. I'll manage it myself from now on.*
Hours passed without a reply.
Just before bedtime, a message finally popped up—in the group chat.
*My stomach hurts so much. Guess barbecue really wasn't a good idea,* Madison wrote.
Ryan answered instantly. *Did you take anything for it?*
Noah sent a screenshot of the nearest pharmacy.
Ethan called her directly.
She told them she was fine and they should get some sleep. Instead, all three fussed over her for another half hour.
My request for my own money sat unanswered.
The next morning, my phone buzzed nonstop.
Ryan had already bought Madison stomach medicine. Noah wanted to know what she'd like for breakfast. Ethan said he was downstairs outside her dorm.
I finished getting ready and headed out. I ran into him by the entrance.
He carried two bags of breakfast: oatmeal, eggs, dumplings from the little café Madison liked, and a carton of warm milk.
Everything was for her.
"Heading to class, Chloe?" he asked.
I adjusted my backpack and nodded.
He glanced toward the dorm entrance. "Did you ask Maddie for money last night?"
"I asked her to return my allowance."
His eyebrows drew together. He shifted the bags into one hand.
"She was sick all night, and you still made her worry about spreadsheets? Couldn't you wait a couple of days?"
Anger surged through me.
"I couldn't even afford dinner yesterday."
He hesitated.
Right then, his phone rang. Madison wanted to know where he was.
His whole expression changed.
"I'm downstairs. Don't come out. It's freezing."
After hanging up, he gave me a distracted look.
"We'll talk about this tonight. I need to take her breakfast upstairs."
He'd already walked several steps when he turned back.
"Make sure you eat something, okay?"
I stood there watching the breakfast bags swing from his hands.
During senior year of high school, I'd gotten sick with a fever. Ethan had snuck out to buy me soup. The container was so hot he'd carried it against his chest, and his hands had turned red by the time he returned.
Ryan had called him an idiot, then quietly draped his own jacket over my knees.
Later, they started joking that I was tough enough to handle anything.
I used to laugh along.
The dorm door closed behind Ethan.
I went to class.
At lunchtime, Ryan posted a photo in the group chat. Madison was slumped over a desk with his jacket around her shoulders. Medicine and breakfast sat beside her.
*No spicy food for her today,* he wrote.
I left the group chat.
After my last class, Madison finally answered.
*Chloe, everybody's money is pooled together. It'll take me a while to sort it out. Can I send it tonight?*
She added a sad-face emoji.
Before I could reply, Ryan called.
"Do you seriously have to take your money back today?"
I stopped on the stairs.
"Ryan, since when do I have to pick a special day to get my own money?"
He fell silent. In the background, I heard Madison softly say, "It's okay."
That only made him angrier.
"She's managed our money for all this time. Has she ever shorted you a single dollar? You keep pushing her, and now she's been going over accounts for hours. She doesn't even want lunch."
I tightened my grip on my phone.
"Then give me the records. I'll do the math myself."
"Chloe, what is wrong with—"
I hung up before he could finish.
That night, no payment came.
I opened my laptop and pulled up two months of bank transfers.
Until now, I'd simply spent whatever Madison sent each day. Everyone did it that way, so I'd never bothered to check.
Then I reached last week's group spreadsheet.
*Chloe Bennett — weekly allowance distributed: $125.*
I checked my deposits again.
I'd received only $75.
I saved a screenshot and went back another week.
That one didn't add up either.
Week after week, the numbers were wrong.
第2章
I took screenshots of every payment from the past two months.
The next day at noon, I caught Madison outside the lecture hall.
Her smile froze when she saw the screenshots.
"Chloe, you actually went through all the accounts?"
I held my phone up for her.
"Look. You deducted extra money from my allowance every week. Once or twice might be a mistake, but it's almost every payment."
Madison scrolled through the records. The longer she looked, the slower her fingers moved.
"This one might have been for something we bought together."
She scrolled again.
"And this one... I really can't remember."
I took my phone back.
"Then don't make things up. Just calculate what you owe me and send it."
Her face went pale.
"You're talking like I deliberately stole your money."
That was when Ryan walked up behind us.
One look at her reddened eyes and he hurried over.
"What happened?"
Madison shook her head and turned away.
"Nothing."
Ryan noticed my phone.
"You seriously checked every little transaction she made?"
I showed him the screenshots.
"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't checked."
He glanced at the numbers, then pushed my hand down.
"It's a few dollars here and there. People make accounting mistakes. Chloe Bennett, have you ever actually needed that kind of money?"
My chest tightened.
"That's not the point. It's my money."
His face darkened.
"Do you have to be so aggressive? Madison spends hours managing four people's expenses. Some days she barely has time to eat. And you're interrogating her like she's on trial."
Students nearby began to look over.
Madison tugged at his sleeve.
"Ryan, please don't."
The way she said his name seemed to make him even more protective.
"She's been spoiled since she was little," he announced. "Everyone in our family caters to her. Now she's picking fights with people who are doing her favors."
I clenched my hands.
When I first went away to a school camp, Ryan had stuffed so many snacks into my bag that I could barely zip it.
He'd even warned my roommates, "She acts tough. Make sure she actually eats."
Back then, my brother couldn't stand the thought of me going hungry.
Now I'd gone an entire day without food, and he was embarrassed that I was arguing over money.
Ethan and Noah arrived a few minutes later.
After hearing half the story, Ethan frowned and tried to pull me away.
"Enough. Everyone's watching."
I shook his hand off.
"My money is missing. Am I not allowed to ask where it went?"
"Nobody said you couldn't ask," Ethan snapped. "Could you at least say it differently? She's done our budgeting for years without charging us a cent. How do you think she feels when you keep accusing her?"
Noah looked through the screenshots in our group chat.
"A few of these entries really don't match," he admitted calmly.
I looked up, hopeful for half a second.
Then he added, "But this didn't need to become such a huge scene. We've known each other our whole lives. Assuming she's guilty right away is hurtful."
I stared at him.
"The money she kept was mine."
He paused.
"Chloe, your temper's been pretty bad lately."
The last of my patience disappeared.
I pointed at Madison.
"Fine. If you three trust her so much, keep letting her manage your money. But give me mine back."
Madison finally burst into tears.
She tapped on her phone, and a transfer came through. It was only a few hundred dollars.
"Chloe, I'm advancing your weekly allowance this time," she said, wiping her face. "You can't accuse me of stealing just because I wouldn't give you an advance. Please learn to manage your spending."
Ryan saw the payment and visibly relaxed.
He patted her shoulder.
"There. Don't cry."
Then he turned to me.
"You've got your money early. Can we drop this now?"
I almost laughed.
She'd sent a fraction of what she owed me, and they acted as if I should be grateful and shut up.
By then, a small crowd had gathered. Madison kept wiping her eyes. Ryan stood protectively in front of her. Ethan looked increasingly angry with me.
To everyone watching, I probably looked like the bully.
I turned and left.
That evening, the group chat lit up again.
Madison had won an award, so the others had gone out to celebrate.
Ryan posted a photo of a table covered in food. Noah complained that the cake was melting. Ethan uploaded a picture of Madison wearing a paper crown.
Only much later did Ryan ask:
*Why isn't Chloe here?*
Ethan replied immediately. *I thought you invited her.*
Noah wrote, *She's been upset lately. Probably didn't want to come.*
Madison waited a moment, then added, *I was scared she'd be annoyed if I asked.*
Ryan answered, *Stop blaming yourself for everything.*
I erased the words I'd typed into the chat: *Did any of you bother to ask me?*
Then I opened the expense sheet Madison had just posted.
I scrolled down and stopped.
*Group dinner — $30 per person.*
I opened their photo again.
Four people. Four sets of silverware. Four chairs.
But Madison had deducted a fifth share from my money.
Before I could confront her, Mom called.
She asked about classes, then said casually, "That extra money I sent a few weeks ago—do you still have enough?"
My pen froze over my notebook.
"I transferred it directly to Madison," Mom went on. "She says you've been spending too much lately, so she asked me not to send you large amounts all at once."
I sat up slowly.
The two months of payment records were still open on my laptop.
I checked them from beginning to end.
Madison had never given me that extra money.
第3章
I stared at Mom's message, unable to move.
"Chloe? Did you hear me?" she asked.
I gripped the phone.
"Mom, Madison never gave me that money."
There was a brief silence.
Then Mom sighed.
"What's going on with you lately? Madison told me you already asked for your allowance early several times this month."
"She's lying."
"Don't say that about her. You've all grown up together. We know what kind of girl she is. Your brother trusts her with his money. Why would she deliberately shortchange you?"
My throat tightened.
In high school, Mom had always worried I didn't have enough spending money. Once I'd complained that the cafeteria food was terrible, and she sent extra cash the next morning.
"Buy whatever you want to eat," she'd told me. "Don't copy your brother and save every penny."
Ryan had grabbed my phone and laughed, "Mom, if you spoil her any more, she'll never learn how to save."
I'd never imagined a day when other people would decide how much of my own allowance I was allowed to receive.
Mom continued, "Madison's trying to help you. You're not great with money. I'll keep transferring your allowance to her."
My eyes stung.
"And what am I supposed to do when I can't afford to eat?"
Mom hesitated.
"How could you not afford food? Don't make yourself sound miserable just because you're mad at Madison."
I hung up. My fingers wouldn't stop shaking.
The following afternoon, I approached Madison again. Ethan, Ryan, and Noah were all there.
Ryan frowned before I even opened my mouth.
"What now?"
I looked directly at Madison.
"Give me my money."
She twisted the hem of her sweater.
"Chloe, I already advanced this week's allowance yesterday."
"That was mine to begin with. I want the rest."
Her eyes filled instantly.
"So unless I hand over everything, you're going to assume I've been stealing?"
Ryan stepped in front of her.
"Enough, Chloe. Mom agreed to let her handle the money. Why are you making trouble every day?"
Ethan put his phone away.
"If you need cash, ask me. You keep chasing Madison around demanding money. She's scared every time she sees you now."
I stared at him.
"I have to borrow my own money from you?"
Noah leaned against the table, frowning.
"Everyone's been okay with this system for two years. You're the only one suddenly claiming something's wrong. Have you considered that you might actually be spending too much?"
I looked at the three men.
One was my brother.
One was my boyfriend.
One had been my closest friend since childhood.
Madison stood behind them, crying harder by the second.
Ryan gave her a tissue. Ethan murmured that she should calm down. Noah wouldn't even look at me anymore.
I stood there for a moment. Then I walked away.
I still didn't have my money.
By the end of the month, my bank account was empty. There was almost nothing left on my campus meal plan.
I started looking for part-time jobs near school.
I had classes by day and bused tables at a restaurant at night. The employee meal saved me the price of one dinner, and a shift brought in a little extra cash.
The first few nights, my legs ached so badly I could barely stand when I got home.
One evening, I took off my shoes and realized my heels were rubbed raw. My socks stuck to the wounds. I gasped when I peeled them away.
Noah once spent ten minutes hunting for a bandage because I'd nicked my finger. Ethan teased him for overreacting, then slipped a tube of ointment into my backpack anyway.
Now I didn't get back to my dorm until nearly eleven every night.
Nobody in our old group asked where I was.
They were busy taking Madison out for dinner and shopping.
On Saturday, I came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.
Then I stopped.
Four people sat by the window.
Madison was in the middle. Ryan was unwrapping her silverware. Ethan poured her water. Noah studied the menu.
They saw me, too.
Ryan stood first.
"What are you doing here?"
I lifted my tray a little higher.
"Working."
His face darkened.
"Since when does our family need you waiting tables for money?"
Madison paled and jumped up.
"Chloe, are you still mad at me?"
Ethan frowned.
"Didn't I tell you to ask me if you needed cash? Why would you go get a job and make everything look this bad?"
I stared at him.
From behind me, my manager called, "Chloe, table seven needs its food."
I looked away from Ethan.
"Move. You're blocking my way."
Ryan tried to grab my arm. I stepped aside and delivered the food to the next table.
After closing, I ate my employee meal beside the back entrance.
My phone lit up.
Mom: *I already sent next month's allowance to Madison.*
A second message followed, this one from Madison.
*Chloe, stop making a fuss. Once you learn to budget, I'll release the money little by little.*
I opened our chat.
*You'd better keep every cent of my money accounted for. One day, you're going to pay it all back.*
I hit Send.
Then I blocked her.