My in-laws surprised us with a trip to Fiji for my wife’s birthday.
I should’ve known there was a catch.

At the airport, my wife and our child were handed first-class boarding passes. Champagne smiles. Legroom. Priority everything.

Mine?

Economy. Middle seat. Back of the plane.

I laughed it off. When I raised an eyebrow, my wife shrugged and said,
“Dad says he’s not your ATM.”

I smiled. What else could I do?

Fourteen hours later, they stepped off the plane refreshed and glowing. I stepped off stiff, tired, and quiet. Still smiling.

Then we reached the hotel.

The concierge looked at our reservation… frowned… then looked again.

“I’m sorry,” he said politely, “but there appears to be only one room booked. One king bed. Two guests.”

My wife blinked.
Her parents went pale.

I let the silence stretch.

Turns out, the entire trip had been booked under my name.
Paid for with my credit card.
Including the luxury villa upgrade, spa package, private excursions… everything.

The first-class tickets?

Also mine.

I hadn’t noticed the charges yet — because I’d been waiting.

I leaned in and said calmly,
“Oh… I guess the ATM was working after all.”

I walked to the desk, canceled the extra bookings, downgraded the room, and asked for two separate reservations.

One for me.
One for everyone else.

I slept that night in a beachfront suite with the sound of waves outside my window.

They slept arguing.

Sometimes, the best revenge isn’t loud.

It’s letting people finally see the bill.