They dreamed of a fresh start together.
Instead, a single scratch card tore their world apart.
Michael Cartlidge and Charlotte Cox, a couple from Spalding, U.K., couldn’t believe their luck when a $1.3 million lottery win flashed before their eyes. For a moment, it felt like every struggle was finally behind them.
But only weeks later, love turned to bitterness. Charlotte ended their short-lived romance — and suddenly, the money became a battlefield.
Michael says it was his idea to buy the ticket and insists the winnings should be shared. “She wouldn’t have got it without me,” he told reporters. But Charlotte’s camp claims otherwise: “She paid. She scratched. She won. End of story.”
The lottery company has now ruled that only Charlotte can claim the prize — leaving Michael heartbroken and ready to take the fight to court.
“One million pounds,” a friend said, “has brought nothing but misery.”
A win that once promised happiness has instead left two people further apart than ever.
Maybe some fortunes aren’t meant to be shared… 💭
