I cared for my mother during her final days, sacrificing everything to be by her side. Yet when the will was read, I had nothing left. The betrayal was profound, but the truth behind her decision and the secrets that followed changed everything I thought I knew.
I was driving towards my late mother’s house, the weight of her passing still weighing on my chest.
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The funeral had taken place last week, and now I had to deal with what remained—the difficult, practical decisions that always seemed to fall to me.
Once again, I was the only rational person in our family, the one everyone relied on. It was the same during Mom’s illness.
I stayed by her side through it all, I fed her, I took care of her, I made sure she wasn’t alone. I had no doubt she’d leave the house to me. Not Phoebe.
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Phoebe was… complicated. Always had been. Unconventional, irregular—broken in ways life had never truly fixed.
She couldn’t handle things the way I did. Despite the distance between us, I couldn’t help but worry about her. She was my little sister, after all.
Next to me in the car, Dan sat silently, smelling faintly of alcohol. He’d promised he’d quit drinking, but the familiar scent told me otherwise. Honestly, I was close to my breaking point.
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We pulled into the driveway and parked in front of Mom’s house. The sight of the house brought a new pang to my heart. Outside stood the lawyer I’d hired, briefcase in hand, waiting.
“Hello,” I say to the lawyer as we get out of the car. “Why aren’t you inside?”
“It’s locked,” he replied.
“Locked?” I repeated, frowning. “Isn’t Phoebe here yet? She told me she’d be here early.”
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I took out my phone and dialed his number. The call went straight to voicemail.
“His phone’s off. Great,” I grumbled, putting it back in my pocket. I didn’t have the keys either.
Dan, who was standing behind me, shook his head. “Same as usual. She really needs a babysitter or something,” he said.
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“She’ll be here soon,” I said, trying to remain calm. I gave him a firm look, daring him to say more.
A few minutes later, I spotted Phoebe coming up the aisle. Her hair was a mess, and her mascara was smeared under her eyes. She looked like she hadn’t slept.
“Rough night, huh?” I asked, crossing my arms.
Phoebe smiled weakly. “Is it that obvious?”
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“Pull yourself together. The lawyer is waiting for you,” I said, gesturing toward the house.
“Oh, please,” she teases, brushing past me. “We all know the house will come back to you. You’re the perfect girl, remember?”
I gritted my teeth, choosing not to react. I knew she was struggling. Mom’s death had hit her hard. People always said she looked a lot like Mom.
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Inside, we sat as the lawyer began reading the will. His voice grew quiet until he spoke the words I wasn’t prepared for.
“The house and all the assets go to Phoebe.”
“What?” I said. “What do you mean the house goes to Phoebe?”
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“I’m just reading what’s written,” the lawyer said calmly.
“It’s not fair!” Dan said. “My wife was the only one taking care of their mother! She didn’t do anything!” He pointed a finger at Phoebe.
Phoebe got up and rushed outside.
“Dan!” I shouted.
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“What? You know I’m right,” he said.
I didn’t answer. Rolling my eyes, I stood up and followed Phoebe outside.
Phoebe was sitting on the bench in the garden, the spot Mom had always loved most. She looked tired, her shoulders hunched forward, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
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“Sorry about Dan,” I said, breaking the silence by approaching her.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “He’s always like that. You should leave him.”
“I can’t,” I said, sitting down next to her. “He’s my husband.”
Phoebe didn’t answer. I hesitated, then spoke again. “Sell me the house,” I said.
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“What?” Phoebe turned to me, surprised.
“You need money for your flower shop,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Sell it to me. I’ll tear it down and build the house I’ve been dreaming of. I thought Mom would let me have it…”
“No,” she said, interrupting me.
“What do you mean, no?” I asked.
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“I won’t sell you the house. Mom left it to me,” she said.
“You didn’t do anything to deserve her!” I snapped. “I took care of her. I fed her, I bathed her, I paid her bills. I was there when she couldn’t walk anymore. And yet, she gave it to you because you were her favorite!”
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“You have everything, Katherine!” Phoebe shouted. “A good job, a husband—even if he’s terrible—and a million opportunities. You’ve even been offered a position abroad! But you can’t choose! I have nothing. Just this house.”
“And I have responsibilities! Do you know why I didn’t take this job? Because I couldn’t leave you! You wouldn’t cope!”
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“Leave!” Phoebe shouted, her face red. “I’m not giving you the house!”
“We’ll see!” I shouted, storming off.
I wanted to forget about the fight with Phoebe and leave her alone. She was right, I had everything.
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I could buy another house if I wanted. But Dan wouldn’t let it go. He insisted I contest the will, saying it wasn’t fair and that I deserved the house.
I couldn’t understand why this was so important to him, but his persistence wore me down.
And so it all began. Lawyers, endless discussions about the will, and meetings with Phoebe, who seemed completely indifferent to it all. She shrugged off each meeting, as if none of it mattered.
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One evening, a few days before the trial date, I came across something unexpected.
In Dan’s office, there was a pile of papers on his desk—overdue bills and debt notices.
My stomach hurt as I flipped through them. He was drowning in debt. I took the pile and walked to the bedroom, where he was lying on the bed.
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“Do you want to explain something to me?” I asked, holding up the papers.
Dan sat up in bed, his face pale. “Katherine, this is all a misunderstanding,” he said quickly.
“A misunderstanding?” I repeated. “Where did these debts come from?”
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He rubbed his hands over his face, avoiding my gaze. “We can work this out,” he said calmly.
“Us?” I snapped. “Is that why you made me fight with Phoebe over the house? So we could sell it and pay off your debts?”
Dan’s expression changed. “She doesn’t deserve her anyway!” he shouted. “She’s ruining our lives! You run to her every time she calls! And you wouldn’t even contest the will, even though you were the one who took care of your mother!”
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I felt anger boiling inside me. “Because Phoebe couldn’t be there!” I yelled back. “It was too much for her to see Mom like that. It tore her apart. Where did these debts come from, Dan?”
His shoulders slumped as he muttered, “Gambling.”
“Gambling?” I repeated, stunned.
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“But if we sell the house,” he said quickly, “I’ll pay it all back. I’ll stop for good. That might fix everything.”
“How did you stop drinking?” I asked.
Dan didn’t answer. He looked at me, guilt written all over his face.
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“You’re impossible,” I said, shaking my head. I turned and walked out of the room, grabbing my keys.
I drove to Mom’s house, the only place I wanted to be. I rang the doorbell, and Phoebe answered almost immediately.
Her expression was annoyed as she opened the door. “What?” she asked. “Have you come to persuade me again before the trial date?”
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“No,” I replied, walking in as she stepped back. “Dan gambled a ton of money.”
Phoebe’s face changed, irritation giving way to surprise. She didn’t say anything; she just led me into the garden. We sat on the bench, Mom’s favorite spot.
“We can sell the house and split the money,” Phoebe finally said after a moment of silence.
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I shook my head. “No, I won’t do that. Mom left you the house, so it’s yours. She wanted you to have it.”
“But you were going to take it from me,” she said, her voice soft but accusing.
I nodded, feeling shame wash over me. “It was an empty threat during the argument. Then Dan pushed me to go through with it, and now I know why.”
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“Aren’t you paying off his debt?” Phoebe asked.
“No,” I said firmly. “The only person I would sacrifice everything for is you.”
Phoebe remained silent, staring at the floor. After a moment, she spoke. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I always felt like I was in your shadow. Katherine this, Katherine that. I was just the weird girl making jokes.”
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“Just like Mom,” I said, smiling.
“Yes,” she agreed, a small smile forming.
“I know you couldn’t help because it was too painful for you to see her like that. Mom knew it too, that’s why she always talked about you. She loved you even more. That’s why I always felt like I was in your shadow,” I admitted.
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Phoebe laughed softly. “Seems like Mom should have taken parenting lessons before having kids.”
I laughed with her.
“So what are you going to do?” she asked after a pause.
“Leave Dan, give you money for your flower shop, and take that job abroad,” I said.
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“Katherine,” Phoebe said, making me look at her.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Everything will be fine for me. And you too,” she said.
“Yes, I know,” I replied, hugging her tightly.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: As Laura mourned her mother, every memory told a story of resilience and love—but a mysterious letter, accusing her mother of theft, shattered the comfort of her grief. What secrets lie within her family fortune, and how far will Laura go to uncover the truth? Read the full story here .
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