My father was gone. I couldn’t shake the thought. He’d always been my rock, but in recent years, that rock had collapsed under the weight of debts I couldn’t bear.
Finally, the house where we had lived together was ready to be repossessed, and I didn’t have the strength to resist it.
I was led into the notary’s office, where an elderly gentleman indicated for me to sit.
I barely paid attention when he read the will.
Suddenly, the notary’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “A house.”
“Not your current residence, but another property your father owned.”
My hands trembled as I picked up the documents. The address was unfamiliar.
Why hasn’t he told me? Was this his attempt to make up for everything?
The next day, Friday, I determined to confront the unknown.
When I eventually arrived, the sight of the house made me tremble. It appeared ancient, but not neglected.
“This is it,” I mumbled to myself, clutching the key that the notary had given me.
The key did not function. The locks had been changed. Biting my lip, I stepped around to gaze through a window, hoping for a better view inside.
That’s when the door flew open, causing me to jump.
Standing in the doorway was a woman, possibly in her sixties, with sharp features and a look that indicated she was not pleased to see me.
“I… uh… this is my house,” I stammered, holding up the key. “It was left to me by my late father.”
“Your house? I’ve been living here for twenty years. I’ve paid the bills, repaired the leaks, and fixed the roof. This isn’t your house, and I’m not leaving.”
I grip my grasp on the key. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but I have the paperwork. Legally, this house belongs to me.”
“And you think I’m just going to let you take it? I’ve lost my home, my father—everything! This is all I have left.”
I called my lawyer, who told me that I legally owned the house.
“I’ll sort it out after the weekend,” he said.
I took another glance at the old lady. “I’m staying here until we figure this out.”
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It was Deborah’s house. But it was also mine.
Living with Deborah felt like a war I hadn’t signed up for.
I was brushing my teeth in the morning when the water mysteriously stopped running.
Her smug expression when I approached her was almost funny.
She misplaced my keys, shoes, and even the phone charger. I’d find them in unexpected locations, like the pantry or beneath the couch.
By Monday morning, I was psychologically exhausted but determined to maintain my position. I had an appointment with my lawyer that day, and I needed everything to go well.
The white dress I had delicately arranged was now stained with dirt and grass.
“Are you kidding me?” I yelled, storming back inside.
“You threw my clothes in the mud!” My voice crackled with rage.
“I’ve done nothing to you, and you treat me like a criminal! Why?”
“You don’t belong here,” she said coldly. “This house isn’t yours. It was never supposed to be yours.”
“This was my home! Your father! He stole everything. He took you, our daughter, and left me with nothing!”
“He told you I was d.e.a.d, didn’t he? He couldn’t forgive me for what I did. But I was your mother. I am your mother!”
“Because I left,” she said, her voice cracking. “I made a mistake. I thought I could have a better life with someone else. But that man… He left me too. When I came back, your father refused to forgive me. He took you, and the court gave him everything.
The woman I had spent days resenting, the one who had ruined my life, was the mother I had never met.
All of my wrath had vanished, leaving only loss and confusion.
When the day arrived, my heart was heavy. The decision was unequivocal: Deborah was entitled to the house. Her years of living there, paying bills, and maintaining the property made her the lawful owner.
Back at home, I pulled my suitcase to the front door. Deborah was in the kitchen, and I could feel her eyes on me as I prepared to leave.
“I don’t want you to leave. I’ve spent years blaming myself, hating myself for everything I did. And when you showed up, I let all of that out on you. But you’re my daughter, Emily. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“I want us to try. I want us to fix this, even if it’s not perfect. I’m so sorry…”
“I’m sorry too, Mom…”
