My heart thudded in my chest.
The clause stated that while Melissa would inherit the house, she was required to allow me to live there peacefully until my dying day. If she ever forced me out or demanded that I leave—exactly what she had done—she would forfeit the property entirely. It would legally pass to me, irrevocably.
Melissa’s face crumpled as the realization hit her. Her own cruelty had cost her the inheritance she had gloated over.
The lawyer turned to me. “As of this moment, the house is yours.”
I stood frozen. My husband… he had known. He had seen his daughter’s flaws, her bitterness. And quietly, without fanfare, he made sure I would be protected.
I wish she had inherited even a fraction of his kindness.
He was the kind of man who made the world gentler just by breathing. And though the house is mine now, the only thing I truly want is one more day with his gentle heart.
Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.
