“I… I’m not at home right now,” I hesitated, unsure of how much to share.”I knew something was off,” she said sharply. “I went to your room, Neal. It was empty.
Tell me what happened.” So, I told her everything, sparing no painful detail. Through the phone, I could almost feel her heart breaking alongside mine. She was furious, not just at the situation but at herself for not seeing the signs sooner.
We talked for hours, and by the end of the call, she had made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”Come stay with me, Neal,” she murmured after I finished. “You’re not alone in this. I’ll support you till my last breath.” True to her word, she was there for me.
I packed up what little I had at my friend’s place, thanked him for his couch, and made the long trek to my aunt’s home in a small city six hours from Wisconsin. It wasn’t just a physical journey; it felt like I was moving towards a new phase of my life. Living with Aunt Helena was like finding calm after a storm.
She and her husband didn’t just give me a room; they gave me a home. With their encouragement, I started college. As the years slipped by, I pieced my life back together.
I even met Catherine, who’s now my fiancée. We’re planning to get married next year.Despite moving out three years ago when Catherine and I decided to take our relationship to the next level, Aunt Helena’s place still felt like home. I was there four to five times a week, and holidays were non-negotiable family gatherings at her house.However, three weeks ago, everything took another surreal turn.
While I was at work, Aunt Helena called me with a tremble in her voice that sent a shiver down my spine. “Neal, can you come over?” she asked. I could hear the strain in her voice, and it scared me.
I dropped everything and drove over.When I arrived, Aunt Helena was sitting in the living room, a cardboard box on the coffee table and a folded note beside it. Her hands were shaking. “This is going to be hard, but I have to tell you something,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“What is it, Aunt Helena?” I asked with my heart in my throat.”Neal, your father just passed away,” she said slowly, her eyes not leaving mine. “And I received this.” She gestured to the box and the note on the table. “What!?” I gasped, not just surprised by the news of my dad but also baffled by what could possibly be in the box.
“He made you the sole heir to everything they have,” she continued, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and sadness.I was stunned into silence. My father, who had cast me out of his life without a second thought, had left me everything? It didn’t make sense.
I walked over to the table, picked up the note, and unfolded it. The weight of the letter in my hands felt like the heaviest thing I’d ever held. My eyes scanned the words my father left behind, each sentence a revelation that both healed old wounds and opened new ones.
He wrote:My dear son, if you’re reading this, then know that I’m no longer in this world. I have made terrible mistakes. I have not been the father figure you once looked up to, and I’m extremely sorry for failing you as a dad.
Neal, you, my son, have always been my youngest but wisest child. You could have objected to my decision years ago, yet you didn’t. Please forgive me, son, for what I’m about to tell you might make you even more upset.
Ten years ago, your mother and I were led to believe that you were in love with another boy. We’ve raised you all with strong religious foundations, which is why we were upset. Your three brothers showed us the evidence we couldn’t see through; evidence that turned us against you.Four months ago, I was diagnosed with lung cancer.
The diagnosis came too late and the doctors told us they were sorry and nothing more could be done. I knew it was time to embrace death. But I also knew it was time to put together my will.One day, your mom and I stumbled upon your brothers’ cunning scheme.
They had falsified evidence of your love correspondence with another boy. You might be curious how I found out. Let’s not delve into that.
It’ll only make my blood boil to repeat those events. Suffice it to say that my eyes opened to the truth a little too late.Now, I know that I can’t make up for those lost years. And I’m sorry for putting you through hell.
Ever since I found out about the setup, I’ve been unable to sleep. It’s not the illness, but the regret eating away at me.Please find it in your heart to forgive me. Your brothers were blinded by greed and played that dirty game for inheritance.
But I will not let them have even a penny. You are my sole heir, my boy. Allow me to at least try and make some amends.
I will always love you. Your dad, Jacob.Tears streamed down my face as I finished reading. A swirl of emotions churned inside me—anger, sadness, relief, confusion.
I yearned to have one last conversation with my dad, to confront him and my brothers, to yell, to cry, to understand. But none of that was possible now.Aunt Helena, sensing the storm within me, placed her hand gently on my shoulder. “Take your time, Neal,” she said softly.
“You don’t have to decide anything right now.”But the questions were already pounding in my head. Should I forgive my dad, who seemed truly remorseful but had only seen the light too late? Should I reconnect with my mom, who was also deceived but part of that betrayal?
And what about the inheritance, a tangible reminder of the past I’d worked so hard to move beyond? These thoughts haunted me in the days that followed. I discussed them with Catherine, who listened patiently, helping me weigh the pros and cons.
She was supportive, as always, a pillar in the unpredictable storm of my emotions. The inheritance would secure a future for us, for the family we planned to start. But could I accept it without feeling like I was betraying my own values?
And then there were my brothers—should I confront them? Expose them? It felt like reopening a wound just as it had begun to heal.And so, dear readers, I turn to you.
My life, which reads like a movie script filled with twists and betrayals, hangs in balance with these decisions. What do you think I should do? Should I keep the inheritance and try to reconnect with my mom?
Should I confront my brothers? Or should I continue the life I’ve built with Catherine and let the past remain just that—the past? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.Disclaimer: This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes.
Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
