Rachel’s ex-husband left her everything — his house, his stocks, even his prized vintage car. But here’s the catch: he left his widow and newborn child with nothing for a reason that shook everyone. What would you do if you were her?
Keep it, or hand it over?
What would you do if the man who broke your heart left you everything? And by EVERYTHING, I mean his house, his stocks, and even his prized car — while leaving his widow and newborn child with NOTHING. Would you take it?
Or would guilt swallow you whole?
When the solicitor called to tell me I’d inherited my ex-husband Todd’s entire estate, my first reaction was to laugh. Not a joyous laugh — more of a “has hell frozen over?” kind of laugh.
Todd — the same man who once told me he couldn’t afford child support — had apparently left me his suburban home, all his investments, and Pearl, his precious vintage car that no one was allowed to touch.
“Miss Rachel?” the solicitor’s voice wavered. “Are you still there?”
“WAS THIS SOME KIND OF MISTAKE?” I whispered, my fingers trembling against the phone.
“Todd wouldn’t…”
“I assure you, ma’am, there’s no mistake. Your ex-husband was very explicit in his wishes.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard. For 15 years, Todd and I had built a life together.
We had three kids, a house with a porch swing, and what I thought was a solid marriage. Then, out of nowhere, he’d told me he was “tired of everything.” Translation? He was having an affair with Angela, his 25-year-old secretary, who he was apparently “helping rebuild her credit.”
I remember that conversation like it was yesterday.
We were sitting in our kitchen, the same kitchen where we’d shared thousands of meals, where we’d taught our kids to bake cookies, and where we’d slow-danced at midnight.
“I just need some space, Rachel,” he’d said, refusing to meet my eyes. “Everything feels so… heavy.”
“Heavy?” I’d echoed, my voice breaking. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing!” he said, but something about how he had said it felt off.
The joint credit card statement addressed to “Todd and Angela” showed up in our mailbox one morning.
That’s how I found out. I confronted him, my hands shaking as I held up the envelope.
“She’s just a friend,” he stammered, his face pale. “She needed help with her credit —”
“Stop lying!” I screamed, tears streaming down my face.
“Just stop! For once in your life, Todd, tell me the truth!”
“Fine. I… I can’t do this anymore.
I want a break. From everything,” he whispered, and those words cut deeper than any knife could.
I filed for divorce within a week. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to stay civil for the sake of our kids.
He married Angela a year later, and we mostly kept out of each other’s way. I didn’t know much about their life, and frankly, I didn’t care. All I knew was that Angela had the man who’d broken me, and I wanted nothing to do with either of them.
Which is why the phone call from the solicitor hit me like a brick.
“Miss Rachel,” the man said, clearing his throat.
“You are the sole beneficiary of your late husband’s estate.”
I stared at the wall, unsure if I’d misheard him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, ma’am. Everything’s in your name: the house, the stocks, the car —”
“The car?” My voice rose.
“You’re telling me Todd left me Pearl?”
“Yes.”
“But that car…” I choked back a sob. “That car was his baby. He wouldn’t even let me drive it on our anniversary.”
“I understand this is a lot to process,” he said.
“Would you like me to give you some time?”
I hung up, my mind racing. Todd, the man who had devastated me, had somehow decided to leave me everything he had, while leaving nothing for Angela and their baby. How?
And WHY?
I was haunted and I wasn’t prepared for what came next.
The first time I met Angela wasn’t in a courtroom, as I would’ve expected. It was on my doorstep.
“You’ve got some nerve, Rachel,” she hissed.
I turned, and there she was. Angela.
With a baby that was fast asleep in a stroller.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
Angela stepped forward, her face flushed. “You manipulative witch! You think you can steal everything from us?”
“Lower your voice,” I warned, glancing at my front window where my daughter Katie stood frozen.
“My children are inside.”
“Oh, now you care about children?” Angela’s laugh was borderline hysterical. “What about MY child? What about his future?
Todd wouldn’t have done this unless you tricked him! Give me what’s ours, or I’LL TAKE THIS TO COURT!!”
“Tricked him?” I laughed, though there was no humor in it. “Angela, I had no idea Todd left me anything until this morning.
I didn’t even know he had a will.”
“Oh, please,” she snapped. “You expect me to believe this wasn’t planned? I’m his WIFE.
I just gave birth to his son, and you think it’s fair for you to take everything? How can you live with yourself, Rachel? You’re cheating my baby out of his inheritance!”
Her words hit like a slap.
I couldn’t respond. Because deep down, I did feel guilty. The baby was so small and innocent.
How could Todd leave his child with nothing?
“Mom?” Katie’s voice came from behind me. “Is everything okay?”
Angela’s eyes darted to my daughter, and for a moment, something like shame crossed her face. But it vanished quickly.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
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