My Sister Abandoned Our Family 14 Years Ago, Leaving Us Penniless — Now, She Claims the House I Inherited

“Don’t you remember what you did fourteen years ago?” I asked, furious.

Emma’s gaze flickered away. “That has nothing to do with this. I’m here for what’s rightfully mine.”

The audacity of it all made me want to scream.

“Just get out,” I spat.

“Fine,” she said, her voice cold. “But don’t think this is over. I’ll talk to the lawyer, and if you don’t give me what’s fair, I’ll take it to court.”

As the front door slammed shut behind her, a suffocating silence descended upon us.

Mom sank onto the couch, tears welling up in her eyes. I wrapped my arms around her, offering what little comfort I could.

A few days later, I invited Emma to meet Grandma’s lawyer.

“There is a small bequest for Emma listed in the will,” he said.

He shuffled through some papers before pulling out a document.

“Here it is,” he continued, pointing to a specific clause. It read:

“To my granddaughter Emma, for reasons known only to me, I leave the sum of one dollar.”

He looked up at Emma, but it wasn’t a pleasant sight. Her jaw was clenched tighter than a vault door, and her hand started shaking so badly.

The color drained from her skin, leaving her ashen. She stood abruptly, the chair clattering behind her.

“What the hell?” she spat, her voice shaking. “I didn’t expect Martha to stoop so low!”

Without another word, she stormed out of the office, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a heavy silence.

As I watched her disappear down the street, a strange sense of peace settled over me. Grandma, in her own way, had seen through Emma’s act.