It was meant to be a typical Sunday meal.
The usual: cheap wine, awkward small conversation, roast chicken.
This time, however, I sensed it as soon as I entered the room.
That stifling quiet.
It’s the kind when you know that everyone was only discussing you.
I made an effort to shake it off.
I sat down between my younger sister Noelle and my fiancé Elias, poured myself a drink of wine, and laughed.
However, the strangeness persisted.
Noelle refused to look into my eyes.
Elias continued to squeeze my hand as if he were anxious.
And my dad, who seemed to be waiting for something, hardly spoke and kept looking at his phone.
I finally excused myself to the bathroom when Mom got up to get dessert, and that’s when I noticed it
Dad’s phone was still on the table in the hallway.
A message appeared on the screen:
She is still in the dark. When should we inform her?
Noelle sent it.
To Elias.
in a group chat that I was not a part of.
A second message appeared while I stood motionless, holding a trembling wine glass.
“Now, it’s more than simply the engagement. She will learn about the will as well.
The will.
The engagement.
The three of them.
My fiance.
My sister.
My own dad.
behind my back, plotting.
They were all standing in the corridor, staring at me, when I turned around.
As if they were aware that the truth will soon be revealed.
“What is this?” I made a demand while displaying Dad’s phone as if it were court evidence. The weight of betrayal caused my voice to break. “What are you all trying to hide from me?”
Noelle’s cheeks turned red as she bit her lip. Elias avoided making eye contact and shuffled uneasily. And Dad—Dad appeared older than I had ever seen him, with every facial expression marked with guilt.
Dad finally replied in a weary, low voice, “Let’s sit down.” I shook my head when he pointed to the living room.
“Nope. Right now, you’re telling me.
Noelle took a step forward, her hands clenched. “All right, all right. Can we just take a moment to breathe? It’s not what you believe.
“Oh, really? Because this situation definitely feels like a drama from a Lifetime movie! I lost my temper. “Speak up.”
Elias’s throat cleared. “Mia, we didn’t mean to harm you. We believed we were keeping you safe.
“What am I being protected from?!” I threw my arms wide in tears. “From the fact that my family and my fiancé have reportedly been plotting without my knowledge? from the fact that I don’t know anything about the will? How could this mess be justified?
Dad ran a hand over his balding head and let out a long sigh. “Your grandmother lives there.”
“The home of my grandmother?” I repeated without meaning. “What is there any connection between that and anything?”
Unable to contain herself any longer, Noelle blurted out, “She left it to you.” “The whole property. In her will, she left you this responsibility.
I blinked, taken aback by the abrupt change in subject. Yes, I am aware of it. Grandma cherished me. I always reminded her of herself, she added. However, how does that relate to—
Elias cut in with a cautious, even contrite tone, “It’s worth half a million dollars.” “At least, based on the evaluation we received last month.”
Half a million dollars.
I was momentarily unable to comprehend the quantity. The little cabin in the forest where Grandma used to make pies and share tales of her childhood? That much?
“And…?” I narrowed my eyes and pressed. “Why would you all behave criminally as a result?”
Dad said softly, “Because someone else wants it.” “A developer. For months, they have been circling with high offers to purchase the land. They will demolish the house and construct condos if they manage to get their hands on it.
I felt sick to my stomach as I gazed at him. You wanted to sell it, then? Behind my back?
“No!” Noelle objected. “Don’t sell it. Keep it safe. We didn’t tell you because we feared that you could give in to pressure if you realized how valuable it was. We didn’t want you to be caught between paying respect to Grandma’s memories and making a sensible choice.
“But why bring Elias in?” I turned to him and asked sternly. “What role does he even play in this?”
He flinched, obviously detesting the limelight. “After the appraisal was received, your dad gave me a call. He was concerned that you would lose the house to unscrupulous buyers or, worse, give it up before you realize its actual worth. So, we discussed how to help you protect it. It wasn’t meant to become… whatever it is.
The worst betrayal I had ever encountered was “this.”
I crossed my arms and sternly said, “You should have told me.” “Instead of skulking about as though I can’t manage my own life.”
Dad took a step closer and said, “We made a mistake.” “We approached it incorrectly, even though we were attempting to act morally. Please pardon us, Mia. Please.
I felt like screaming. I wanted to toss something. Instead, I inhaled deeply and moved passed them, making my way directly to the front door.
I mumbled, “I need air,” and reached for my coat.
I was hit hard by the frigid night, but it gave me a mental break. I walked down the street without a purpose, repeating all of their words.
Grandma’s home. Half a million dollars. Like vultures, developers are circling.
There was Elias after that. Sweet, trustworthy Elias. I had intended to live my entire life with this man. How could he hide from me such a big secret?
It had been almost an hour by the time I returned home. They were all still in the living room, all of them looking glum. Mom had joined them, smiling empathetically at me while holding a mug of tea.
“Mia,” she said softly. “Is it possible for us to speak?”
Across from them, I gave a rigid nod.
“I didn’t intend to surprise you,” Dad continued, his voice a little shaky. “I was afraid. Fearful of losing the one location that held great significance for you and your grandmother. However, I now realize that maintaining secrets simply made everything worse.
Elias reached for my hand and said, “And I’m sorry too.” “I allowed fear to impair my judgment. Mia, you are loved. I never intended to mislead you.
Then Noelle added her voice. To put it simply, we were fools. Every one of us. Will you pardon us?
I observed their expressions—the regret, the vulnerability—and felt my rage somewhat subside.
“This is it,” I said softly. “I should have a say in what happens to Grandma’s house if it matters that much to me, which it does. No one else, not even you. Do you understand?
They enthusiastically nodded.
I turned to face him and said, “And Elias.” “There must be no more secrets if we are to succeed. Never.
He gave my hand a firm squeeze. “You have my word.”
For the first time in months, I went to Grandma’s house the following morning. I came to the crucial realization that this was more than simply a piece of real estate while I was standing in the comfortable living room, surrounded by memories. It stood for legacy, love, and family.
The developers knocked again, and I graciously turned them down. Then, with Dad, Elias, and Noelle’s assistance, I began renovating the house—not for sale, but for preservation. In order to ensure Grandma’s legacy endured, we worked together to turn it into a community area for nearby families and artists.
Ultimately, the lesson was straightforward: honesty strengthens trust, which is brittle. Although they may appear to be short cuts, secrets only cause suffering.
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