They Changed The Locks On My Own House. My Daughter-In-Law Looked At Me And Said: “It’s Ours Now.” She Expected Me To Cry. Instead, I Smiled, Pulled Out My Phone, And Prepared To SET THINGS STRAIGHT.

Maybe it had all been a misunderstanding. Maybe we could be a united family again. “Emily, I’ve been thinking too,” I said as I stirred the stew.

“And I want to do something special with part of Arthur’s inheritance. I want to completely renovate this house. Remodel the kitchen, change the bathrooms, maybe add a deck.

After all, this is going to be the family home for many years to come.”

Her eyes lit up like neon signs. “Oh, mother-in-law, what a wonderful idea. Robert and I could help you with all the planning.

We have a great eye for design.”

“And also,” I continued, encouraged by her positive reaction. “I was thinking of setting aside some money for when you two have children, so the grandkids will have their college fund from the start.”

“Martha, you’re an angel,” she said, hugging me. But there was something about that hug that didn’t feel genuine.

“Robert and I were just talking about starting a family soon. Knowing you’d be willing to help with our children’s education is incredible.”

That night, I heard them talking in their bedroom, but this time their conversation was different. I couldn’t make out specific words, but the tone was one of excitement of plans of numbers.

“The next day, Emily insisted on accompanying me to the bank when I went to ask about the process for receiving the inheritance. “So, you don’t go alone, mother-in-law,” she said with that smile I now knew was fake. “These procedures can be very confusing for an older person.”

at the bank.

She sat next to me during the entire meeting with the manager, taking notes, asking questions about investments, term deposits, necessary documents, information I had never asked her to gather. “Mother-in-law,” she said on the way back, “I’ve been researching real estate investments. With $340,000, we could buy another property, rent it out, and generate passive income.

Robert knows the real estate market from his job at the bank.”

We could. She was no longer talking about my plans for my money. She was talking about our plans for our investments.

The trap was closing, but I still didn’t realize it. 3 weeks after receiving the news of the inheritance, something woke me up at 2:00 in the morning. It was Emily’s voice talking on the phone in the kitchen, trying to keep her voice down, but with an excitement that betrayed her.

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