When my mother passed away, I thought I understood what she had left behind. Her old house — full of memories, lavender-scented linens, and the warmth of her presence — was something I expected. But I never could have imagined the condition hidden in her will.
I was prepared to inherit her estate, but instead, I found myself facing a clause that would alter the course of my life forever.
The Unexpected Condition
Sitting in the lawyer’s office, I listened as he explained the terms.
“You’ll inherit the estate only if you take guardianship of a twelve-year-old girl named Violet,” he said, sliding the papers across the table.
My heart stopped. Violet? A child I had never even heard of.
The lawyer explained that Violet had lived with my mother for the past two years. I struggled to comprehend how my mother had cared for a child without ever telling me. My mind swirled with questions: Who was Violet? Why the secrecy?
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