“How could you do something like that? That’s terrible,” I said, shocked by her actions.
“They were always kinder to you,” she continued. “But to think they left money just for you, ignoring the rest of us. That’s so unfair.”
“Don’t disrespect Grandpa and Grandma like that,” I replied angrily. “They saved that money because they cared about me.”
At that moment, I realized why my parents had never brought up the renovation payments. They must have known about the bank book all along and expected me to use it to cover the costs. They assumed I’d use the money from that account to pay for everything.
“Let’s leave the money aside for now. At least the house has good amenities and new appliances thanks to it,” Mary said dismissively. “I hate that you got it all, but I’ll let it go. Grandpa and Grandma probably knew you’d never become independent,” she added with a mocking look.
Was her recent inspection of the house meant to check on these upgrades?
“As your sister, I’m really worried about you, you know,” she said, faking concern.
I just glared at her.
Ignoring my look, she finally got to her main point.
“Actually, James is about to start a new hospital,” she said proudly, looking at him, though he kept a serious face.
“What?” I asked, caught off guard.
“We’re planning to move here too,” she continued. “James wants to build a hospital nearby. There’s plenty of open land and not many hospitals around, so we’d use this house as our base. That’s why we need you to move out,” Mary stated matter-of-factly.
“But you can’t just demand that out of nowhere,” I protested.
“I know the house is in your name, but you should hand it over for Mom and Dad’s sake. Just let me have it,” she insisted.
“Why do you get to decide that?”
“Of course Mom and Dad agree with me,” she said confidently. “They want you out too.”
I remembered that Grandpa had transferred the house into my name before he passed away. At first, I didn’t understand why Grandpa had put the house in my name, but now it made sense.
Mary said, “Dad’s the real head of this house. Your name on the papers doesn’t matter, so just leave quietly.”
“No. This house is full of memories of Grandma and Grandpa,” I replied.
“Stop being so childish,” she snapped. “You’re just a parasite here, making things harder for everyone. It’s time for you to go.”
Mary shouted like she was delivering the final blow.
“Laura, don’t you think you’re a bad influence on your nephew?” my mother added, turning to me. “Do you really want him to grow up seeing you depend on us for everything?”
During all this, my father kept looking down, distracted by his phone, and James just sat silently listening.
At that moment, I realized they wouldn’t listen to anything I said. I needed to get out of this toxic place.
“Fine. Do whatever you want,” I said, heading to my room.
I was furious, but I forced myself to think calmly about my next steps. That night, I made a decision.
The next morning, after Mary’s family left, I went downstairs to find the house still messy from the night before. My parents were still asleep. I grabbed my laptop and went to a nearby cafe to plan.
Soon, my phone started buzzing with calls and messages from my mother, demanding I come back to make breakfast. I ignored them and focused on my plan.
I looked at moving companies and was able to schedule one for the same day. I timed my return to the house when I knew my parents would be at work. The house was a mess after just a few hours without me, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of frustration and relief.
Shortly after, the movers arrived with a truck.
“Which items are we taking?” one of the movers asked.
“Everything I bought,” I replied.
The movers quickly packed up all my belongings, appliances like the washing machine, fridge, and microwave, along with smaller items like dishes. After they were done, the house felt empty and strangely sad.
Legally, this house was still mine, but I no longer wanted to be here. As I left, I felt a sense of freedom and knew I wasn’t wasting my grandparents’ love and care.
That evening, my mother called, furious.
“What’s going on? All the appliances are gone. Did you take them?”
“Of course I did,” I answered. “You wanted me out, so I’m leaving, and I’m taking what I bought with me.”
“I’m glad you’re leaving, but it’s not right to take the appliances,” my mother said.
“Why not? They’re mine. I bought them.”
“You bought them with Grandpa’s money.”
“No. How many times do I have to say it? The money from Grandpa is very important to me. I wouldn’t touch it. I bought everything with my own money.”