Losing my father was devastating, but what followed was even more unexpected. Just two weeks after his funeral, my sister, Charlotte, kicked me out of our family home. But as it turned out, my father had anticipated this betrayal and left me a surprise that would change everything.
Growing up, I always felt like Charlotte didn’t truly care about me. She was older, and her life was already taking off when I was born. My father, however, loved me unconditionally. He always said I was the “dawn of a new beginning,” the best surprise of his life.
Charlotte, on the other hand, treated our house like a hotel, coming and going as she pleased. She never really considered our home as her own, always chasing after something bigger and better. I, however, had never known a world outside those walls. I was my father’s shadow, helping him with everything from fixing things to cooking dinner.
When my father passed away, everything fell apart. Two weeks later, we attended the reading of his will. Charlotte seemed indifferent, while I was still reeling from grief. The lawyer announced that the house would go to Charlotte, leaving me feeling lost and confused.
But then, something unexpected happened. The lawyer handed me a small box containing my father’s old watch. It was scratched and barely worked, but it held immense sentimental value. Charlotte snorted, saying our father was still playing favorites even in death.
I ignored her and clutched the watch tightly, feeling a sense of comfort. But little did I know, this watch held a secret that would change everything.
For a few days, Charlotte and I coexisted under the same roof, barely speaking. But then, one night, I came home to find all my belongings packed and waiting by the front door. Charlotte stood in the hallway, arms crossed, with a smug smile on her face.
“This is it,” she said. “Our paths split here, Dawn. Time for you to go.”
I was shocked and heartbroken. But then I remembered the watch and the lawyer’s words: “Everything is happening exactly as your father predicted.”
It turned out that my father had foreseen Charlotte’s betrayal and had made plans to protect me. He had inherited a large sum of money and divided it between Charlotte and me, but with one condition: Charlotte had to share the house with me equally. If she didn’t, she would get nothing.
I was stunned. Charlotte had the house, but she also had all the debt. And she had just kicked out the one person who could save her from losing everything.
In the end, I decided not to help Charlotte. Instead, I used the money my father had left me to start a new life. I moved into a cozy studio apartment, close to school and work. And when I walked by our old house one day, I saw a “SOLD” sign.
I should have felt bad, but I didn’t. Because even though my father was gone, I knew he was still looking out for me.
