After my mom’s death, I expected my sister and I to share our grief and her estate. Instead, she tried to strip me of my inheritance with a shady document, only to learn a truth that turned her world upside down and left her with nothing.
My sister, Diane, was always Mom’s favorite. With her striking blonde hair and blue eyes, she mirrored Mom and got whatever she wanted—fancy meals, errands run, you name it. I, Charlotte, was the outsider with dark hair and eyes, never quite matching them. But Mom was my everything, and I never doubted her love for me.
When Mom fell ill, I put my life on hold to care for her. I managed her pain, her outbursts, and her tears without a word of complaint. Diane, meanwhile, was busy with her acting career, flitting in to show off her glamorous life while I handled the hard days. She’d critique my appearance, saying I needed to “shine” like her, but I was too focused on Mom to care.
After Mom’s funeral, we met with her lawyer, Mr. Hayes. Diane walked in, all charm and new jewelry, her smile too smug. Before the will was read, she produced an old adoption decree, claiming it proved I wasn’t Mom’s real daughter and deserved nothing. My heart raced—had Mom kept this secret? Diane gloated, saying I didn’t belong, her words cutting deep.
The document’s erased name sparked doubt. It felt tampered with. Diane was sure she’d won, but the lawyer suggested we talk it out. I wasn’t giving up without proof. I demanded a DNA test, and though Diane mocked me, she agreed, thinking it would seal her victory. The results shocked us: Diane was the adopted one, not me.
I turned to Aunt Ruth, Mom’s sister, who shared the truth. Mom had found Diane abandoned at a train station at two and adopted her legally, never telling her to ensure she felt like her own. Mom loved us equally, blood or not. Diane, who’d been pampered her whole life, couldn’t accept it. When I showed her the results and Aunt Ruth’s story, she went pale, denying it.
At the next lawyer meeting, Diane insisted on taking everything, ignoring the will’s 50-50 split. Her cruel taunts—saying I’d remind her of her adoption—pushed me to fight back. I hired Mr. Hayes and took her to court. After months, the judge ruled for me, and I got the entire estate.
Diane’s greed cost her everything—her inheritance and her pride. She tried to erase me, but the truth erased her claim. I don’t feel sorry—she brought it on herself. Mom’s love was never about biology, but Diane’s betrayal showed she never understood that. I fought for what was mine, and I won.
