Lori was right. My mother passed away a long time ago.
My dad was a teacher, while my mom ran her own beauty company.
When I was in high school, my mom went on a business trip out of town and got into a car accident. She was in surgery for a full day and night, but in the end, she became a vegetative state.
At that time, my dad was busy with work at school, and I was preparing for my college entrance exams. I spent my days running between the hospital and school until my body finally gave out from exhaustion.
My mother’s condition devastated my father, but when he saw me growing weaker by the day, he was even more heartbroken.
One day, my dad came to me and said he wanted to hire a caregiver for my mom. Otherwise, if my college entrance exams were delayed, he wouldn’t be able to face my mother even in the afterlife.
But I hesitated.
Many caregivers were irresponsible, taking advantage of the family’s absence to mistreat patients. I couldn’t bring myself to entrust my mother to a stranger.
However, my dad told me he had an old classmate who had studied nursing and was currently looking for a job.
“She can give it a try,” he said. “At least we know her background, so you won’t have to worry.”
Seeing my father’s exhausted face, I finally agreed. Sure enough, his old classmate was indeed professional and took great care of my mother.
Every time I came home, I would see my mother clean and well cared for, which gave me great comfort.
She was cared for like this for about two years before she passed away.
It was only after her passing that I learned she had left me the old Western-style house that my grandmother had originally given her.
Friends advised me to sell it, but I refused.
That house held memories of three generations. It was something I wanted to keep as a remembrance. But as the years dragged on, the house began to deteriorate more quickly.
My dad said it was because no one was living in it. He suggested that we move there so he could help take care of the place.
I agreed.
Later, when my dad remarried. He moved in with my stepmother and her son. And my stepmother was none other than Carol, the caregiver who had looked after my mother.
After marrying my dad, Carol had always treated me well.
Sometimes, when I had conflicts with her son, Gordon, she would always take my side and scold him.
But after Lori’s outburst today, I suddenly realized something. Had my dad and Carol never told her that this house belonged to me?
No wonder she reacted so sarcastically when she heard I was planning to stay.
I pulled my dad aside and asked, “Does Lori not know about the ownership of this house?”
Just as my dad was about to respond, Carol quickly interrupted with a flattering smile. “Your dad wanted to tell her, but I stopped him. Jacelyn, if you want to blame someone, blame me. I told Lori that this house belongs to Gordon.”
She sighed and continued, “You know how hard it was for your brother to find a girlfriend. Her family insisted that without a house, there was no marriage. Your dad and I had already been through a devastating divorce, and on top of that, we spent everything to put Gordon through university. How could we possibly afford to buy him a house? We had no other choice but to do this.”
Honestly, I could understand why Carol did this.
Children from blended families did have it tough. Some mothers even chose to leave their marriages with nothing, just to ensure they remained a part of their child’s life.
Besides, after my dad remarried, Carol had always treated me well.
So, I spoke to her gently, trying to reason with her. “Carol, I understand your difficulties, but the truth will come out sooner or later. I really think it’s best if you tell Lori as soon as possible. If you’re worried that Gordon and Lori won’t have a place to live, it just so happens that I put a down payment on a small apartment last year. I originally planned to use it as an investment, but they can stay there for now.”
Hearing this, my dad’s eyes welled up with tears. “Jacelyn, all these years, I’ve always felt guilty toward you. I never expected you to still think of your brother’s needs. Don’t worry, I’ll handle this properly and make sure you don’t suffer any losses.”
I nodded and said, “Dad, even though you have a new family now, we’ll always be family.”
I originally came home intending to tell my dad about winning the lottery and letting the family enjoy an easy life with me.
But for some reason, after everything that happened, I started to hesitate.
Maybe it’s best not to reveal my wealth just yet. It was better to wait and see how things unfold.
