When my grandfather passed, he left me his farm—my childhood dream come true. But there was one odd condition: I had to spend the first night sleeping in the barn without leaving until morning. I thought it was strange but harmless… until it led me to a secret that nearly cost me everything.
That night, I woke to noises outside. Then, the front door to the house slammed shut—even though I’d locked it. Against the rules, I stepped out of the barn and went to check. Inside, I found something shocking: the basement had been turned into a hidden apartment. And living there was my estranged mother—who’d abandoned me years ago—along with a teenage daughter I never knew existed.
Before I could process it, Uncle Joe, our family’s attorney, appeared. He declared that by leaving the barn, I had broken the will’s condition, and that the farm now belonged to my mother’s daughter. Then it clicked—the girl was his child. My mom had cheated on my dad with his own brother. They had conspired to take the farm from me.
Shattered, I packed to leave—until I stumbled across an envelope Grandpa had hidden for me. Inside was the real will. No conditions. Just his farm, passed directly to me. Grandpa had known they’d try to deceive me and left proof to protect me.
When Uncle Joe returned, smug and ready to push me out, I held up the original will. “Forgery’s a crime. Want to test me in court?” He went pale. Hours later, he, my mom, and their daughter were gone for good.
And I stood on the porch, finally the rightful owner of the farm Grandpa always meant for me to have.