When my mom, a single parent, passed away two years ago, I thought my aunt was my hero for taking me in. Losing my mom to cancer at just 14 was devastating—she was my best friend and my entire support system.
My aunt Cheryl quickly stepped in, offering to take care of me, saying, “You’re family, Jenna. And family looks out for each other.”
At first, I felt lucky. Cheryl’s big, fancy house seemed like a safe place where I could find some stability after everything I’d been through. But I soon realized things weren’t as they seemed. Cheryl didn’t take me in out of love—she had her own hidden agenda.
My life with her turned into a nightmare, until my 16th birthday, when a stranger knocked on the door and turned everything around.
My aunt had three kids: Maddie, the “perfect” 17-year-old; Dylan, the 13-year-old troublemaker; and Lucas, the spoiled 9-year-old. When I moved in, they suddenly started enjoying a life of luxury—new phones, fancy clothes, and outings to expensive restaurants every week.
Meanwhile, I was stuck in the dusty, unfinished attic. It had a single lightbulb, a bunch of old boxes, and a sagging twin mattress.
“Why can’t I stay in the guest room downstairs?” I asked on my first night.
Cheryl glared at me. “Don’t even start, Jenna. We don’t have room. You should be thankful I’m letting you stay here.”
Grateful? I was given leftover food to reheat for myself at every meal. Every mall trip came with a lecture about how “money doesn’t grow on trees,” yet Maddie always left with new shoes or fancy jewelry.
One afternoon, while I was in the attic doing homework, I overheard Cheryl talking downstairs.
“I’m telling you, Eric, the money’s benefiting all of us. She doesn’t even need half of it. It’s just sitting there.”
Cheryl’s husband, Eric, mumbled something in response, but her words stuck with me: The money. I didn’t understand what she meant at the time, but I would soon find out when karma finally came around on my sixteenth birthday.
By then, I had stopped expecting much, but a small part of me still hoped my aunt might at least remember my birthday. Instead, I walked downstairs to see Maddie opening a shiny, silver MacBook!
“Oh my gosh! Thank you so much, Mom!” Maddie squealed, hugging Cheryl.
I cleared my throat. “Isn’t today my birthday?”
My aunt barely glanced at me. “Maddie needed this for school. It’s important, and you’re not even in advanced classes.”
“But… what about me?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Cheryl turned to me with a cold glare. “You think I don’t do enough for you? Be grateful I even remembered, Jenna! You have food and a roof over your head.”
Neither she nor her spoiled kids even bothered to wish me a happy birthday.
Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to cry. I turned and stomped back up to the attic, slamming the door behind me. Happy birthday to me, I thought bitterly. I couldn’t even talk to my uncle, the only one who sometimes listened, because he was away on a work trip.
Later that afternoon, Cheryl and her kids went out for Maddie’s “birthday lunch”—because, of course, Maddie got one, even though it wasn’t her birthday. Feeling alone and defeated, I sat in the quiet house until a loud knock suddenly broke the silence.
My stomach tightened with nerves as I went to open the door.
A tall, confident woman stood at the door, holding a briefcase in one hand. Her piercing gray eyes met mine. “Are you Jenna?” she asked.
I nodded, feeling unsure. “Who are you?”
“My name is Olivia,” she said, her voice calm but serious. “I worked with your mother before she passed.”
My heart raced. “You knew my mom?”
“Yes,” Olivia said as she stepped inside. “And I made her a promise. Can we sit down? There’s something important I need to tell you.”
We sat in the living room—Cheryl’s spotless living room, where I was never allowed to touch the white couches. Olivia opened her briefcase and took out some thick folders.
“Your mother set up a trust fund for you, Jenna,” she explained. “It’s a large sum of money meant for your future. But she was worried. She didn’t trust Cheryl to handle it responsibly, knowing how she is. Before your mom passed, she asked me to watch over things.”
“What do you mean?” I whispered, feeling my chest tighten.
Olivia’s face softened. “Jenna, your aunt has been using your money. The trust your mom set up was meant for you—for college, for your future. But Cheryl has been spending it on herself.”
I felt my head spin. My aunt had been stealing from me? For years?! Instead of saving the money for me, she wasted it on her kids, cars, private school, and fancy vacations. And all while I wore secondhand clothes, ate leftovers, and lived in the attic!
Before I could say a word, I heard the screech of tires. Cheryl’s SUV had just pulled into the driveway. A cold wave of fear washed over me.
A moment later, the front door slammed open! My aunt’s voice shouted through the house. “Who are you, and why are you here?!”
Olivia stood up calmly as Cheryl stormed in, with Maddie, Dylan, and Lucas following her. When Cheryl saw Olivia, she froze—she clearly recognized her.
“It’s time for you to face the consequences, Cheryl,” Olivia said firmly. “I’m here to talk about Jenna’s inheritance—and how you’ve been using it.”
Cheryl’s face went as white as a ghost. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Olivia took out the papers and placed them on the coffee table. “These are bank records. Withdrawals from Jenna’s trust fund. Money spent on vacations, cars, private school tuition. All of it.”
“That’s a lie!” Cheryl yelled, her voice shaking.
I stood up, my fists clenched. “You used me,” I said, my voice trembling. “You spent everything, didn’t you? Even the money Mom left for college?!”
Cheryl’s eyes quickly glanced at her kids, and her calm expression cracked. “I had expenses! You don’t understand how hard it is to raise four kids!”
“FOUR?” I snapped. “I’m not one of your kids! I was just a paycheck to you!”
“You ungrateful little—” Cheryl began, but Olivia interrupted her.
“Enough,” Olivia said. “You’ve broken the terms of the trust. This is fraud, Cheryl. And it’s not going away.”
Maddie started crying. “Mom, what’s happening? Are we going to lose everything?”
Cheryl turned on me, her eyes wide with anger. “This is your fault! If you weren’t so selfish—”
“My fault?” I shouted. “YOU stole from ME!”
The room felt like it was burning, with everyone shouting and Cheryl’s kids crying—until Olivia’s calm voice cut through the chaos. “Cheryl, I suggest you sit down. You’re going to need a lawyer.”
It didn’t take long for everything to fall apart. Olivia filed a report, and Cheryl’s spending was revealed as fraud. The trust was frozen, and legal actions began. My aunt cried and begged, but it was too late.
Cheryl knew Olivia because she was the one who had told her about my trust and my mom’s death. She had also warned her about the risks of using my money for anything other than me, but Cheryl clearly didn’t listen.
My aunt’s perfect world fell apart quickly. Within weeks, I was moved out of her house. Olivia helped me settle into a foster home with a caring family who welcomed me like I had always belonged.
I didn’t miss Cheryl’s cold looks or Maddie’s smugness. For the first time in two years, I felt… safe and wanted.
My aunt’s house was seized, the cars repossessed, and Maddie’s private school enrollment canceled. I heard whispers that Cheryl blamed me for everything, but I didn’t care. She’d stolen years of my life, but couldn’t take away my future!
On my 18th birthday, Olivia sat across from me, a stack of papers between us. “Jenna, the remaining funds are finally yours.”
Tears stung my eyes as I signed the last form. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Olivia smiled warmly. “Your mom would be so proud of you.”
That night, I sat on the porch of my foster home, looking up at the stars. For the first time in a long while, I felt my mom’s presence. I imagined her saying, You made it, Jenna. You’re free.
Sometimes, karma takes a while, but when it comes, it hits hard. Cheryl lost everything because of her greed. As for me, I had hope again—a fresh start, a future my mom always wanted for me.
And for that, I would never stop being grateful.
If you liked that story, you’ll enjoy this next one about a woman whose mother also passed away from cancer. However, in her case, her mother left all her wealth to her greedy aunts and brother. Instead of money, she left her daughter something far more meaningful.
This story is inspired by real-life events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and unintentional.
The author and publisher make no claims about the accuracy of the events or the portrayal of characters, and are not responsible for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters, not reflecting the views of the author or publisher.