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Two years ago, everything shifted again.
Jim, the man who had walked out on us, died in a car accident. I had not seen him in decades. I had no idea that in his years away he had rebuilt his life and quietly accumulated a small fortune through various investments.
Then came the shock. Every cent was left to Alexis.
I watched her face as the lawyer read the will. What I saw was not gratitude. It was calculation. George stood behind her, smiling in a way that made my skin prickle. Something inside me whispered that this money would not bring peace.
I pushed that feeling away. She was my daughter. I wanted to believe she would use this blessing for good, for her future, maybe even to ease my burden a little. Love has a way of blinding us to danger.
From Homeowner To Servant In My Own Kitchen
Three months after the inheritance arrived, Alexis and George came to the farm with an exciting idea: they wanted to turn the property into a country inn. Tourism was growing, they said. A cozy inn with cabins, horses in the field, and fresh country air sounded like a dream for city folks.
There was only one problem. To get a bank loan for the renovations, they needed the land in their names. Just temporarily, they promised. A formality. A little signature so the bank would approve the loan. They would transfer everything back after.
A small voice deep inside begged me not to sign anything. But Alexis took my hands and said, “Mom, trust me. This will be good for all of us. You can finally rest. No more killing yourself with work.”
George added, all politeness and charm, “You deserve a break, Miss Sophia. We will take care of everything.”
They sounded so sure. I wanted to support my daughter’s dreams. I wanted her to see me as helpful, not as someone holding her back. So I signed. I did not understand how final that signature really was.
Inside the house, though, something else was changing.
Alexis’s tone shifted. At first, it was little things. Correcting the way I spoke in front of guests. Laughing at my clothes. Rolling her eyes when I did not understand some piece of technology. Then she began treating me less like her mother and more like unpaid staff.
“Breakfast needs to be ready at seven sharp.”
“Change the sheets in cabin three.”
“Do not talk too much to the guests, Mom. They are here for peace, not your stories.”
I told myself I was helping the family business. They were young. They needed my support. But it slowly dawned on me that in the place I had built with my own hands, I was becoming invisible.
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