I stood before Kara’s lavish house, a gift bag in hand, my heart racing. Since Mark’s death two years ago, his mother rarely acknowledged me. His siblings kept me in family events, and I always attended, valuing the connection. Kara’s birthday invite was unexpected, but I went for Mark and his grandmother, Eleanor, who’d been my confidante until her death three months ago. Her memory pushed me forward. I rang the doorbell, and Kara opened it, her face tight. “Melissa,” she said coolly, taking my gift without a word. She led me to the backyard, where the party was in full swing.
Some guests welcomed me, others eyed me with disdain. Emma, Mark’s niece, hugged me warmly. “Kara invited you?” she asked, surprised. I shrugged, sensing trouble. Kara’s sharp comments soon confirmed it—jabs at my appearance, my job, and my lingering ties to the family. “You don’t belong,” she said coldly. When she introduced Diane as her son’s new friend, hinting I was obsolete, I snapped. “Why invite me to hurt me?” I asked. Kara’s face twisted. “Get out!” she screamed. “You’re not family!” I left, tears spilling as I drove home, her words echoing.
My phone rang—Emma, sounding frantic. “Come back with a lawyer!” She’d overheard Kara and a lawyer scheming to conceal Eleanor’s will, which left her business to me. They were forging papers to take it. Anger replaced my hurt. I called David, my lawyer, who was outraged. “I’ll meet you there,” he said. We stormed back into the party, halting chatter. Kara’s smile vanished as David spoke. “We know about the will and your fraud,” he said. Kara denied it, but her lawyer, trembling, admitted, “Kara wanted to change it.” Guests whispered in shock. Kara insisted the business was hers, not mine, an outsider. David clarified Eleanor’s legal choice. Kara sank, beaten. Emma squeezed my hand, affirming Eleanor’s wish. Leaving, I felt Eleanor’s love, her legacy now in my hands.
