“Everything.”
No one spoke.
He opened the document.
“Your father left the house, his personal accounts, and the majority of his estate to Elena.”
Rebecca’s face went white.
“What?”
Michael stood.
“That’s impossible.”
Thomas stared at the lawyer.
“How much?”
The lawyer named the figure.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
I couldn’t even process the number.
But then the lawyer continued.
“There is one condition.”
Rebecca looked at me.
“What condition?”
The lawyer looked at me.
“Elena cannot sell the house.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because your husband wants you to live there.”
“For how long?”
The lawyer paused.
“For the rest of your life.”
Rebecca slammed her hand against the table.
“He’s giving her everything!”
The lawyer calmly replied,
“No.”
He looked at all three children.
“He’s giving her something none of you understood.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“What?”
The lawyer closed the will.
“A choice.”
He turned toward me.
“Your husband knew that after his death, his children would try to make you feel like an outsider.”
He pushed another envelope across the desk.
“He wanted you to know that you were never an outsider.”
I opened it.
Inside was another letter.
This one was shorter.
Elena,
You once told me that you were afraid people would always believe you married me for money.
