{"id":10850,"date":"2026-02-28T16:53:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/?p=10850"},"modified":"2026-02-28T16:53:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:53:36","slug":"my-stepmother-threatened-to-keep-my-fathers-inheritance-unless-i-buy-my-stepsister-a-house-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/?p=10850","title":{"rendered":"My Stepmother Threatened to Keep My Father\u2019s Inheritance Unless I Buy My Stepsister a House \u2014 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everything fell apart that summer \u2014 money gone, Dad gone, nowhere to run. And just when I needed family most, my stepmother gave me a price for staying.<\/span><\/p>\n

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That summer, I almost lost myself completely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I stood in my tiny rented apartment, staring at the empty shelves, suitcases, and a pile of boxes. For ten years I had worked without weekends, saving every dollar I could to open my own little bookstore caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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And just when it felt like I was finally on the doorstep of something truly mine, my landlord raised the rent so high I couldn\u2019t afford it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But losing my apartment wasn\u2019t the worst part. Because then, just days later, my Dad died. And that was the moment everything truly broke.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My Raymond.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I still called him that in my mind. Raymond… To me, he had always been more than just \u201cDad.\u201d It was just the two of us after my Mom passed. He sat at the edge of my bed when I buried my face in the pillow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHannah, look at me. You\u2019re not alone. I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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He always said it so calmly. He used to bring me books from the library.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI found another story for you. Should we read it together?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I nodded and reached my hands out to him. He stroked my hair and whispered,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re my little star, Hannah. All I have.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I believed every word. But after that summer when Lydia came along, everything changed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cRaymond, I want us to be a family,\u201d she said back then. \u201cI\u2019ll be like a second Mom to Hannah.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I looked her straight in the eyes and I believed her.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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And Chloe, her daughter, hid behind my back and squeaked in that tiny voice,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ll be like a sister to you! I promise!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I promised myself to believe it too. Raymond wrapped his arms around the three of us. His eyes shone with hope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But over time Lydia took control of everything. After the wedding, she walked through the house with keys to every room tucked in her pocket. My stepsister Chloe wandered around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHannah, why do you need so many books? You\u2019ll never make money from them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When I left for college, Dad often called me, whispering into the phone when Lydia was asleep.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHannah, you know\u2026 You\u2019ll always be my girl. They\u2019re good people, but\u2026 I feel like a guest in my own house.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDad…\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I heard him swallowing his tears.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Years later, I sat on the floor surrounded by boxes, wondering if I\u2019d ever done enough for him. If he were proud of me at that moment, trying so hard to hold on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAlright, Hannah, alright. Breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I needed to say goodbye to Dad. I told myself I\u2019d stay in his house for a while \u2014 just to breathe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I knew Lydia wouldn\u2019t like it. Chloe even less. To them, Raymond was just a wallet \u2014 a kind heart they bent with sweet words. But he was gone. And I was left to face his \u201cfamily\u201d alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For a moment, I believed I still had somewhere to belong.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I didn\u2019t know then that Lydia had other plans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The funeral was hot and stuffy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I stood there, my dress sticking to my back, listening to people say how kind Raymond had been.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I watched Lydia stand beside the casket, dabbing her eyes with a perfectly folded tissue. Chloe sniffled into her shoulder. I could almost see Dad leaning against that old oak tree, rolling his eyes at all this fake crying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hours later, we all gathered in the old living room. Mr. Whitaker, the family attorney, cleared his throat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cRaymond left clear instructions. The house goes to Hannah.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Then he flipped to the last page and frowned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHowever\u2026 there\u2019s an addendum. It says the final decision about transferring the deed depends on\u2026 the good judgment of Lydia.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I felt the blood drain from my face.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt means your father wanted to ensure\u2026 certain conditions were met. Lydia will decide the specific terms. You\u2019ll need to agree and carry them out. I\u2019m here to supervise that the agreement is fulfilled.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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WHAT?<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Raymond had never spoken of conditions. He would never…<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I looked at Lydia. She sat there, eyes wide, voice sugar-sweet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOf course, I\u2019ll decide what\u2019s fair for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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She leaned closer to Whitaker. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a family meeting. Then I\u2019ll let you know our final decision.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Whitaker packed up his papers and left.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As soon as the front door shut, Lydia turned to me. The softness in her eyes died instantly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAlright, Hannah. Here\u2019s how this is going to work\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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My sweet, grieving stepmother was gone in a blink. All that was left was Lydia. Calculating, hungry, ready to squeeze every last piece of my father\u2019s promise out of me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIf you want this house \u2014 the house your dear father wanted you to have \u2014 you\u2019ll buy Chloe an apartment. One she deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAn apartment? With what money?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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She smiled that sickly-sweet smile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t play dumb. You\u2019ve been squirreling money away for years, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve been working three jobs for ten years to save that. I wanted to open a caf\u00e9. Something of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh, Hannah, don\u2019t be so selfish,\u201d Chloe piped up. \u201cYou\u2019re the oldest. You should help the family.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Family. The word tasted like ash in my mouth. I looked around the living room.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIf I don\u2019t buy her an apartment, what happens?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThen we all live here together. And trust me, we\u2019ll make sure it\u2019s very\u2026 uncomfortable for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I swallowed. I had nowhere else to go. My old apartment was gone. The rent in town was impossible. And I couldn\u2019t pull the deposit from the caf\u00e9 \u2014 I\u2019d lose everything. I looked at them and forced my voice steady.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ll stay for now. We\u2019re family. We\u2019ll\u2026 work it out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cStaying was the worst choice you could\u2019ve made.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It was hell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Every morning, Chloe blasted her music, stomping down and laughing with her friends about \u201cthe spinster in the back room.\u201d Lydia cooked only enough for two. She\u2019d smile at me over her shoulder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh, you\u2019re still here? There\u2019s burned toast if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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But then, Lydia crossed the line.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I came back after a long day in town \u2014 job hunting, filling out forms \u2014 and I found my room stripped bare.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Boxes everywhere. My clothes were dumped in the yard. It was raining. My books, my father\u2019s old pictures \u2014 soaked through, ruined. Chloe stood at the top of the stairs, chewing gum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOops. We needed the space. You didn\u2019t mind, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I didn\u2019t say a word.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That night, I sat on the floor, flipping through the back pages of an old address book I\u2019d kept buried in my suitcase. I found the number. I hadn\u2019t dialed it in years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My so-called step-grandmother. Lydia\u2019s mother. The one person on this earth Lydia hated even more than she hated me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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And the best part?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia had the right to live there, too. Just to make Lydia\u2019s life extra sweet. I immediately pressed the numbers. Cynthia picked up on the second ring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cCynthia? It\u2019s Hannah. Raymond\u2019s daughter. I\u2026 I need your help. And I think you might want mine too.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At that moment, I almost smiled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If Lydia thought I was hard to live with, she had no idea what was coming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The following morning, I woke up to screaming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It jolted me out of bed before I could even rub my eyes. For a second I thought, God, what now?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But then I caught a whiff of something herbal, like a bonfire made of old lavender and who-knows-what. And I knew. Cynthia. Halfway to the kitchen, I could already hear it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMom! What the hell do you think you\u2019re doing?!\u201d Lydia\u2019s voice cracked, high, and panicked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cGood morning to you too, baby girl.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia\u2019s tone was as dry as dust, sweet as a lemon left out too long. I leaned against the doorframe and watched.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia sat at the kitchen table like she owned the place, pajama pants tucked into fuzzy slippers. She set up an old metal tray lined with half-burned sage, dried rosemary, and \u2014 was that a cinnamon stick?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Smoke spiraled lazily up to the ceiling. Lydia stood there in a nest of hair curlers, her face red as a beet. Chloe lurked behind her, eyes wide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMom, this stinks! You\u2019re gonna set the whole house on fire!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia didn\u2019t even look up. She just kept muttering, tossing bits of herbs onto the glowing tip of her incense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m cleansing the air. Raymond deserves a peaceful rest, not all this screeching and backstabbing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI didn\u2019t invite you here, Mom. This is my house.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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I snorted. They both whipped their heads toward me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cActually,\u201d I said, scratching my head like I\u2019d just remembered something, \u201cI invited her. She\u2019s family, too. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia grinned at me. \u201cOh, that\u2019s right, honey. I\u2019m still family.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou can\u2019t be serious.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia flicked a bit of ash onto the tray and shrugged. \u201cWhy not? Maybe I want to make sure my son-in-law\u2019s memory stays clean. Lord knows he did more for me than you ever did.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh, please, Mom! You always take everyone else\u2019s side!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia snapped her fingers, and Chloe flinched.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t start with me, sweetheart. I was on your side for years. And what did you do when Raymond was sick? You twisted things to your advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI took care of him…\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia laughed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYeah, you took care of him, all right. I\u2019ve still got that letter he gave me, Lydia. The one where he begged me to hold onto his original will because he didn\u2019t trust you. He knew you\u2019d pull something. He just didn\u2019t know how low you\u2019d go.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My breath caught. I hadn\u2019t seen that letter yet, not really.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia reached into her pocket, pulled out an old, creased envelope, and waved it like a flag.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou want to test me, baby girl? Take me to court. I\u2019ll stand up there and tell them everything \u2014 how you shoved that new will under his nose when he could barely hold a pen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMama,\u201d Chloe whined, \u201cthis is so unfair! Where are we supposed to go?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia leaned back in her chair, calm as ever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou\u2019ve got your father\u2019s old place upstate, remember? The one you always brag about? It needs a good coat of paint, but it\u2019s got plenty of rooms for your\u2026 family bonding. I hear the plumbing still works.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Lydia\u2019s nostrils flared. I just shrugged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou always said we should stick together as a family. So here we are. Sticking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cynthia cackled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cPack your bags, Lydia.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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***<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A few hours later, after doors slammed and boxes clattered down the front steps, the house fell quiet. Cynthia and I sat at the table, two mugs between us. She raised her cup to me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTo Raymond. And to strong girls who don\u2019t let witches win.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I laughed \u2014 the first real laugh in weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTo family.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAnd don\u2019t worry, honey. We\u2019ll keep this place warm. Now you can finally focus on that bookstore caf\u00e9 of yours. In peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I looked out the window \u2014 the yard looked just the way it did when Dad was still here. And now I knew it would stay that way. Maybe even better. With Cynthia on my side.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I asked her to stay there, to look after the house while I finally made my dream real.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I glanced up at the sky and smiled. Dad would\u2019ve been proud of me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: I was the fool who babysat my sister\u2019s kids while she slept with my husband. But the secret she thought I\u2019d keep forever? That became my sweetest revenge. Read the full story\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everything fell apart that summer \u2014 money gone, Dad gone, nowhere to run. And just when I needed family most, my stepmother gave me a price for staying. That summer, … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,22,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-inspiration","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10850"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10850\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10852,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10850\/revisions\/10852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readinstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}