While caring for my mom during her battle with cancer, I was by her side every step of the way. My brother and aunts, on the other hand, only appeared when they needed something — whether it was money or help with their bills. When my mom passed, I was stunned to learn that her $5 million inheritance was being split between my brother and aunts, with nothing left for me.

I was heartbroken and doubted whether I had done enough for her in those final months. But then, the lawyer handed me an envelope with a letter from Mom. Inside was the key to a beautiful house — a fully paid-for home, complete with my favorite flowers and photos of us. It turns out, Mom had known exactly what her relatives were like. She left me the house to build a future, while giving the money to my brother and aunts to teach them the value of things. They would eventually waste it, and in the end, I would have a home filled with memories of her.As I stand in my new kitchen, sipping coffee, I realize that my mom’s love was never about money — it was in this home, where I could build a new chapter of my life.