MY GRANDMOTHER PRETENDED TO BE DEAF TO TEST US

MY GRANDMOTHER PRETENDED TO BE DEAF TO TEST US BEFORE DIVIDING THE INHERITANCE — I’LL NEVER FORGET MY UNCLE’S FACE WHEN WE GATHERED IN LAWYER’S OFFICE.

My grandma played them all like a chess grandmaster. She was seriously loaded, and every relative in our family had their eyes on her fortune, especially my uncle and aunt. They practically told her they were waiting for her house.

Sadly, my grandma passed away, and it really broke me for a while. A few days after the funeral, her lawyer gathered all the relatives in his office to read the will. Eight of us walked in and saw seven envelopes and seven small boxes on a long table.

“Take a seat,” the lawyer said with a grin. I had a feeling something was up, and then he said to me, “For you, your grandma left something different. Everyone else, open your envelopes!” the lawyer announced. You should’ve seen my uncle’s face when he opened his box.

Everyone tore into their envelopes, ripping them open with anticipation, eyes wide with greed. My uncle, who had practically been drooling over the thought of inheriting my grandmother’s estate, was the first to open his. He pulled out a single piece of paper, and when he read it, his face turned from eager excitement to utter shock.

“What… what is this?” he sputtered, staring down at the slip of paper in his hands. He glanced around, hoping someone else was just as confused as he was. But the others were too busy reading their own papers, and the same expressions started spreading across their faces — confusion, disbelief, and anger.

I glanced over at my uncle’s hands and saw what he was holding. It was a voucher — a voucher for a free hearing test at a local clinic. My aunt had gotten the same thing, and so had my other cousins. All of them were clutching identical vouchers, their faces pale and bewildered, as if they were trying to figure out if this was some kind of joke.

“What the hell is this supposed to mean?” my aunt snapped, glaring at the lawyer. “Where’s the money? Where’s the house?”

The lawyer, who had been trying to keep a straight face, finally let out a small chuckle. “It means exactly what it says, ma’am,” he said calmly. “Your mother — God rest her soul — was a very clever woman. She had her own way of deciding how to divide her assets, and it seems she felt some of you needed a little help with your hearing.”

I couldn’t help but smirk as I saw the pieces starting to fall into place. My grandma had always been sharp, and she’d told me once that she wanted to make sure everyone’s true colors came out before she decided who would inherit what. It turned out that when she started “losing her hearing,” she had actually been pretending all along, just to see how people would treat her when they thought she couldn’t hear them.

And the things she heard… well, they hadn’t exactly been kind. My uncle and aunt had been talking behind her back, treating her like a burden, and openly discussing how they couldn’t wait to get their hands on her money once she was gone. They’d said things like, “When she finally kicks the bucket, we’ll be rolling in it,” and “The old bat doesn’t even know what’s coming.”

My stomach turned when I thought about how cold and greedy they had been, but I was glad that Grandma had seen through them. And now, seeing their faces as they clutched those ridiculous hearing test vouchers, I knew she had gotten the last laugh.

“But this is ridiculous!” my uncle shouted, slamming his hand on the table. “I’m her son! I’m supposed to get something more than… than a stupid hearing test!”

“Oh, you did get something more,” the lawyer said, still grinning. “Everyone, please open the small boxes in front of you.”

One by one, my uncle, aunt, and the rest of the family members reluctantly opened the small black boxes, their hands trembling with anticipation. Inside each one was a small, antique key — the kind you might use to open a diary or a jewelry box. They looked at the keys, then at each other, clearly confused.

“What is this supposed to open?” one of my cousins asked, her voice laced with frustration.

The lawyer picked up a small notebook from his desk and opened it. “Your grandmother left a message to go along with these keys,” he said, flipping through the pages. “She said, ‘These keys open small safety deposit boxes at the local bank. Inside each one, you’ll find a little memento from me. Something to remember me by.’”

“But what about the estate?” my aunt shrieked, her face red with rage. “What about the money, the house, everything else?”

The lawyer looked up, his eyes twinkling. “Ah, yes, the estate. That’s the part I was getting to. You see, your grandmother had a special request when it came to her estate. She decided that all of her significant assets, including her house, stocks, and savings, would be given to the person she felt had been most loving, respectful, and supportive during her final years.”

The room went silent. Everyone was staring at me, as if they already knew what was coming. My heart started to race, but I kept quiet, waiting for the lawyer to continue.

He reached under his desk and pulled out a larger, elegant envelope — the one that had been set aside for me. “Ellie,” he said, smiling warmly as he handed it to me, “your grandmother left this for you. She said you would know what to do with it.”

With trembling hands, I opened the envelope, and inside was a letter written in my grandmother’s beautiful cursive. “My dear Ellie,” it began. “If you’re reading this, then you already know the truth. I pretended to be deaf because I wanted to see who really cared about me, not just my money. And my darling, you were the only one who treated me with kindness, respect, and love, even when you thought I couldn’t hear a word you said. You have always had a good heart, and that’s why I’m leaving everything to you. The house, the savings, and the family heirlooms — they’re all yours. Use them well, and remember, true wealth isn’t measured by money, but by love.”

Tears filled my eyes as I read the letter. I looked up at the lawyer, who nodded encouragingly, and then I glanced around the room at my family. My uncle’s face was bright red, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. My aunt looked like she was about to faint, and the rest of my relatives were whispering to each other, clearly stunned.

“This… this is a joke,” my uncle said, his voice shaking. “There’s no way she left everything to her!”

“Oh, but she did,” the lawyer said, his tone firm. “And it’s all legally binding. Your mother was very clear about her intentions, and she made sure everything was in order before she passed. Ellie is the sole heir to her estate.”

For a moment, there was complete silence. Then, my aunt let out a bitter, high-pitched laugh. “Well, I hope you enjoy that old house, Ellie,” she said sarcastically. “You’ll probably have to sell it to afford the repairs.”

I smiled, holding the letter close to my heart. “Actually, I think I’ll keep it,” I said calmly. “It’s a beautiful home, and it’s filled with memories of Grandma. She always said it was meant to stay in the family, and I intend to honor that.”

My uncle and aunt fumed, but there was nothing they could do. The will was clear, and they had no claim to contest it. As they started to gather their things and leave, still muttering angrily to themselves, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace. Grandma had been right — true wealth wasn’t about money or property, but about love. And in her own clever way, she had ensured that her legacy would live on with the person who truly valued her.

As I left the lawyer’s office that day, clutching the letter and the deed to my grandmother’s house, I felt like she was walking beside me, her spirit bright and proud. She had outsmarted them all, and I knew she was smiling somewhere, knowing she had the last laugh.