I (24F) am writing this incident which happened to me recently. I come from a pretty wealthy background, with my father being a movie producer. We live in a small country by the ocean, so there’s a good chance my dad isn’t that well-known internationally. My 48-year-old Dad, let’s call him Theo, had met my mother when they both were my age (24) and got married after she got pregnant with me. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen complications during pregnancy, my mother passed away right after giving birth to me. My dad had been a single parent since then for almost 10 years.
No doubt he got a lot of offers from very attractive women, but he always prioritized me over his personal relationships. My dad had amassed a lot of wealth during his initial years and so we shifted to a more film-centered city when I was 12. I had a lot of trouble settling into the new school because of bullying. There were two guys in my grade who daily used to make fun of me because of how I was dressed (my dad dressed me), and the limits were crossed when they accidentally pushed me down two stairs.
My dad was called to the school but didn’t meet the bullies or their parents because of his hectic schedule. My dad had always been there for me, but he wasn’t able to be present much due to his hectic job, and so he decided to send me back with my grandparents, at least till I was able to adjust to a new setting. My grandparents have been absolute angels and have raised me like I was their own child. My dad did come back on holidays and other family events, but that’s all I saw of him for the next 6 years, so it is safe to say that I grew distant from him.
—
A New Stepmom and Old Scars
I started to realize something was fishy when I heard my grandparents whisper about something that was related to my father. I was 15 during this, so I directly confronted them and asked about the issue in hopes that it was about my dad finally taking me back with him. That is when my grandparents told me that my dad had married this woman he met during the shooting of his show. They told me my dad and the woman, let’s call her Lisa, eloped the day before and were going to visit us.
I wasn’t pleased with this because my dad started a new family after abandoning me, but because I didn’t have any say, I pouted and waited for them to come. Lisa had a very off vibe from the moment she stepped inside my grandparents’ home. I could feel all her pretentious behavior of being very kind towards me, but just for the sake of my dad, I was glad at that moment that I didn’t live with my dad anymore. On talking further, it was revealed that she was a divorcee with two kids, who I might get to meet if I ever visited my dad’s mansion. My dad did ask me if I wanted to live with him because I was old enough now, but I outrightly denied it, feeling hurt and abandoned by him, and so they left. Later on, talking with my grandparents, I realized we all had the same instinct about her pretending to be nice.
Anyway, that was over and I completed my education in my grandparents’ town. I worked extremely hard at school in order to get into film school and was able to get into the best one along with a few others. But the problem was that it was in the city where my dad and his family lived. I was happy on my own and was fine with my grandparents, but I feared that if I went to my preferred college, I would have to face restrictions from my dad. I have always had an interest in technical jobs at the set, basically camera work.
Once my dad got to know that I had been selected in the best college in his city, he was ecstatic to have me back home. I did make it clear to him that if I stayed in the city, I didn’t wish to be kept tabs on by him or his family at all times, to which he agreed. I was still doubtful. On my grandparents’ repeated requests, I decided to join the course. My dad invited me to his home, which at first I denied, but on repeated insistence from both him and Lisa, I decided to give them a visit.
When I reached my dad’s mansion, by the looks of it, it didn’t look like I ever lived there. The walls were full of pictures of Lisa with her kids and some of my dad. Dad looked pretty thin and pale so I was concerned about him. My dad offered to pay my fee and asked me to stay at their place for as long as I wished, but I said no as I didn’t wish any pity funds from him. I applied for a student loan and got into the college dorm. As I was about to leave in the afternoon, I met Lisa’s kids, who were just back from their acting coaching classes. I got the biggest shock of my life when I realized they were the kids who had bullied me when I was young.
I wanted to tell my dad about it, but to be honest, I didn’t really know him or his response, so I called my grandparents and told them about this. They told me I had done the right thing by not telling this to my dad because it had now been a few years to his and Lisa’s marriage and there was a good chance it might spoil my relationship with him. I obliged and talked to the bullies, James and Jake (both 24M), for formality’s sake and left as soon as I could.
I had heard about the shenanigans of Jake and James from my grandparents. Apparently, their biological father was a rich businessman who didn’t wish to leave his kids, but Lisa somehow decided to blame him for domestic violence and brought the kids into her new marriage. My dad didn’t wish to have any more kids but agreed to it for Lisa. He had known Jake and James since they were 15 and they had never failed to remind my dad that they weren’t his children. He used to provide them with everything he could afford, only for them to berate him to his face in front of their relatives, and these two were also a reason why I was kept away from my dad.
Lisa should have tried to calm things down and explain to them the new dynamics, but she couldn’t care less about it all, and it overall affected my dad. Their relationship has been dicey since the beginning, but after having me in the city, my dad finally felt he had someone he could trust. He had indirectly mentioned to me here and there about how his relationship with Lisa was. He said that she spends a good amount of money he makes in the name of promoting her kids, which he feels isn’t true. I didn’t wish to interfere in their relationship, so I decided to stay quiet and listen to him rant. One thing I was sure of was that the marriage might fail soon.
—
A Father’s Pain and Final Wishes
Over the period of my course, I used to visit my dad and his family on the weekends. I didn’t feel welcomed at their house so I stopped after a while, but had to revisit as it was revealed soon after I joined college that my dad had cancer in the last stages and had just a few years left because of how aggressive it was. It was difficult to see my father in pain, but what hurt more was how unhappy he was in his marriage.
It was because of him Jake had gotten a short recurring role in a sitcom, but it was never like Lisa’s kids treated him like a father figure. I could see how hard my dad tried to build a connection with them, only for them to treat him like an ATM, and what was more unfortunate was that Lisa never saw this as a problem. By the time my father was on his deathbed, Lisa had stopped visiting him in the hospital and rarely showed up. My dad cried a lot to me during his final days, feeling abandoned by his wife and stepchildren.
And although I wasn’t very close to my dad, I still couldn’t forget his pain of being alone. I also tried to talk to Lisa about looking after my father, but her very insensitive reply was that she would rather look after her future than wait for someone to become “past.” It is safe to say that she was the worst of humans I had ever met. My dad passed away soon after I finished my course.
Lisa was there at my father’s wake for 15 minutes at max when the big people of the industry showed up, whereas her sons didn’t even care to show their faces for their stepdad. I had decided from that day on that I wasn’t going to consider these people family ever and decided to leave to head to another state to pursue my career in film. I was planning to leave a week after the wake but was summoned by Dad’s lawyer to his Mansion at the earliest.
When I reached, I saw Lisa and her kids sitting there impatiently. Dad’s lawyer told us that before passing away, he had declared his will and wished to give me almost 70% of his assets, including his Mansion. He left 20% of his wealth for his parents (who were pretty well off already) and 10% plus a condo in the city for Lisa and her children. He had also left a final message for me, apologizing to me for not being the father he wished to be. I got overwhelmed and emotional at all this, but the real shocker had come to Lisa and her kids.
She gave me an angry look before leaving the Mansion enraged. I asked Dad’s lawyer what the consequences of this could be, and he assured me that I had nothing to worry about as whatever those three planned on doing would definitely be illegal. I decided to cancel my plan of moving to another state as I had a home to myself now. I called Lisa soon after and asked her to take all of her and her kids’ stuff away as this wasn’t their home anymore. Lisa was obviously upset and asked why I was being so cruel to them after knowing what they were going through. I happily replied that I’d rather look at the future than my past, and she cut the call after having a taste of her own medicine. I did get a few nasty texts from her for some days, but I enjoyed her being miserable after what she had done.
—
The Grand Plan Unfolds
I had left the Mansion for the weekend to visit my grandparents and tell them what had gone down. They weren’t as shocked as I was because they had suspected Lisa’s intentions for a long time, but were glad that she was getting karma for treating her son like a broken thing during his last days. I had a good weekend with them and went back to the city only to have my mansion’s door already opened. I suspected a burglary and called the cops and Dad’s lawyer (he was the only person I knew well enough).
Immediately when the cops went in, they realized it was Lisa and her children who had broken into the house while I was gone. They were clearly acting stupid and mentioned their reason for breaking in was because this was their home and no one could kick them out. They also blamed Dad’s lawyer for making a fake will in collaboration with me, because there was no way Theo, Lisa’s “dear husband” and James and Jake’s “father,” could do them so dirty and leave them with nothing. The cops were angry at this immature behavior and were ready to arrest them, but my dad’s lawyer asked me to not send them to jail just yet because he had a better plan. I suspected his intentions but still decided to listen to him and asked the cops to not press charges just yet. Dad’s lawyer took the cops aside and told them something, after which they left almost immediately.
He invited me inside the house along with Lisa and her kids and asked us to wait for a few minutes while he left to bring something to show us. I was scared for my life left alone with them, but Lisa knew better than to get arrested for assault so we sat and waited, while those three kept berating me for fraud. Soon, Dad’s lawyer showed up with a box in his hands. What he told us next was something no one had expected.
So, apparently my dad had known for a while now that Lisa was cheating on him. When he started getting sick and her behavior changed towards him drastically, he talked to his lawyer about it. And in order to safeguard my interest for the future, he added another point in the will: that the share he was going to give Lisa and her children could increase by 30% (taken from my share) given that she had been faithful to him for the rest of the time he was alive, and this would happen only if Lisa consented to it. She immediately said yes, and my dad’s lawyer handed her the paper to sign. In consenting to this arrangement, Lisa’s face lit up, hearing this, but it was all going to come crashing in a few seconds. It was also mentioned in this arrangement that if Lisa is found guilty of cheating with proof, then she would also end up losing the initial 10% she got. She signed the consent form irrespective, considering that there was no way any evidence against her could be gathered.
After everyone was clear with the arrangement, my dad’s lawyer proceeded to take out a pen drive and a set of papers from that box. He handed the papers to me and played the videos on his laptop. Apparently, my dad had secretly installed a CCTV in the living room to catch Lisa. Not only did it catch Lisa with another man in the house, but also recorded some intimate situations which assured that she was indeed cheating on my dad during their marriage. The papers he handed me were some pictures of Lisa with the guy she was cheating on my dad with. I know this sounds like the plot of a good TV show, but I guess Dad had learned a lot from his career.
Since Lisa had now signed the papers that she would get nothing, her face turned pale, realizing what she had done. She immediately began throwing a hissy fit that this was unfair to her and her children and that she should have been told the proof was present. My dad’s lawyer reminded her that even this conversation, where the clear rules of the will were stated, had been recorded in the CCTV camera right behind her and that she should now go pack her stuff to leave the condo she was given. Soon James handled his mother and left with her because they knew they were stuck now. My dad’s lawyer, before leaving, asked me to be prepared for a court case and get the locks changed as soon as possible to avoid further breaking in. I listened to his advice and immediately called my grandparents, telling them about how dramatic everything had turned out to be. My grandparents decided to come stay with me for the next few days to ensure my safety.
—
After messing with me, Lisa decided to go to my parents in order to convince them to be on her side and support her having a better share of the inheritance for her and her children. When they decided to shun her, Lisa said off as well. She went ahead and started gaslighting them into thinking that they were given the lesser share in their own son’s property because it was indeed my plan. My grandma believed her for once, but my grandpa always stood by me, and all her hard work was washed away once I talked with my grandparents asking them if they wanted the Mansion for themselves. Lisa did threaten me after that in a voice call, and I filed for a restraining order on the basis of that, which I very well received.
Now no one other than my immediate family and now Reddit knew about this fight for the inheritance because the matter was going legal soon, but my very smart stepmother Lisa decided to go to the film fraternity and cry wolf about her dead husband that he was pressuring her to give everything to me after his demise and now we have plotted the will in an attempt to leave her astray. A lot of people knew my father and what a nice man he was, so they called her bluff and asked her to get checked. Some others questioned her because she was in a good enough job too, so why was she crying about the money? Basically, her plan to garner sympathy backfired pretty nicely, with Jake losing the job he had gotten because of my dad, as the production company didn’t wish to associate with someone this controversial. One bad thing that happened during all of this was that local media tabloids picked up the news and had now been bothering me and my grandparents for a comment on this. My dad’s lawyer has asked us to stay away from the negative attention as much as we can, but it is getting difficult with each passing day.
—
The first incident happened when my dad’s lawyer received a letter from Lisa’s legal team claiming that I was emotionally unfit to manage the estate. Her argument was that I was still grieving and in no state to handle the complexities of the inheritance. It felt like a low blow, trying to use my grief as a weapon against me, especially considering how hard I’ve been working to manage everything. What’s worse, Lisa also claimed that I had a history of mental health issues and wasn’t capable of making rational decisions. The letter even included a few names of family friends she had apparently spoken to who were concerned about my well-being. I have no idea how she convinced these people to support her claims. Some of them were people I hadn’t even spoken to in years, but it was clear Lisa was trying to make me seem unstable.
I spoke to my dad’s lawyer about this latest development, and he reassured me that it was just another desperate attempt by Lisa to get her way. He reminded me that we had evidence of my ability to manage the estate and that her claims wouldn’t hold up in court. Still, the fact that she was willing to go this far showed how determined she was to keep pushing. I also found out through mutual acquaintances that Lisa has been reaching out to some of my dad’s former business partners, attempting to turn them against me. She’s trying to damage my reputation, making it seem like I’m incapable of continuing my dad’s work. Fortunately, most of them knew my father well enough to dismiss her claims.
The final straw came just yesterday when my car was vandalized. Someone keyed the side of it and left a nasty note on the windshield that said “Karma’s coming for you.” I can’t prove it was Lisa, but it feels like something she would do, especially considering the timing and everything else going on. I filed a police report, but without evidence, there’s not much they can do. Still, it left me rattled. The whole thing is escalating beyond just legal battles and manipulation; it’s turning into outright harassment. I’ve spoken with my lawyer about all of this and we’re preparing to bring up the restraining order again in court along with the harassment and defamation. At this point, I’m not just trying to defend myself legally, I’m trying to protect my sanity and peace of mind. Every time I think Lisa has hit rock bottom, she finds a new way to drag me back into the chaos. It feels like I can’t escape her grasp no matter how hard I try. I also had a long talk with my grandparents who have been my rock through all of this. They’re just as fed up with Lisa as I am, and my grandpa even suggested that I sell the Mansion, move somewhere far away, and start fresh. I have to admit, it’s tempting. The idea of leaving all of this behind and building a new life where Lisa can’t touch me sounds like a dream, but at the same time, this was my dad’s home.
—
What happened next was even more chaotic. After the court hearing, there was an intense confrontation between Lisa and her sons, Jake and James, in the courthouse hallway. I didn’t hear everything, but from what I could gather, her sons were furious with her for losing the case. Apparently, they had assumed they would come out of it with a better deal, and when it became clear that Lisa’s lies had led them down a dead end, they weren’t happy. There was a lot of yelling, and at one point Jake stormed out of the building, leaving Lisa and James behind. James followed shortly after, and from what I could tell, they weren’t exactly on speaking terms anymore.
Later that evening, I got an unexpected phone call from Jake. He apologized for how things had turned out and admitted that he and his brother had been blind to what their mother was doing. He even went so far as to say that Lisa had manipulated them for years, making them believe that my dad was the bad guy when in reality she was the one who caused all the problems in the family. He asked if we could meet up to talk things over, but honestly, I wasn’t interested. I had no desire to get involved with them after everything that had happened. I thanked him for the apology, but made it clear I wasn’t interested in continuing any kind of relationship with them. I’ve been through too much at this point; the last thing I need is to get dragged into more drama with Lisa or her sons. They made their choices, and now they have to live with the consequences. I told Jake that I wished them well, but that it was best if we all moved on separately.
—
After the court case, I released a short statement through my lawyer. I didn’t want to get dragged into more drama, so I kept it simple. I said the will was legitimate and that the court had confirmed my father’s wishes. I expressed how hurtful and unnecessary all of Lisa’s actions had been, especially after everything my dad did for her and her kids. I made it clear that I had no intention of commenting further on the matter and that I would focus on moving forward with my life.
Since then, Lisa’s situation has only gotten worse. Her attempts to get sympathy by playing the victim failed spectacularly. The industry my dad had helped her get into has pretty much turned its back on her. No one wants to work with someone who aired out their family’s dirty laundry in such a manipulative way. Word got around about the lies she told and how she tried to twist everything to her advantage. Last I heard was that Jake and James cut ties with Lisa completely. They moved out of the condo and haven’t spoken to her since. I heard through some mutual acquaintances that they reached out to a few people in the industry for work, but no one wanted to take a chance on them after everything that had happened. It’s sad, really, but I can’t bring myself to feel bad for any of them. They stood by while Lisa made all these false claims and went along with her lies.
As for my grandparents, they’ve been nothing but supportive through all of this. After everything was finally settled, I offered them the Mansion as a gift. They were hesitant at first, but eventually, they accepted. I know my dad would have loved for them to have the house. It feels like the right thing to do, and honestly, it gives me some peace of mind knowing that the Mansion is in good hands. They’ve already started talking about renovations and updating a few things while keeping the heart of the home intact. It’ll be their space now, and I’m happy for them.
As for me, I’m moving on to a new chapter. A huge project came up overseas, and I’m taking it. It’s a big career opportunity, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. After everything with Lisa, I realized I needed a fresh start: a change of scenery, new challenges, a chance to focus on myself and my work away from the toxicity that’s plagued me for the past few years. Before I leave, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my grandparents.