One fateful morning, 74-year-old Gloria sat by the window, sipping her coffee, when her caretaker, Sophie, rushed into the room.
“Mrs. Watson, you have a visitor! Your grandson is here to see you!”
Gloria’s heart remained still. It had been over a year since her grandson, Todd, had last come to visit. She knew all too well why he was here. Money. That was the only thing that ever brought him back.
“Would you like me to help you to the lobby?” Sophie offered kindly.
Gloria smiled faintly. “No, dear. I’ll take my time. I need to look my best since I haven’t seen him in so long.”
She walked to her wardrobe, rummaging through her belongings, but her thoughts quickly clouded with memories of betrayal. Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, “I should have never trusted him… My biggest mistake.”
Years ago, Gloria had lived alone in the home she had shared with her late husband. Todd, who was married, barely visited, but one day, that changed. He began dropping by frequently, showering her with attention.
Then came the request.
“Grandma, Natasha needs urgent surgery. I don’t have enough money to pay for it. Please, can you help?”
Todd was the only family Gloria had left. Without a second thought, she sold her beloved home and moved in with Todd and his wife. Little did she know, Natasha was never sick. The money had funded their extravagant vacation to Hawaii.
Three weeks later, Todd and Natasha returned home, acting as though they had just left the hospital.
“I’m starving, Grandma. Is that bread you’re baking? Smells amazing! Can we eat?” Todd grinned, pretending to help his ‘recovering’ wife to a seat.
Blissfully unaware of their deception, Gloria doted on Natasha, handling household chores so she could ‘rest.’ Then, one day, while tending to her plants, she overheard Natasha’s conversation with a friend.
“She’s such a burden. Always reading, doing nothing. Ugh! And she still thinks we were at the hospital!” Natasha scoffed.
Gloria felt her heart shatter. Todd had lied. He had taken her home, her money, and her trust. But she said nothing. What could she say? She had already given up everything for him.
Days later, Todd and Natasha presented her with a glossy brochure.
“Grandma, we’ve been thinking… We want to start a family, and it’s getting difficult to manage everything. This nursing home is perfect for you. You’ll be taken care of, and I promise to visit often.”
Gloria had nowhere else to go. The home she once owned was long gone. With a heavy heart, she agreed. But Todd rarely visited, only appearing once a year with cheap gifts.
Then, after a year of silence, he returned. Gloria knew exactly why.
A few weeks prior, she had inherited a large sum from a distant cousin’s estate. And Todd had caught wind of it.
“Grandma! I missed you so much,” he said, embracing her tightly. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, dear. How’s Natasha? Is she expecting?”
Todd hesitated. “Well… No. But she needs another surgery. It’s expensive, and I’m short on funds. Grandma, I need your help.”
Gloria’s heart ached. Even now, he was lying. Even now, he only saw her as a source of money.
“I need surgery too, Todd,” she said after a pause. “Mine is urgent. Are you saying Natasha’s health is more important than mine?”
Todd sighed, exasperated. “Grandma, this isn’t about that. Natasha has a whole life ahead of her—”
Gloria didn’t need to hear more. He had chosen. Not her. Not the woman who had raised him. Money was all that mattered.
“Come back tomorrow, dear,” she said calmly. “I need time to think.”
That night, Gloria cried. Not for herself, but for what Todd had become. He had once been a little boy who needed love. Now, he was a man who only craved wealth.
The next day, Todd returned, eager for her answer.
“Grandma, did you think about it?”
“I did,” Gloria said, forcing a smile. “I haven’t received my inheritance yet. But here’s an idea—why don’t you mortgage your house? You can pay it back when I get my share.”
Todd’s face lit up. “That’s brilliant, Grandma! I’ll take care of it.”
He left with a gleeful heart, oblivious to the storm brewing ahead.
A week later, Gloria asked Sophie to check Todd’s social media. Unsurprisingly, he and Natasha were vacationing in the Maldives.
Her health deteriorated soon after, and she passed away two weeks later. But not before executing one final plan.
After the funeral, Todd sat anxiously. “We need to check what Grandma did with her inheritance,” Natasha urged.
The very next morning, a lawyer arrived, handing Todd an envelope.
“This is from Mrs. Watson. It’s your inheritance. Sign here.”
Todd could hardly contain his excitement. He tore it open—only to find fifty dollars and a handwritten letter.
“WHAT?! Where’s the check?!”
Shaking, he read her words.
“My dear Todd,
I always knew. I knew about Natasha’s fake surgery. I knew what you did with the money from my home. But I never stopped loving you.
Yet, love must be earned, not bought.
Money is fleeting, but kindness lasts forever. That’s why I made sure you learn its value.
I have left all my inheritance to the nursing home. However, you can still receive it—if you fulfill my final wish.
You must work at the nursing home for one year. If you do, the money will be yours. If not, it stays where it belongs.
These few dollars are for your bus fare to the home.
Love,
Grandma”
Todd turned pale. “How dare she do this to me?” he muttered, fists clenched. He had already spent everything he got from mortgaging his house. He was on the brink of ruin.
Little did he know, Gloria had given him a chance—not for money, but for redemption.
Lessons from Gloria’s Story:
Greed leads to downfall. Todd’s insatiable desire for wealth cost him everything.
Money cannot replace love. Gloria tried to show Todd that relationships matter more than material gain.
Betrayal comes full circle. Todd abandoned his grandmother, and in the end, he was left with nothing but regret.