A man’s grandparents left a $250,000 inheritance to their legal grandchildren only. His sister, who was adopted by his stepmother, is not considered a legal grandchild and he refuses to share the inheritance with her, causing tension and division in the family.
Unforgettable Love and Father's Remarriage
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In a recently shared Reddit post, the OP, a 30-year-old male, opens up about losing their mother at the tender age of 5.
Despite their young age, they cherish vivid memories of her and struggled with their father dating just a year after her passing.
Father Knows Best
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Recognizing the difficulty of the situation, the father explained that, as the parent and adult, he knew what was best for his child, even if it didn't appear that way initially.
He assured his son that they would appreciate his decision and thank him for it in the long run.
Officially Getting a Stepmom
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After a short time, the father married a woman named Lucy, which caused his son to start acting out as he was unhappy about having a stepmother in his life.
Just Be A "Good Boy"
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Trying to convince his son, the father explained that parenting alone was difficult, and his sister Jessica, 28, needed a mother figure in her life.
The father went as far as getting his maternal grandparents involved to reassure his son that everything would be okay and to remind him to be a "good boy."
Struggle with the New Family Dynamic
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Although the son behaved during the wedding, he started acting out again when Lucy moved in and began redecorating.
"Jessica Isn't Acting Out Like This"
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The father, frustrated with his son's behavior, started punishing his son whenever he misbehaved or upset Lucy, sometimes comparing his behavior to that of his well-behaved sister, Jessica.
“And to be honest, Jessica was easily pleased and wasn't alive long enough to have the same attachment to our mom as I did,” the OP notes.
I’m Not Your “Son”
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The son admits that he was bothered when Jessica began calling Lucy "mom," but it really ticked him off when Lucy started calling him her son.
“I always corrected it when she tried that around me,” he shares.
Pushing for Adoption
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The situation worsened when the son turned 8 and Lucy had her own children because his father and stepmother started pushing for adoption.
While Jessica was accepting of the idea, the son was not.
Standing Firm
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Even with his father bringing in his maternal grandparents to try and persuade him that adoption was a good idea, the son stayed firm in his refusal to consider adoption.
Adoption Request Denied
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Lucy and his dad continued to push for adoption, but the son was grateful when the judge took the time to hear his thoughts in private and ultimately denied their request.
Seeking Therapy Fails in Family Conflicts
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Despite efforts to seek therapy, it didn't work out in the long run. When that didn't work, they tried to use the tactic of withholding things from him, but he was too stubborn for it to be effective.
Supportive Aunt
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Throughout all of this, the son felt like he was alone in his struggle until his paternal aunt came along.
She was the only one who consistently stood up for him whenever she saw Lucy and his dad trying to push him into accepting their family dynamic. As soon as he turned 18, he went straight to her.
Family Secrets Unveiled
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Upon reaching adulthood, the son learned a surprising truth from his maternal grandparents: they were never comfortable with the situation, but his dad forced them to show support by threatening to keep the son and his sister away from them.
Son’s Anger Drives Him To Change Legal Surname
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“I was furious,” the son reveals, “so furious that I had my surname legally changed to my mom's maiden name as I wanted nothing to do with my dad and only ever really talked to my paternal aunt.”
Excluded from a $250,000 Inheritance
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Both the son's grandmother and grandfather have passed, and in their will, only their legal grandchildren are entitled to split a $250,000 inheritance.
Jessica, being legally Lucy's daughter, was only given a framed photo of his mom and a letter.
Blood vs Legal
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Jessica believes that it's unfair for him to keep the entire inheritance, and suggests that he should split it with her, but he disagrees and tells her to ask their legal grandparents for money.
No Connection With Grandparents Before Their Passing
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According to the son, Jessica hadn't spoken to their maternal grandparents in two years, while maintaining a close relationship with Lucy's parents.
“Jessica was never close to my mom's side of the family because she'd rather spend time with Lucy's family and/or didn't want to hurt their feelings,” he explains.
“She Wasn't This Saint Of A Woman”
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The OP reveals that all of his mom's pictures were taken down and her things were gotten rid of when Lucy moved in with his dad.
He wasn't allowed to keep any pictures in his room and was punished for celebrating his mom's birthday, mourning her death anniversary, and not celebrating Mother's Day the way Lucy wanted him to.
Is It Too Harsh On the Sister?
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The OP's aunt believes he's being too hard on Jessica for not sharing his inheritance with her, prompting him to ask, “AITA?”
Reddit Community Weighs in on Inheritance Dispute
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The overwhelming majority of Redditors voted "NTA" and agreed that the son wasn't in the wrong for refusing to share his inheritance with Jessica. As one commenter pointed out, “Interesting how she only wants to be family now money is involved.”
Intention Behind "Legal Grandchildren" Term
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Others argued that the grandparents used the term "legal grandchildren" intentionally because they wanted their grandson to inherit, writing that “They assume Lucy will inherit from her other grandparents and she probably will.”
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Source: Reddit
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