My Brother Secretly Took the $20K My Grandmother Left Me Before She Died — Karma Stepped in Before I Even Confronted Him

One evening, over dinner, I opened up to Noel. “I couldn’t handle it anymore,” I confessed. He smiled kindly, taking my hand across the table.

“You did the right thing, June. You deserve better than being second place,” he reassured me.

Over the years, my relationship with my family grew distant. The calls stopped, texts became fewer, and it felt like my absence didn’t even matter to them. The only one who kept in touch was Gran, who would call just to hear about my day, even if it was nothing special. She always made me feel like I mattered.

Then one day, I found out Gran had passed away. I didn’t hear from my family directly—I found out through a Facebook post. Seeing her photo with the words “Rest in Peace” from an old family friend was a devastating blow. I couldn’t believe no one had told me. The shock and betrayal cut deep.

I booked a flight home immediately, determined to visit Gran’s grave and say my goodbyes. But as soon as I arrived in town, I saw Maverick driving around in that red convertible. Maverick, who struggled financially, suddenly had an expensive new car. My instincts told me something was wrong.

Later that day, standing by Gran’s grave, I struggled to come to terms with her loss. I hadn’t been able to say goodbye, and finding out about her passing through social media still stung. As I stood there, Gran’s close friend, Mr. Anderson, approached me with a sympathetic expression.

“I’m sorry, Juniper,” he said softly. “Your Gran was truly one-of-a-kind.”

“She was,” I replied, holding back tears. “I just wish I’d had more time with her.”

After a brief pause, Mr. Anderson added, “Did you get the $20,000 she left you?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “What? No, I didn’t know.”

“She left you $20,000 in her will,” he explained, frowning. “I assumed your family told you.”

Everything suddenly clicked—the car, Maverick’s sudden wealth. My heart raced with anger as I realized Maverick had taken the money Gran had left for me. I wasted no time driving to Maverick’s place, ready to confront him.

When I arrived, the convertible was wrecked in the driveway—its bumper smashed, windshield shattered, and tires flat. Maverick, bruised and on crutches, stood at the door. Karma, it seemed, had already visited him.

“Maverick, what happened?” I asked, my anger momentarily giving way to shock.

He avoided my gaze. “It’s… nothing.”

I gestured at the destroyed car. “That doesn’t look like nothing. Why did you take Gran’s money?”

He winced. “I didn’t mean for things to go this way, Juniper. I planned to pay you back, but when I saw that car…”

“You don’t just ‘borrow’ $20,000 that wasn’t left to you,” I said, my voice shaking. “Gran left that money for me. She was the only one who cared, and you took it like it was nothing.”

Before he could respond, my phone buzzed. It was Mr. Clearwater, Gran’s lawyer.

“Juniper,” he said, “your grandmother left more than just $20,000. The rest of her estate—her house, savings, and investments—it’s all yours. She left everything to you.”

I was speechless. Even after her passing, Gran had protected me. She had seen the betrayal coming and made sure I would be taken care of.

Turning to Maverick, who looked both physically and emotionally defeated, I felt a newfound strength. “I hope that car was worth it,” I said, my voice steady. “Because you won’t take anything from me again.”

For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like the forgotten one. Gran had made sure of that.