I Refuse to Let My Sister’s “Perfect Image” Cost Me My Inheritance

Living with siblings can either be a blessing or a curse. Your parents can love you both equally, or they might prefer one child over the other. In that case, things can become very complicated, especially when it comes to an inheritance. One of our readers shared their experience.

This is Amelia’s story.

Dear Bright Side,

Growing up, I was always the “black sheep” of the family. My sister, Sara, was the golden child in our parents’ eyes. She was the one who followed the rules, got straight A’s, and went out of her way not to cause any trouble.

Whereas I was the one who was curious and filled with questions. A trait that often led to me being in trouble. It constantly felt like I had to fight for my place in the family, and that made my childhood very difficult.

I really tried to be more like my sister, but it seemed the harder I worked at that, the worse things became. So in my teenage years, I decided to stop trying and just be myself. That had an even worse result.

But I never thought any of these things would play a role when it came to our inheritance. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When our mother passed away a couple of months ago, things took an unexpected turn.

I got a lawyer’s letter saying that Sara was named as the sole beneficiary of our mother’s estate. I would not be getting anything at all. This didn’t sit right with me, as our mother always said that we would share everything once she passed away.

So I confronted my sister, and she told me that since she’s the perfect child, it was her responsibility to take care of everything and to fulfil our mother’s wishes. I didn’t believe her, but I left things at that, not wanting to cause an argument about this.

A few weeks later, I got an unexpected message from one of my mom’s old friends. She told me that Sara had been manipulating our mom to get her to change the will behind my back. She was painting me as the irresponsible one and convinced my mom that I wouldn’t be able to handle the money.

The friend knew about it because she heard a conversation Sara had with our mom a few days before her death. I was shocked and hurt by the revelation. But this time I wasn’t going to stand back and let my sister get away with it.

So I got a lawyer who found my mom’s original will. It stated that everything was supposed to be shared equally. I confronted Sara with the evidence, and she tried to guilt-trip me into backing down. But I stood my ground and demanded my share.

Sara eventually gave in and gave me my half, but now she isn’t talking to me. So Bright Side, was I wrong for demanding what was rightfully mine and ruining my relationship with my sister in the process?

Regards,
Amelia M.

Thank you for reaching out to us, Amelia. We understand how difficult this situation must be so we’ve put together some tips that might be helpful to you.

Stop carrying the “black sheep” badge.

You’ve worn that label your whole life, but this showed it was never true. You’re the one who uncovered the lies, took action, and actually got justice. That’s not the label of the “problem child,” that’s the ultimate sign that you are the strong one. Don’t let Sara’s old role for you stick anymore.

Control the narrative before Sara does.

Let’s be real, Sara will probably play the victim here. If there are people whose opinions matter to you, quietly set the record straight. Tell them that the will was always meant to be split, and she changed it behind your back. You don’t have to defend yourself to everyone; just don’t give her the chance to twist the truth again.

Reclaim something from your mom’s memory.

Sara turned the inheritance into a power play, but your relationship with your mom doesn’t have to live in that mess. Keep something of hers that reminds you of your time with her. It could be an object, or maybe just a memory that the two of you treasured. That’s where your connection to your mom will always be, and Sara can’t take that away.

Amelia has done nothing wrong, and if Sara wants to hold this over her head, she shouldn’t feel bad about losing her sister. She should be happy that she no longer has such a person in her life.

But Amelia isn’t the only one who suffered because of a sibling rivalry. Sally nearly lost her home because of her sister. Read her story here.