The morning after the funeral was quiet and heavy, as if the grief from the day before had seeped into every corner of the house. Jade sat at the kitchen table, staring at a half-empty cup of coffee. She hadn’t slept much, the image of her grandmother’s casket lowering into the ground playing on repeat in her mind.
The house felt empty without her grandmother’s presence. The familiar warmth of her laugh, the comforting scent of her favorite lavender lotion, the soft hum of her voice—it was all gone, leaving Jade with a hollow ache she couldn’t shake.
A sharp knock at the door broke the silence, making Jade flinch. She frowned, setting her cup down and walking to the door. When she opened it, her uncle David stood on the porch, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.
“Uncle David,” Jade said, her voice flat. “What are you doing here?”
David stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, his gaze sweeping over the living room. “We need to talk,” he said curtly.
Jade closed the door, crossing her arms. “About what?”
David turned to her, his expression hard. “About this house. You can’t stay here.”
Jade blinked, stunned. “What do you mean I can’t stay here? This is my home.”
“It was your grandmother’s home,” David corrected. “And now that she’s gone, it’s time to make some changes.”
Anger flared in Jade’s chest. “Changes? She left this house to me in her will. You don’t get to decide what happens to it.”
David scoffed. “I’m her son, Jade. That makes me family, not you.”
Jade’s fists clenched at her sides. “I’ve lived here my whole life. Where were you when she needed help? When she was sick? When the bills piled up and I had to work two jobs just to keep things afloat?”
David’s face darkened, but he didn’t back down. “That doesn’t change the fact that you’re not blood. You’re just the grandchild she took in. She had no right to leave the house to you.”
Jade’s voice shook with fury. “She had every right! She raised me when no one else would. She loved me when you and the rest of this so-called family couldn’t be bothered.”
David stepped closer, towering over her. “Listen, girl, I’m not here to argue. You need to start packing your things. We’re selling this place.”
Jade laughed bitterly, though her eyes burned with unshed tears. “Selling it? You think you can just waltz in here and take everything she worked her whole life for? Over my dead body.”
David’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Jade. You don’t have the resources to fight me on this. Just pack up and go.”
Jade took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Get out of my house, David.”
David smirked, clearly enjoying her defiance. “I’ll give you a week to get your affairs in order. After that, I’ll bring in a lawyer.”
Jade opened the door, her hand trembling. “Out. Now.”
For a moment, David hesitated, as if considering pushing further. But something in Jade’s glare made him think twice. He stepped past her, his voice low as he said, “You’re going to regret this.”