The children had long forgotten their mother, who lived alone in a village. They hadn’t called her for months, didn’t ask about her health, and didn’t even come when she passed away. A neighbor informed them about the funeral, saying it would take place in two days.
The daughter, Anna, immediately decided not to go. She had exams, study debts, and no money. She had no intention of spending her last funds on travel and a funeral, especially since she didn’t want to see relatives or listen to reproaches. Her relationship with her mother had been cold for a long time.
The second daughter, Victoria, learned of her mother’s death while already abroad. She had just checked into a hotel with a friend and was planning her vacation. She quickly calculated the cost of a return ticket and how much money she would lose due to canceling the trip. The decision seemed obvious — to continue her vacation.
The son, Daniel, received the news in the morning during breakfast. He listened calmly, without emotion. Formally, he could take a day off work — the reason was valid. But the journey was long, and he had not been connected to his mother for a long time. There were no warm feelings left toward her or his sisters.
There were few people at the funeral: neighbors, a few acquaintances, and former colleagues of the deceased. A neighbor and a young woman who helped him stood by the grave. Neither Anna, nor Victoria, nor Daniel were there. Someone quietly said that the children had not come.
A few days later, all three were summoned to the notary. That was when Victoria decided to fly back and postpone her vacation, Anna somehow found the money, and the son took a day off work. They were certain the mother’s house would be divided equally among them, as the law provides. But an uneasy feeling grew inside them, as if things would not be so simple.
The notary’s office was located near the city center. At the entrance, Victoria saw Daniel standing straight, with his usual military posture. Anna was there too, with a tense expression.
The children had left their mother alone in the village and didn’t even attend her funeral: after her death, when the notary opened the will, the decision the old woman had made shocked everyone.
The notary began reading the will. Victoria nervously tapped her fingernails on her phone, Anna couldn’t sit still, and Daniel silently clenched his fingers.
When the notary finished reading, all three nearly turned gray… 😨😲
The notary paused briefly and then calmly announced that the house was to be sold, and all proceeds would be donated to a charitable foundation helping lonely elderly people.
But that was not all.
A separate clause stated that all of the mother’s financial obligations would be transferred to the children. Loans, debts, and unpaid bills were to be divided equally among them. They received no property and no savings.
Anna was the first to grasp the meaning and turned pale. Victoria abruptly put her phone down, and Daniel slowly straightened up, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
The notary read the final part of the will. It was a personal explanation from the mother, written by hand:
“I spent my whole life on them. Especially on my son’s education. These debts are for his studies. Now let him deal with it himself.”
The room fell silent. Not only did they receive nothing — they left with what they had always tried to avoid: someone else’s debts and their own conscience.
