The moment I saw my brother, Maverick, cruising around in a shiny red convertible, I knew something wasn’t right. I had no idea that car would reveal a betrayal I never saw coming—and that Gran had a plan in motion long before she passed away.

I’m Juniper, 26 years old, and I’ve been living out of state for four years. Honestly, moving away was the best decision I ever made—escaping from my family and all the pain that came with it.

I never felt like I belonged with them. My parents always favored my older brother, Maverick. “Golden child” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Growing up, I was just… there. Gran used to call me “the spare,” but she always said it with a tender smile.

That was part of the reason I left. That, and Noel—my boyfriend. He was the one who pushed me to start living for myself, to step out of my family’s shadow.

We packed up our small car and moved to the city, far away from my parents, Maverick, and all the memories I wanted to leave behind.

One night, over dinner, I explained it to Noel again, though he already knew. “I swear, Noel, I just couldn’t stay there anymore.”

He smiled from across the table, reaching out to take my hand. “You don’t need to explain it to me again, June. You did the right thing,” he reassured me, squeezing my hand gently. “You deserve more than being the second choice.”

After four years away, I barely talked to my family anymore. Calls and texts became rare. My parents? They didn’t seem to care much. It was like I had faded out of their lives. The only person who still kept in touch was Gran.

Gran was the one person who made me feel like I mattered. When I was a kid, she’d sneak me chocolate bars when my mom wasn’t looking, or call me late at night just to hear about my day.

She didn’t care if my day was boring or if I felt like a mess. She just listened.

Then one day, I found out she died—by accident. I didn’t get a call, not even a text. I found out scrolling through Facebook. I saw a post from an old family friend with Gran’s picture, a date, and a “Rest in Peace” message.

I couldn’t breathe. I stared at my phone, trying to make sense of it. But nothing made sense. My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest.

I dropped my phone on the table and stood up. “Gran’s gone,” I muttered.

Noel looked up from the couch, startled. “What? What do you mean she’s gone?”

“She died,” I said, tears burning my eyes. “No one even told me.” The anger rose inside me, mixing with the sadness. “How could they not tell me?”

Noel was by my side in a second, pulling me into a hug, but I couldn’t understand it. Why hadn’t my parents called? Why hadn’t Maverick?

I booked a flight home that night. I had to see Gran’s grave. I had to say goodbye, even if it was on my own terms.

The next morning, I found myself walking through my hometown—the place I hadn’t seen in years, the place I had fought so hard to escape. Everything looked the same… except one thing.

As I stood at the corner near the cemetery, I froze. There, cruising down the street, was Maverick—in a shiny red convertible.

Maverick, who still worked as a cashier, barely scraping by, driving a car that looked like it cost more than he’d ever earned.

My stomach churned. Something was definitely off.

Later that day, I stood at Gran’s grave. The only sound was the soft rustle of trees. The earth was still fresh, and I couldn’t shake the tight knot in my chest. Gran was really gone, and I hadn’t even gotten the chance to say goodbye properly.

The pain of finding out through a Facebook post still stung like an open wound.

As I knelt by the grave, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Mr. Anderson, Gran’s best friend, approaching. He had always been around to help her with anything she needed. His face was heavy with sorrow.

“Juniper,” he said softly, standing beside me. “I’m so sorry. Your Gran… she was a one-of-a-kind lady.”

I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “She really was. I just wish I had more time with her.”

Mr. Anderson nodded, his gaze distant. After a moment, he looked at me, his brow furrowed. “Did you get the $20,000 she left you?”

I blinked. “The… what?”

“Your Gran,” he said. “She mentioned in her will that she set aside $20,000 for you. I thought you knew.”

My heart dropped. Suddenly, Maverick’s red convertible made perfect sense. My stomach twisted with anger. “No,” I muttered, standing up, my fists clenched. “I didn’t know.”

Mr. Anderson’s face paled. “Oh, Juniper, I’m so sorry.”

But I wasn’t listening anymore. I had to get to Maverick’s trailer—right now.

I stormed to my car, my mind racing. Maverick, who could never hold down a job, was driving around in a flashy convertible? Of course. He had taken the money Gran left for me. The only person in my family who actually cared about me, and he stole it.

When I pulled up to Maverick’s trailer, I was ready to confront him. But what I saw stopped me in my tracks. The red convertible was crumpled in the driveway—completely wrecked. The front bumper was smashed, the windshield shattered, and the tires were flat. It looked like the car had been in a serious accident.

Maverick stood in the doorway, leaning on crutches. His leg was in a cast, and his face was covered in bruises and cuts.

Karma had already caught up with him.

I walked up to him, still in shock. “Maverick, what the hell happened?”

He shifted awkwardly on his crutches, avoiding my eyes. “It’s… it’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” I gestured at the totaled car. “That doesn’t look like nothing. What did you do? And why did you take Gran’s money?”

He winced, knowing he couldn’t lie anymore. “I didn’t mean for it to go like this, Juniper. I just thought I’d borrow it. I was gonna pay you back. But then I saw that car, and…”

“Borrow it?” I snapped. “You don’t just borrow twenty thousand dollars that wasn’t left to you. Gran left that money for me, and you took it. Now look at you. This is karma, Maverick.”

Maverick tried to speak, but I wasn’t done. “You’ve always taken everything. My parents’ attention, their love—everything was always about you. But this? This was from Gran. The one person who cared about me, and you stole it.”

Maverick hung his head. “I messed up, okay? I thought—”

“You thought what?” I cut him off. “That I wouldn’t find out? That I didn’t deserve it?”

He didn’t answer. We stood in silence until my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Mr. Clearwater, Gran’s lawyer.

“Mr. Clearwater?” I answered, my eyes still on Maverick.

“Juniper, I’ve been going over your grandmother’s will,” he said, his voice steady. “There’s something you should know. Your grandmother predicted this might happen.”

“What do you mean?” My heart raced.

“She knew Maverick might try to take the money, so she had a plan. The $20,000 was only a part of her estate. The rest—her house, savings, investments—it’s all yours, Juniper. She left everything to you.”

“Everything?” I whispered, shocked.

“Yes,” Mr. Clearwater confirmed. “Your grandmother was very clear. She wanted to make sure you were taken care of, so you wouldn’t have to rely on anyone.”

Tears filled my eyes, but not from sadness. Gran had seen it all coming, and even after death, she had protected me. She was still showing me I mattered.

I took a deep breath and looked at Maverick. “I hope that car was worth it, Maverick. I hope you enjoyed the ride.”

“Juniper, I—” he started.

“Don’t,” I cut him off. “I’m done with excuses.”

Without waiting for his reply, I walked away. For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like the forgotten sibling. Gran had made sure of that.

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