My “golden Child” Sister Tried To Have Me Declared Mentally Incompetent To Seize My Trust Fund. She Didn’t Realize Grandma Set A Legal Trap For Her Two Years Ago. Now She’s Left With Nothing.

“She made me promise to work with him.”

Something flickered across Cathy’s face, surprise or anger; it was gone too fast to tell.

“Well, yes, he’s the executive, but Robert can help coordinate everything and make it easier for everyone.”

“I’m sure Mr. Brennan has it under control, Margaret.”

Her voice took on that condescending tone she’d perfected over the years.

“I know you’re not used to handling important matters like this. Estate planning, legal documents, financial decisions. It’s complicated.”

“Robert and I just want to help you so you don’t get overwhelmed or make any mistakes.”

I looked at my sister, at her perfectly made-up face and her perfectly styled hair and her perfect life, and I saw what Grandma had seen. Kathy didn’t want to help me; she wanted to control everything.

“I’ll be fine,”

I said,

and walked away.

Served at the Doorstep

The next morning I woke up in Grandma’s guest room, the same room I’d slept in as a child during summer visits. The house felt empty without her presence, like someone had turned off the lights even though the sun was streaming through the windows.

I was making coffee when the doorbell rang. It was a process server.

“Margaret Sullivan?”

he asked.

“Yes.”

“You’ve been served.”

He handed me a thick envelope and walked away.

My hands shook as I opened it. Inside were legal documents that I couldn’t fully understand, but the key words jumped out at me like accusations: Petition for conservatorship, mental incompetence, unable to manage financial affairs.

“Catherine Morrison, petitioner.”

My sister was trying to have me declared mentally incompetent. I sat down hard on Grandma’s front steps, the papers fluttering in my hands.

The petition claimed that I had a gambling addiction and that I was financially irresponsible. It said that I’d asked to borrow money from Cathy multiple times and that I was emotionally unstable and unable to make sound decisions regarding significant financial matters.

Every single claim was a lie. I’d never gambled beyond buying an occasional lottery ticket, and I’d never borrowed money from Kathy, not once in my entire life.

Emotionally unstable? I was grieving my grandmother, but that didn’t make me incompetent.

But I understood what was happening. Kathy had found out about the inheritance and she wanted control of it.

If she could get herself appointed as my conservator, she’d have power over my share of Grandma’s estate. I don’t remember calling Thomas Brennan.

I don’t remember driving to his office in my beat-up Honda, still wearing the sweatpants I’d slept in. I only remember sitting in his leather chair crying so hard I couldn’t speak while he read through Cathy’s petition with an expression that grew darker with every page.

“This is despicable,”

he said finally.

He was in his 60s with kind eyes and a gentle voice that reminded me of Grandma.

“I’m so sorry, Margaret. I should have anticipated this.”

“Anticipated what? My sister trying to steal from me?”

“Your sister trying to challenge your grandmother’s wishes.”

The Precautions of Eleanor Sullivan

He set down the papers and folded his hands on his desk.

“Eleanor knew this might happen. That’s why she took certain precautions.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Your grandmother was a very wise woman and she loved you very much.”

He pulled a file from his desk drawer.

“Before we get into the details of her estate plan, I need to show you something.”

He turned his computer monitor toward me and pressed play on a video file.

Grandma’s face filled the screen. She was sitting in this very office, I realized, wearing her favorite blue cardigan.

The timestamp said the video was recorded 2 years earlier.

“Hello, Margaret,”

Grandma’s voice said,

and I started crying all over again.

“If you’re watching this, then I’m gone and your sister has done exactly what I feared she would do.”

On the screen, Grandma shifted in her chair.

“I know Catherine has filed some kind of legal action against you, probably claiming you’re incompetent or unstable or some other nonsense designed to get control of your inheritance. And I want you to know that I saw this coming from miles away.”

I wiped my eyes, unable to look away from the screen.

“Catherine has always been my daughter’s golden child,”

Grandma continued.

“She’s always done everything right, followed every rule, made all the proper choices, and because of that, she’s always believed that she deserves more than everyone else. More recognition, more praise, more money.”

Grandma’s expression softened.

“But you, Margaret, you’ve always just been yourself and that’s why I’m giving you the majority of my estate.”

I looked at Mr. Brennan, shocked.

“What?”

He held up a hand.

“Keep watching.”