My Grandpa Left Me His $250M Company, Then My Stepdad Took Control

The Cracks in the Foundation

My name’s Lauren, and I just turned 15 when everything in my life changed. Let me tell you about my family.

On the outside, we seemed like a normal family. Dad worked really hard, and Mom stayed home.

I had a little sister, Olivia, who was 8 years younger than me. Dad was a manager at a big company that actually belonged to my grandmother on my mom’s side.

Grandma was a really ambitious woman. She started with some laundromats and later grew the business by making laundry detergents and household cleaning products.

When she decided to retire, she offered the company to Mom, but Mom didn’t want it, so Dad took over. That’s when things started to get complicated.

I remember the day everything fell apart. I was in my room trying to focus on my homework when I heard Mom yelling at Dad downstairs.

“You’re nothing but a loser, Frank!”

“This is my house, my family’s business. You should be thankful I let you run it.”

Things got worse in the weeks that followed. Mom and Dad barely spoke, and when they did, it always ended in a fight.

I tried to keep Olivia busy, but even at 7 years old, she knew something was wrong. Then came the day that changed everything.

I came home from school to find Dad standing in the living room with a suitcase by his feet.

“Dad,”

I said, my voice shaking.

“What’s going on?”

He walked over and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,”

he said.

“I can’t stay here anymore; it’s not good for anyone.”

I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“But what about Olivia? What about me?”

I asked.

He pulled back, his eyes full of tears.

“I love you both so much, never forget that,”

he said.

“But sometimes love just isn’t enough.”

He kissed my forehead then walked over to Olivia, who was watching with wide, confused eyes. He knelt down and hugged her tightly.

“Be good for your big sister, okay, pumpkin?”

And just like that, he was gone. The door closed behind him, leaving me feeling empty.

Mom came home an hour later. When I told her Dad had left, she didn’t seem surprised.

She just nodded like she had been expecting it.

“Good riddance,”

she muttered.

“Mom!”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“How can you say that?”

She turned to me with cold eyes.

“Your father cheated on me, Lauren, over and over again. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

The New Life and the Silent Sabotage

That night, everything changed forever. I lay in bed and could hear Mom talking on the phone in her room.

She was laughing, sounding happier than she had in months. I wondered who she was talking to, but I was too tired to care.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more complicated, after Dad left, Mom hit us with another surprise. One morning, while we were having breakfast, she announced:

“I have some news. I’m getting married.”

I almost choked on my cereal.

“What, Mom? Dad’s only been gone for 3 months!”

She waved her hand like it was no big deal.

“Sometimes true love happens unexpectedly, Lauren. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Two weeks later, Paul moved in. He was okay, I guess.

He was tall and good-looking in a way that made people say, “Oh, he seems nice.”

But from the start, something about him didn’t sit right with me. He made an effort with Olivia, playing games with her and helping with her homework, but with me, it felt like I didn’t exist.

Meanwhile, things were changing at the company, too. After Dad left, Mom took over, and she brought Paul into work with her.

They seemed to work well together, always talking about business plans. I tried to focus on my own life—school, friends, and the usual teenage stuff.

But it was hard to shake the feeling that I was becoming invisible in my own family. Things got worse when Mom and Paul announced they were opening a new branch of the company in another city.

One evening, Mom said:

“We’re moving. It’s a great opportunity for the business.”

Then she added:

“Paul and I have been talking, and we think it’s best if you stay here.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Stay here without you?”

I asked, shocked.

Mom quickly explained:

“The new house won’t have much space, and you’re almost finished with school. It wouldn’t make sense to transfer right before your exams.”

It felt like a punch to the stomach.

“So where am I supposed to live? On the street?”

I asked, trying not to cry.

“Don’t be dramatic, Lauren,”

Mom scolded.

“You’ll stay with your grandmother. She’s already agreed to it.”

I stormed off to my room and slammed the door. As I lay on my bed, tears of anger and hurt ran down my face.

I couldn’t stop thinking, when did I become such a burden to my own mother?

The next few weeks flew by, filled with packing boxes and goodbyes. Not for me, though.

The tears were from Olivia, who didn’t want to leave her friends behind. I helped Olivia pack, trying to stay cheerful for her sake.

“Will you come visit us, Laura?”

she asked, her big brown eyes filled with tears.

I hugged her tightly.

“Of course I will, squirt. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

The day they left, I stood on the porch with Grandma, watching as the moving van pulled away.

Mom gave me a quick hug, and Paul gave an awkward nod. Then they were gone, taking Olivia with them.

Living with Grandma wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. She was pretty cool in her own way, giving me space when I needed it.

But she was always there with a cup of tea and a kind ear when I wanted to talk. Still, it didn’t feel like home.