Her Children Left Her With Nothing — Until Grandma Inherited an Abandoned Farm and Discovered the Fortune Hidden in Its Barn
Chapter 4
Claire hugged her mother as if nothing had happened.
“Mom.”
Margaret accepted the embrace.
“Hello.”
Daniel shook her hand.
“How are you?”
“Fine.”
Claire looked around.
“You actually moved here?”
“For now.”
“This place needs work.”
Margaret smiled.
“So do I.”
Daniel didn’t laugh.
He looked toward the barn.
“What did you find?”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
“We heard the property might be valuable.”
“There it is.”
Claire sighed.
“We’re your children.”
“I know.”
“We just want to make sure you aren’t being taken advantage of.”
Margaret looked at both of them.
“By whom?”
Claire glanced at Samuel.
“People here.”
Samuel stiffened.
Daniel said:
“We’re trying to protect you.”
Margaret almost laughed.
“You didn’t visit me for six months.”
“That’s unfair.”
“Is it?”
Claire looked away.
Daniel walked toward the barn.
“Can we see inside?”
“No.”
He stopped.
“Why?”
“Because I said no.”
Daniel became angry.
“This is family property.”
Margaret stared.
“No.”
“This is our inheritance.”
“Not yet.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Mom, we’re not trying to take anything from you.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You asked me to sell my old house.”
“Because it was too much for you.”
“You asked me to move into assisted living.”
“Because we were worried.”
“You told me I was making irresponsible decisions.”
“You were alone.”
Margaret nodded.
“And now you drive five hours to visit the farm you didn’t know existed.”
Claire became silent.
Margaret looked toward the barn.
“You’re not worried about me.”
She paused.
“You’re worried about money.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“That’s not true.”
“Then leave the farm alone.”
He shook his head.
“We need to talk about it.”
“No.”
“Mom.”
“I said no.”
Silence.
Claire looked hurt.
“You’re choosing this place over us?”
Margaret’s face softened.
“No.”
“I’m choosing myself.”
That ended the argument.
Claire left.
Daniel followed.
As their car disappeared down the road, Margaret sat on the porch.
Samuel joined her.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“Not really.”
He sat beside her.
“You want me to leave?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re the only person here who isn’t waiting for me to die.”
Samuel smiled sadly.
“That’s a terrible reason to keep me around.”
Margaret laughed.
Then her phone rang.
It was the attorney.
“Ms. Ellis, we’ve had an inquiry about the property.”
“From whom?”
“Red Ridge Minerals.”
Margaret frowned.
“Who are they?”
“A mining company.”
“What do they want?”
“They’ve offered to purchase the entire farm.”
“How much?”
The attorney named the amount.
Margaret went silent.
It was more money than she had ever seen.
More than her children had.
More than she could spend in the rest of her life.
She looked toward the barn.
“No.”
The attorney sounded surprised.
“You haven’t even heard their full offer.”
“I don’t need to.”
She hung up.
A car appeared at the end of the road.
Black.
Expensive.
A man stepped out.
He introduced himself as Victor Hale.
“I’m with Red Ridge Minerals.”
Margaret didn’t invite him inside.
He smiled.
“I’d like to make you a very generous offer.”
“I already said no.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
Victor looked toward the barn.
“Because that property is worth more than you understand.”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
“I understand enough.”
Victor smiled.
“Do you?”
He looked at her.
“Then you know what is beneath your land.”
Margaret said nothing.
He had confirmed it.
Someone knew.
And now the race had begun.
