Rebecca, always knew her older brothers, Gareth and Dylan, looked down on her. To them, she was merely the quiet, awkward younger sister who preferred books and study over their endless parties and carelessness. At 26, Gareth was spoiled and jobless, while 20-year-old Dylan simply shadowed his oldest sibling’s poor habits. Rebecca, the youngest at 18, harbored a serious dream of becoming a teacher. She worked tirelessly, keeping her grades up, and found her only real supporter in their Grandpa Peter. She often helped him in his small shops, learning valuable lessons in patience, kindness, and hard work, which would later prove invaluable.
Rebecca spent most of her childhood at Grandpa Peter’s businesses, doing whatever was needed without ever asking for money, unlike Gareth and Dylan, who frequently showed up only for a quick “loan.” Though she wondered why Grandpa always indulged them, she never judged him. When Grandpa Peter passed away, the grief was profound, leaving the world feeling empty for Rebecca. The family soon gathered in lawyer Howard’s office for the reading of the will. Their father was present, set to take over the family business, but the anticipation focused on the personal gifts Grandpa had left for his three grandchildren, which Howard promised were “clever.”
Howard, the lawyer, began with Rebecca, opening a polished wooden box and presenting her with an engraved pen. Rebecca instantly recognized it: Grandpa’s pen, which he used daily and kept clipped carefully in his shirt pocket. Her eyes welled up with sentimental tears, but the moment was shattered by her brothers’ cruel reaction. Gareth bellowed, bursting into uncontrollable laughter, with Dylan quickly joining in. They mocked her relentlessly, sneering that a mere pen proved how little their Grandpa must have truly cared for her compared to them, fueling their belief that they were due a much grander, substantial inheritance.
Howard quickly silenced the brothers, sternly advising them not to laugh. He then revealed the stunning twist in Grandpa Peter’s final arrangements. He placed a thick envelope on the table, explaining that Grandpa had left a total of $300,000 for the three grandchildren to share. However, the crucial detail was that the final division of the money was left entirely to Rebecca’s discretion, and she was instructed to use that exact pen to write out the amounts each sibling would receive on the will template. The room fell into dead silence as the brothers’ sneers instantly turned into looks of shock and humiliation.
Rebecca glared at her brothers, the weight of Grandpa’s trust settling upon her as she clutched the pen. When Dylan finally managed to ask what she would do with “that money,” Rebecca calmly stated her intention to use the funds to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. Gareth attempted to dismiss her ambition with a dry, superior laugh, suggesting the money wouldn’t make her special. Rebecca firmly countered him, declaring that she would rather build a life she was proud of than coast on undeserved wealth. The brothers threatened to contest the airtight will, but Rebecca stood her ground, confirming the finality of the decision, noting they couldn’t argue with Grandpa’s pen.
After the brothers left, consumed by fury and humiliation, Rebecca’s father offered a quiet moment of pride, telling her Grandpa Peter would have been proud. Over the following weeks, Gareth and Dylan tried desperately to overturn the will, resorting to complaints and confrontations, but the document was legally ironclad. They eventually disappeared from Rebecca’s life. Rebecca used the inheritance to pay for her education and move to a modest apartment, volunteering and working hard toward her goal. Years later, as an award-winning District Teacher of the Year, she kept Grandpa’s pen as a reminder of his belief in her, proving that she indeed got the last and best laugh.
