Before she died, my mother-in-law gave me all her property but told me not to tell my husband or children. Thanks to her obedience, I escaped an unexpected disaster…
I still remember clearly that night, the room was filled with the smell of medicine and my mother-in-law’s heavy breathing. She was a strict person, had worked hard all her life, and was famous in the neighborhood in Lucknow for her caution. During all the years living in this family, I never once thought that I would be completely trusted by her. But now, when the final moment was near, she called me in, holding my hand until it was trembling.

“My child… everything I have, from the land in Varanasi, the house in Delhi, to the gold and silver I have saved… I give it all to you. But you have to promise… absolutely not to let Arjun or the children know. No one, not even my own relatives.”

I was stunned, choked up. For all these years, I – Anita – had been just an ordinary daughter-in-law, not daring to get involved in big things. That property was supposed to belong to my husband – her biological son – why did she choose me? And the words “don’t tell your husband and children” sounded both unbelievable and heavy. But the look in her eyes at that time, sharp and desperate, made it impossible for me to refuse.

“I promise, don’t worry, Mom…” – I replied, my heart trembling, thinking that this was the last wish of someone about to leave.

A few days later, she passed away. The funeral was over, everyone was sad but then returned to the cycle of life. As for me, my heart was as heavy as a stone. I became the keeper of a huge secret, holding all the property that my husband and children did not know about. Many times I wanted to open my mouth, but the words before leaving echoed, pulling me back.

I didn’t expect that it was the decision to keep silent that saved me from a terrible storm that was waiting ahead…
The storm came

Since my mother passed away, the atmosphere in the house gradually changed. On the surface, things were still peaceful, but I noticed that Arjun was becoming more and more irritable. He often gathered friends to eat and drink, spent money lavishly, and complained when he came home. I advised him many times, but he always brushed it off:

“What do you know? The property in the house, the land that my mother left behind, will definitely end up in my hands. What are you worried about?”

Hearing that, my heart pounded. He was completely unaware of the truth. I was even more convinced that my mother had seen through everything – she had foreseen this character of her son, so she chose me to entrust it to.

Not long after, the relatives also began to argue. Some cousins ​​and sisters-in-law from Kanpur suddenly came back and forth, suggesting “re-dividing” the family property, saying, “I love my eldest son but I can’t abandon the other children.” They hinted that there must be some documents in the house, but Arjun brushed them off, because he was sure that the property would end up in his hands.

One day, I accidentally overheard Arjun’s conversation on the phone. He was discussing with someone about borrowing a large sum of money to invest in a real estate project in Noida. I shuddered: if he had the money his mother left him, he would have risked it all on this gamble. But now he didn’t have it in hand, the plan was stopped.

A few weeks later, the real estate project was exposed as a scam. Many families lost all their capital, were in debt, some even had their homes destroyed. I shuddered when I heard the news. If I hadn’t kept it a secret that day, if I had given all my assets to Arjun as usual… then perhaps by now, my whole family would have been drowning in debt.

Confession

Arjun was devastated. He couldn’t eat or sleep, sat in a corner of the house, and lamented:
“If only my mother had left everything to me… I wouldn’t be left with nothing.”

I silently took care of him, not daring to say a word. But then, one evening, when the clock was ticking in the house, I decided to tell him the truth.

I took out a small iron box from the cupboard, in which were the land title deed for Varanasi, the papers for the house in Delhi, and the gold she left behind. I placed it in front of Arjun and said:

“You… all of these things, my mother gave them to me before she died. She told me to never tell anyone, not even you. I kept them a secret all this time, not because I wanted to hide them, but because I was afraid… If I had given them to you then, we would have lost everything.”

He was stunned. His eyes were wide open, trembling as he held the papers. After a while, Arjun burst into tears – the cry of a man who was both regretful and grateful.

Peace returned

From that day on, Arjun changed completely. He no longer spent lavishly, nor did he dare to do big business. On the contrary, he began to cherish money and listen to my advice. The family gradually became peaceful again.

Sometimes, I sit and watch my children play in the yard, silently thanking Shanti Devi. That strong woman, until the last moment, still thought about the future of her children and grandchildren. By keeping her words, I not only escaped a disaster, but also kept my family warm.

I have never told anyone except my husband that story. To me, it is proof that sometimes, secrets are not for betrayal, but for protection. And there are words of advice before leaving… that are lifebuoys for a whole life.

I thought that when I told Arjun the truth and saw him change, all the storms would calm down. But unexpectedly, the secret could not be hidden forever.

The secret was revealed

One morning, while I was drying clothes in the yard, my cousin from Kanpur stopped by. Out of curiosity, she came in to ask for a glass of water. At that moment, Arjun came out of his room, still holding a photocopy of the land title deed in Varanasi.

Her eyes flashed. Just a few days later, the whole Sharma family was in an uproar. They came to the house, their voices full of accusations:

– Anita, sister-in-law! How did you get Shanti Devi’s land title deed? Did mother abandon the other children?

– Impossible! This must be a trick!

I trembled but tried to stay calm:
– This was mother’s will. Before she died, she left everything to me.

The whispers rose like a broken beehive. A brother-in-law shouted:
– Daughter-in-law gets it all? Shame on the whole family! We will take her to court!

First trial

A few weeks later, the summons arrived. My husband’s family formed an “opposition”, accusing me of forging the will. They hired a group of lawyers from Delhi, as if preparing for battle.

On the day of the trial in Lucknow, I wore a simple sari, holding an iron box – in which was kept the original will with my mother-in-law’s fingerprints and the signature of the lawyer who certified it. My lawyer – a young woman named Meera Kapoor – whispered:
– Sister Anita, you just need to stay calm. The truth is on our side.

Facing me, relatives were criticizing:
– She is an outsider! –
– Shanti Devi cannot abandon her own child!

The atmosphere in the courtroom was thick.

Unexpected testimony

When the trial was almost in their favor, Meera suddenly called a witness: Dr. Rawat, who had taken care of Shanti Devi in ​​her final days.

He slowly testified:
– I was present when Shanti Devi wrote her will. She was completely lucid. She clearly said: “I don’t believe that my son can keep the family. I gave it to Anita, because only he knows how to save and keep the family.”

The whole audience burst into cheers. Relatives were in an uproar, but the evidence and witnesses clearly made the judge declare: The will was legal, the property temporarily belonged to Anita until there was evidence to the contrary.

A new trap

Thought it was over, but the husband’s family did not give up. A brother-in-law secretly hired gangsters to threaten. That night, I heard a loud knock on the door. When I opened it, an envelope slid against my foot:

“If you don’t divide the property, watch out for your children.”

I hugged my child, trembling. But the next morning, I went to the Jaipur police station and reported everything. The police immediately opened an investigation, which further embarrassed my husband’s family.

Temporary ending

After months of tension, the Rajasthan High Court finally dismissed all of my relatives’ lawsuits and upheld the will. I was officially recognized as the legal owner of all the land, houses, and gold.

Arjun, after all, quietly held my hand in the hallway of the court:
– Anita… Mom was right. You deserve it. I’m sorry for leaving you to fight alone.

I smiled, but there was still bitterness in my heart: blood relatives can turn into enemies because of property.

That night, I placed the needle and thread box on my mother-in-law’s altar and whispered:
“Mom, I kept my word. I not only protected the family property, but also this home.”

The Sharma family falls apart because of greed, and Anita – from a weak daughter-in-law – becomes a steadfast woman, standing firm in the storm.