“What is happening here,” he asked, voice steady but firm.
Claire turned with a practiced smile. She explained that his mother had not felt well, that she had made soup, that everything was fine. But everything was not fine. The tremor in his mother’s hands, the hollow look in her eyes, and that spotless plate told a different story.
The Clause No One Talked About
Years earlier, facing a health scare, he had put his estate in order. His will included a practical clause. If his mother ever became unable to care for herself, and with no children in the picture, his wife would be responsible for her welfare and would inherit the bulk of the estate. It was meant to protect both women. It was meant to simplify a hard moment, not create one.
Claire knew the terms. She also knew his mother was sharp and loving at seventy-five, still steady in her decisions. But health can become a lever in the wrong hands.
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