The Three Thousand Dollars My Father Took Before Sending Me Away

Maybe he didn’t care.

Maybe I wasn’t worth finding.

But the truth was worse.

Someone had made sure I believed I wasn’t worth finding.

My father.

I swallowed hard.

“So what’s the condition?”

Richard took a deep breath.

“Your grandfather didn’t want you to simply inherit his fortune.”

“What did he want?”

“He wanted you to understand what you were inheriting.”

I frowned.

Richard handed me another document.

It was the final page of the will.

I read the first paragraph.

Then the second.

Then the third.

My heart began racing.

“What does this mean?”

Richard pointed to a sentence.

“Your grandfather left you the estate on one condition.”

I read it again.

Nathan Brooks must not return to the family home for thirty days.

I looked up.

“That’s it?”

“No.”

Richard’s voice became quieter.

“There is another requirement.”

“What?”

“You must remain financially independent during those thirty days.”