When Grandma passed away, my relatives wasted no time gathering at her house, eager to see who would inherit her wealth. I wasn’t thinking about money — my thoughts were with Berta, Grandma’s aging dog and loyal companion. No one else wanted her; some even suggested leaving her behind. Remembering how Grandma always said, “Berta is family,” I took the old girl home, unaware that she carried a secret tied to Grandma’s final wishes.
Weeks went by as I adjusted to caring for Berta. One evening, after a long shift at the hospital, I noticed something unusual on her collar — a tiny engraving with an address and locker number. Inside the tag was a small key. My curiosity got the better of me, and I followed the trail to a train station locker. Inside was a folder marked “For Meredith.”
Inside the folder lay Grandma’s handwritten letter and her true will. In it, she explained that her entire estate would go to whoever showed genuine compassion by taking care of Berta — not out of greed, but love. She wrote that I had always acted from the heart and that she trusted me to use her legacy wisely.
As I stood there reading, my family suddenly appeared, having followed me in hopes of uncovering the inheritance. Voices grew tense, but before things could escalate, Grandma’s lawyer, Mr. Johnson, arrived. He confirmed that the will was legitimate — and that only the person who had taken Berta willingly, without knowing of any reward, was entitled to the estate. My relatives were stunned. With nothing left to say, they quietly left.
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked down at Berta. In that moment, I felt Grandma’s faith surrounding me — not as a burden, but as a blessing. She hadn’t just left me her fortune; she had left me her trust and her belief in kindness. I used part of her estate to support the hospital where I worked and to help others in need, carrying forward her spirit of generosity.
Grandma’s greatest gift wasn’t the inheritance itself — it was the reminder that love, compassion, and integrity are the truest forms of wealth.
