Inheritance also follows: he who laughs last, laughs best!
Tamara's World Crumbles with the Death of her Beloved Father Bob
The death of her beloved father, Bob, shattered Tamara's world. He had always been her pillar of strength, guiding her through every aspect of life. Whenever the world conspired against her, she could count on him to lend a shoulder to cry on.
Unfortunately, this happened all too often, as her life with her half-brothers was filled with pranks, spitefulness, and insults. There was seldom a week without a major argument.
A Dark Star
One could say that Tamara's life was plagued from the start. Her mother, Estrelle, who was the love of Bob's life, died due to a medical error during her birth.
Bob had eagerly anticipated the birth of his daughter for months. Tamara was a long-awaited and planned child. Bob had personally crafted and painted the furniture for her nursery in baby pink.
An Arduous Test
When Estrelle's waters broke, Bob rushed her to the nearest clinic as quickly as possible. Both of them were filled with excitement, eager to become parents.
However, only a few hours later, Estrelle tragically passed away due to avoidable complications, leaving Bob devastated. He had gained a new love of his life but had lost his beloved Estrelle forever.
Devastated
That night, Bob pleaded with God to take him instead of his beloved Estrelle. He would have given anything, even his own life, to bring Tamara's mother back.
The only thing that gave Bob the strength to keep going was his little daughter. As he watched her sleep peacefully in his strong arms, he knew that he had to protect this fragile creature with all his might.
A New Love
When Tamara turned four, her father met a new woman and fell in love. From the start, he made it clear that he wanted Tamara, his little angel, to be well taken care of.
Luzy, Bob's new love, was far from thrilled that Bob brought a child from his previous marriage into their new relationship. However, Bob was very wealthy, so Luzy put on a brave face and played along.
Playing a False Game
Whenever she was with Bob, Luzy acted as a loving and caring stepmother. Even Tamara initially felt safe, nurtured, and well-protected by her presence.
But deep inside, Luzy was filled with jealousy, envy, and resentment. She yearned for her own children with Bob, and in the following years, Tamara gained two half-brothers.
A Loving Father
For Bob, Tamara always remained his little angel, a living memory of Estrelle. But Bob was a kind-hearted, loving person who genuinely cherished his two sons as well.
Luzy acted very cunningly. Whenever an opportunity arose, she would send Bob off with her two sons to typically male sports events, car races, and fishing trips.
An Almost Invisible Separation
Luzy always claimed to Bob that she took Tamara on just as many mother-daughter outings. In reality, these outings generally consisted of extensive shopping sprees using Bob's credit card.
Tamara would often get bored during these hours-long shopping marathons and find herself sitting in front of changing rooms, feeling lonely and unentertained. However, she didn't want to disappoint Luzy, as her father clearly loved this woman.
Luzy's Plan Materializes
Soon enough, Luzy began to reap the rewards of her deceitful tactics. The bond between Bob and her sons grew stronger and closer with each passing year. On the other hand, the contact between Bob and Tamara grew increasingly infrequent.
As Bob noticed Tamara becoming more and more sad and lonely, he turned to his wife, Luzy, for advice. Believing that the issue was a lack of friends, she suggested sending Tamara to a boarding school.
More Distance
At first, Tamara resisted vehemently being pushed out of the house and into a boarding school. But after several months of her brothers' mean teasing, she was worn down.
Eventually, it was agreed that Tamara would switch to a boarding school for the upcoming school year, four hours away from her home by plane. Luzy believed her dreams had come true.
True Love Transcends All Boundaries
However, the cold-hearted Luzy, a woman who always pretended to love men, underestimated the power of true love. Although Tamara and Bob saw each other rarely, their bond endured.
Every visit to her childhood home was a big celebration for Bob. He would take time off work and ensure that he could be fully present for his little princess.
A Thorn in Their Side
This was a huge thorn in the side of both Luzy and her sons. But they knew they had to be careful. Being openly hostile towards Tamara would only backfire.
Instead, whenever Tamara had school holidays and was allowed to leave the boarding school, accidents and tragedies would occur. One time, one of her brothers, Chris, became terribly ill, and Bob spent a lot of time at the hospital with him.
Coincidences and Tragedies
The following year, her other brother, Marc, had a car accident. It happened just when he had offered to pick up Tamara from the airport. It was a double misfortune for Tamara.
Not only did she wait at the airport for hours without any information, but her father also spent many days in the hospital that year and had little time for her.
Blame Game
Furthermore, Luzy started blaming her stepdaughter, Tamara, for the accident, stating that it happened because Tamara was unable to drive herself home from the airport.
Luzy believed that the accident was actually Tamara's fault, and she should be ashamed that her brother was in the hospital because of her. This worked, and Tamara truly felt terrible.
The Secret
In reality, nothing was wrong with her brothers. Luzy had managed to bribe a young resident doctor. For $5,000, he had falsified Chris's blood analysis, diagnosing a dangerous illness.
For Marc, he had slipped another patient's X-ray into his file, showing a complicated fracture in his left thigh bone. Then, he had cast Marc's leg and made him play the role of a suffering son.
Visits Become Less Frequent
The series of unfortunate events during her visits had a real impact. Tamara announced that she would spend her next holidays at the boarding school. To not worry her father, she came up with an excuse.
She claimed that she needed to study an excessive amount of school material in a short time for the upcoming final exams. Therefore, it was necessary to stay at school to achieve a good grade.
Furthering the Sons
Marc and Chris naturally attended a school near their family home. This way, they could maintain their already close bond with their father and regularly attend sports events together.
While Bob missed his little princess Tamara terribly, he understood that a good education was more important in the long run. After all, he wanted the best for his beloved daughter.
Tamara's Return
After completing her final exams and receiving one of the top grades in her entire year, Tamara wanted to return to her father and her childhood home. She had accomplished one of the best academic achievements in her class.
Tamara contemplated asking her father for a job in his company. She wanted to spend more time with him again. She wanted to be able to lean on his shoulder once more.
A Frosty Welcome
From the very moment Tamara arrived, Luzy made it clear that she still held Tamara responsible for the fabricated accident involving Marc. Luzy gave her stepdaughter an icy welcome.
Chris and Marc fully embraced this vile game. Bob attempted to mediate between Tamara and the others, but Luzy played the role of the injured mother so brilliantly that he eventually gave up.
Plan B
Bob and Tamara eventually found an elegant solution. While Tamara worked at Bob's company during the day and was able to be close to her father, she moved out of her childhood home.
She found a charming little apartment, about a half-hour away. Although she missed the comfort of her family home, she was relieved to finally escape the constant accusations of her stepmother and half-brothers.
Completing Education
Two years later, Tamara's brothers also completed their schooling. Like Tamara, they wanted to work in Bob's company. This reignited old conflicts. Would Tamara give in once again?
Tamara had spent two years preparing for this moment. She had gone through the situation in her mind hundreds of times and had made her decision: she would not give up her place in the company!
Further Intrigues
However, her stepmother and half-brothers had also spent two years planning and scheming. They were determined to drive Tamara out of the company as quickly as possible.
This included putting on a show of forgiveness for Tamara. They talked about sibling love and how blood was thicker than water, and that from now on, the whole family should pull together.
Relief
At first, Tamara was relieved. But after a few months, she realized the deception. Chris and Marc had sabotaged several orders from an important client using her computer.
When the errors came to light, Tamara was blamed. The important client demanded her immediate dismissal. Otherwise, he would cancel all orders with Bob's company.
Retreat and Escape
Tamara found herself in a terrible situation. She knew she hadn't done anything wrong. But she also knew that no one would believe her if she accused her brothers.
To protect her father's company, she resigned. At first, she had planned to remain silent towards her father about the truth. But when he visited her in her apartment and embraced her, everything poured out of her.
Sick with Worry
From the beginning, Bob had known that Tamara would never make such mistakes. She was too careful and precise. When Bob realized the vile game Luzy, Marc, and Chris had been playing with Tamara for years, his heart broke.
How could he have been so deceived by Luzy? And how could his sons, his flesh and blood, be so heartless and cruel to their half-sister? There was enough for everyone.
Heart Attack
For Bob, it felt like his life was breaking apart for the second time. Death had taken his beloved Estrelle from him back then. Now, Luzys' malice had bittered his marriage with her.
A few days later, Bob suffered a severe heart attack in his office. Although the paramedics arrived within minutes, they could not save him. He passed away before reaching the hospital.
Great Mourning?
For Tamara, her world truly crumbled. Her father had been her only support. She couldn't bear the thought of being in the same room as Luzy, Marc, and Chris.
The three of them were far from filled with grief. They believed they had reached their dreams. They never loved Bob; they were only interested in his money.
Opening the Will
A few days after the lavish funeral, Bob's lawyer summoned the entire family for the reading of the will. The appointment brought deep sadness to Tamara and eager anticipation to the others.
The contents of the will were a shock to Tamara. Her father had bequeathed the entire company to her half-brothers. Luzy inherited the family home. Tamara received only the old beach house where she had spent holidays with Bob as a young child.
Legally Binding
Bob had written his will long before the troubles began. Although he had planned to make significant changes - yes, he had even considered getting a divorce - it was legally binding.
Luzy, Marc, and Chris struggled to hide their joy and maintain the facade of grieving relatives. Tamara was devastated and shook with a heavy bout of crying.
Creating a Done Deal
The next morning, Tamara was awakened by persistent, loud ringing at her apartment door. Who could it be? It was only 7 a.m., and she wasn't expecting anyone.
It turned out to be two unfriendly young workers with a dented pickup truck. Luzy had ordered Tamara's entire belongings from her childhood room to be loaded onto the pickup. The two workers dumped everything right on the street in front of Tamara's apartment.
Consultation with the Lawyer
Tamara then asked the lawyer, who had also been her father's attorney, for a meeting. He gladly agreed. He knew how much Tamara had meant to Bob and would have liked to help her further.
But the will was binding. He couldn't understand why Tamara had only inherited the old beach house. It hadn't been used in years and was in poor condition.
On-Site Visit
The lawyer offered to visit the beach house with Tamara. They should definitely get an overview on-site. Tamara had so many beautiful memories associated with it, and the visit would surely do her good.
The next day, the lawyer and Tamara set off. The drive took several hours, and they shared heartwarming stories about their experiences with Bob.
Almost Dilapidated
At first glance, the beach house appeared to be in a strong state of disrepair. But upon closer inspection, the doors and windows were securely locked and protected. Inside, it looked clean and organized.
On the bed in Tamara's old childhood room, they found a sealed envelope addressed to "My beloved Tamara." Hastily, Tamara and the lawyer opened the envelope and skimmed through the handwritten lines of the letter.
His Collection
In the letter, Bob explained that he had not only bequeathed the house to Tamara but also his collection of antique wines in the wine cellar beneath the house. He had long known that Luzy, Marc, and Chris had no interest in his hobby.
Tamara was deeply moved by this gesture. Together with the lawyer, she went to the cellar to inspect the collection. The wine cellar was enormous. There had to be thousands of bottles that had been lying here for years, gathering dust.
Dusty Bottles
While Tamara strolled through the shelves in awe, feeling close to Bob, the lawyer randomly chose a bottle from one of the shelves and examined the label. He repeated this at several shelves with different bottles.
When Tamara returned from her tour, the lawyer told her that she was a very wealthy woman. His spot checks and the inventory list showed that most of the bottles were worth well over $1,000 each, his spot checks even exceeding $200,000 per bottle. The entire wine collection was worth at least $25 million.
The Tables Turn
However, the situation was entirely different in Bob's company. The important client, whose orders Marc and Chris had deliberately sabotaged to drive Tamara out of the company, had withdrawn.
He had always done good business with Bob, and he trusted Tamara to take care of his orders. However, he did not trust Marc and Chris. Therefore, after Bob's death, he immediately sought out a new supplier.
Injustice Does Not Prosper
He was not the only customer who cancelled his contracts after Bob's death. Less than three months later, Marc and Chris had to file for bankruptcy. A month later, their accounts and house were seized. When they had inherited the company, it had been worth several million dollars. The tax authorities had demanded almost 50% in inheritance taxes.
Even after all bank accounts were seized and the house was forcibly auctioned, Luzy, Marc, and Chris were still left with several hundred thousand dollars in tax debts, leaving them on the streets. They never found out that it was Tamara who had purchased the house.
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