**Grandson Plots Eviction, Grandmother Sells Flat Without Remorse**
When my grandmother discovered her grandson wanted to kick her out of her flat, she sold it without a second thought.
Why bother with a mortgage when you can just wait for Gran to pass and inherit her property? Thats how my husbands cousin, Richard, saw things. He had a wife, Emily, and three kids, all counting the days until Grans flat would be theirs. They refused to consider loans, preferring to fantasise about the day theyd finally own her place. For now, they crammed into Emilys mothers cramped two-bed in Brighton by the seaa miserable arrangement that was clearly eating away at them. Richard and Emily whispered more and more about how to “handle” Gran.
But GranMrs. Evelynwas a force of nature. At seventy-five, she was full of life, never complained about her health, and had a social calendar busier than ours. Her central Brighton flat was always full of friends. She mastered her smartphone, attended art exhibitions, went to the theatre, and even enjoyed a harmless flirt at the local senior dance classes. She radiated joy, a shining example of how to embrace every moment. To Richard and Emily, though, this wasnt admirableit was downright frustrating. Their patience was wearing thin.
They finally snapped. They insisted Gran transfer the flat to Richards name and move into a care home. They didnt even pretend otherwise, claiming it would be “better for her.” But Evelyn wasnt one to back down. She refused firmly, and that lit the fuse. Richard exploded, calling her “selfish” and saying she “owed it to the grandchildren.” Emily stoked the flames, muttering that Gran had “lived long enough.”
When my husband, James, and I found out, we were horrified. Evelyn had always dreamed of travelling to Indiaseeing the Taj Mahal, breathing in the spice markets, losing herself in Goas streets. We suggested she move in with us, rent out her flat, and save up for the trip. She agreed, and soon her spacious three-bed in the city centre was bringing in steady income. When Richard and Emily caught wind of it, they threw a fit. They acted like the flat was rightfully theirs and demanded Gran let them live there. They even accused James of “manipulating” her for money. Richard went as far as demanding the rent, calling it his “fair share.” We shut that down fast.
Emily started turning up at our house nearly every daysometimes alone, sometimes with the kids, always bearing ridiculous gifts. Shed ask how Gran was, but we knew the real reason: she and Richard were still banking on Evelyn “popping off” so they could claim their inheritance. Their greed was staggering.
Meanwhile, Gran saved enough and set off for India. She returned glowing, her suitcase stuffed with stories and photos. We suggested she keep goingsell the flat, keep travelling, then live with us in comfort for her later years. She thought it over and took the leap. The flat sold for a tidy sum, and with the proceeds, she bought a cosy studio in the Brighton outskirts. The rest went into her adventures.
She travelled through Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. In Switzerland, while strolling Lake Geneva, she met a Frenchman named Pierre. Their romance was straight out of a filmat seventy-five, she married him! James and I flew to France for the wedding, and seeing her shine in a white dress, surrounded by flowers and smiles, was unforgettable. Evelyn deserved every bit of happiness. Shed worked her whole life, raised children, helped grandchildrennow, finally, she was living for herself.
When Richard heard about the sale, he lost it. He demanded Gran hand over the studio, claiming she “had enough already.” How he planned to fit five people in there was anyones guess. But we didnt care. We were just glad Evelyn had found her place in the sun. As for Richard and Emily? Their storys a harsh lessonwhen moneys involved, sometimes the closest people show their true colours.
