cast out by his parents without explanation. Her mother welcomed him without hesitation, and from then on, he became part of their family. Through high school struggles, college stress, and eventually, Jason’s devastating cancer diagnosis, Alice stood by him. She worked extra hours, paid the mortgage on the house he had bought, and held onto hope when he no longer could. Jason never stopped wishing his parents would come back, but they never did—until now, with cold entitlement in their voices and a lawyer by their side. But Jason had planned ahead. The house was in Alice’s name,and when his parents tried to claim it, she didn’t flinch. Instead, she offered them the one thing Jason left behind—a letter. In it, he extended forgiveness, but no property, and certainly no closure. The letter shattered whatever illusion they carried about reclaiming something they never earned. Faced with Alice’s final demand—to honestly explain why they’d cut him off—they faltered. Their answer,

hollow and weak, only confirmed what Alice already knew: they had no right to his memory, let alone his home. As they left in quiet defeat, Alice felt both sorrow and strength. She had fought for Jason’s legacy, and in doing so, had secured more than just a house—she had protected the truth of his life, and the love they shared, from being rewritten by those who had once turned their backs on him