After Son Sells Her House, Woman Leaves Inheritance to Neighbor's Daughter – Story of the Day

Jake never bothered to check on his mother after selling her house and putting her in a nursing home. But he eagerly showed up at her lawyer's office to claim his inheritance, only to discover his mother had left her assets to a certain Mrs. McKinsey he had not even heard of. Determined to get the inheritance back, Jake takes desperate measures.

"I'm glad you could make it, Jake," Mr. Thompson shook Jake's hand and sat across from him.

"So what's the deal, Mr. Thompson?" Jake anxiously shifted in his seat. "I'm hoping the will is going to be pretty straightforward as I expect Mom's assets are going to be mine."

Mr. Thompson sighed and clasped his hands on the table. "I'm afraid that's not the case here, Jake," he said. "I do understand your expectations, and that's the reason I thought it was better to discuss this in person. Your mother's will is quite...unusual. And she demanded that you know about it."

"What? What do you mean?" Jake's body stiffened.

"Well," sighed the lawyer. "She has decided to leave her entire fortune to a foundation dedicated to psychiatry, making Mrs. McKinsey the trustee of her money. Here," Mr. Thompson showed him the will.

Jake's eyes widened as he read the document. "Are you kidding me? Who is this Mrs. McKinsey woman? I've never heard Mom even mention her!"

"As far as the relationship between your mother and Mrs. McKinsey is considered, Jake, she's the daughter of your mother's old neighbor and a doctor at a psychiatric hospital. How and why your mother came to this decision of transferring the assets to her doesn't come under my jurisdiction."

Jake's phone rang, but he ignored the incoming call. "I still don't get it. Why would Mom…" The phone buzzed with another call, infuriating Jake. He canceled the ring, but then there was another call and then another. He was about to switch off the phone when a message flashed across the screen.

"If you don't pay the money back in 72 hours, you are dead! Time is running out, loser!"

Jake gulped at the sight of the message, and his anxiety escalated.

"All of you are bloody idiots!" he yelled in frustration. "You're supposed to be my mother's goddamn attorney, but in reality, you're useless! She transfers all her money to her freakin' neighbor's daughter, and you say you have no authority to undo this nonsense? Well, my mother was manipulated into transferring the money. Why else would she leave her son out of the will?"

"Jake, please relax," said the lawyer calmly. "I've already told you it was your mother's decision, and I'm nobody to question her choices."

"Well, I'll be back to claim what's mine, sir! Every penny of this inheritance! I'm going to nail that sneaky woman who swindled my money out of my mother!" Jake screamed and left Mr. Thompson's office, slamming the door behind him.

Climbing into his car, Jake drove to the Denver psychiatric hospital, where Mrs. McKinsey worked as a senior neurologist. He had looked her up online, and her name was the first to appear in the search results.

***

Sarah looked at her office door as a man walked in and sat across from her, even though her assistant tried to keep him out of her office.

"I'm Dr. McKinsey," she offered her hand for a shake, and Jake took it.

"You can call me Jake. I'm Rose's son."

"Oh, I see. I think I know why you're here, Jake," Sarah leaned on the table and folded her hands.

"Well, I'm glad you know because I don't think I can stand your face for long!"

"I understand your frustration, Jake," Sarah said calmly. "It's only natural that you're angered by your mother's decision. However, hear me out before you judge her. You have an older brother, Jake. And he is not like you. He suffers from autism. And considering his medical condition, your mother just wanted to ensure his well-being and safety."

Jake's face turned pale. "What? What are you talking about? I'm an only child!"

Sarah looked him in the eye. "We've been treating him here for the last 25 years. Ever since he accidentally poured scalding water on you when you were just a year old."

"Jesus Christ!" Jake gasped and stared into oblivion for a few seconds. "Well, then," he suddenly said, rolling his eyes, "why don't we consider an equal division of assets here? I don't care what you do with him, but I want half the money. 50-50. Fair share," he proposed. "I despise the fact that you've been in control of my mother's money for so long, but it is what it is. Being her son, I'm entitled to my rightful share!"

"Sorry, Jake, but that's not possible," Sarah shook her head and leaned back in her chair. "The funds were assigned for your brother's treatment and support, and that's how things will remain. As a trustee, it's my duty to ensure the money goes where it's supposed to."

"Who the heck are you to decide I don't get a share?" Jake jumped to his feet and pointed his finger at her. "You know what, this discussion won't solve things! I know a better way out. Be ready for a trial, Mrs. McKinsey, because I WILL SEE YOU IN COURT!"

Jake stormed out of Sarah's office and headed straight to the parking lot. A part of him knew that his mother had left him out of the will because he'd been a neglecting son, never bothering to check on her. But he was her flesh and blood and deserved his inheritance. Nearing his convertible, Jake stopped in his tracks as he saw the silhouette of a man sitting behind the wheel. "What the hell? Who is that now?" he wondered.

Jake yanked the car door open.

"Arnie drove this car," the man said, turning to Jake. "Every Saturday, when Arnie's Mom came to visit him, she'd let Arnie go to see this car. Arnie doesn't like it now! It was better with brown seats. Better with a brown seat. Better! Better!"

Jake froze. How did this weirdo know about the seats?

Jake's heart skipped a beat as he realized who the man in the car was. He composed himself as he looked at Arnie.

"What was Arnie's mother's name?" Jake asked. "Would Arnie tell me?"

Arnie looked at Jake for a moment, then turned away. "Arnie misses Mom," Arnie said quietly. "Arnie's Mom is Rose. Rose."

Jake stepped back as if he had seen a ghost. But the very next moment, Jake was struck by what he thought was a brilliant plan.

"Oh, well, you know what, Arnie? I'm sure your mom misses you too. Hey, would you like to get out of here? It must be boring here, right? We could go on a long drive. It would be fun! I'm sure the people here don't let you do that!" Jake forced a smile.

"Arnie can go? Go out? Really?"

"Of course you can, Arnie! What are you scared of? You're an adult, and you can make your own decisions. How about you get in that passenger seat so I can take you somewhere nice before anyone spots us?"

Arnie nodded carefully, then moved to the passenger seat.

"Good job, Arnie!" Jake smiled as he got behind the wheel and helped Arnie with the seatbelt.

Jake drove away from the hospital with Arnie, who had no idea he was being kidnapped by his own brother. After a while, Jake's phone buzzed, and when he picked it up, Sarah's anxious voice rang out. She knew Jake was behind Arnie's disappearance because she checked the CCTV in the parking lot.

"What in the world is wrong with you, Jake? Do you even realize what you have done? Bring Arnie back!" Sarah contained her anger on the call but felt like she was about to explode.

"Why should I listen to you? Arnie is no kid, Sarah! He's a grown adult who knows what's best for him. Call me when you want to talk about my offer," Jake was about to hang up, but Sarah stopped him.

"Jake, wait. You don't realize it, but your actions are very selfish and dangerous. Arnie sometimes experiences panic attacks, and he could easily fatally injure himself or even others when he's having an attack. Look, just bring him back here."

"C'mon, Sarah, you can do better than this," Jake laughed. "If you're so worried about the fool, take up my offer, and we can divide Mom's assets fairly. Meanwhile, we'll take a ride to my house in Los Angeles. It would be interesting to see you lose at the trial once this fool gets used to me and wants to live with me. And then I'll not only have half the money but the entire inheritance. See you later!"

Jake and Arnie pulled up near a gas station. "Don't go anywhere, Arnie. I'll get some stuff for our road trip and be right back," he said as he exited the car.

As Jake held out the money to the cashier after making a purchase, a voice distracted him.

"Arnie should get back two dollars and 85 cents. $2.85!"

"Arnie?" Jake looked at him. "I told you to stay in the car, didn't I?"

"Well, well, looks like you're faster than my machine!" grinned the cashier. "Let's give you a little challenge, should we? One that most people fail to solve without a calculator."

"Nah, sir. You'll be wasting your time," Jake waved his hand dismissively. "I think Arnie just made a good guess. We should leave. We're in a bit of a hurry. Thanks for this." He lifted the snacks he had bought.

"Sir, you might be underestimating him. I saw how he scanned the bills in your hand and calculated the exact change! It shouldn't take much time!" The cashier rubbed his palms excitedly. "Alright, Mr. Arnie! Let's see how well you fare with this mathematical challenge. What's the square root of 148,148?"

"384.899 approximately. Approximately," Arnie replied within seconds.

"Impressive! But let's raise the stakes!" chuckled the cashier. "Now, what's the cube of 135?"

"2,459,875," Arnie replied with a smile.

"Okay, okay," nodded the cashier in agreement. "But I bet you surely won't get this one right. What's 4 raised to the power of 11?"

"419,430…," Arnie paused, "4! 419,430,4! Arnie got it!"

"Wow!" Jake gasped.

"Bravo! I told you, sir! Your friend is a genius! A math wizard. Amazing, isn't he?" the cashier smiled at Jake.

"But how do you even know whether what he said was the right answer?" Jake asked.

"I only knew the answers to these questions, sir. Since I have only tried out these sums with other people. Actually, my brother has a son who is autistic. I'm always amazed by the talents of these folks. As people say, God is always fair. When he takes away something, he also gives something back to you. I see your friend has something that we normal people don't. His computation skills are incredible!"

Arnie couldn't contain his excitement as he stood there hearing his praises. "Arnie is happy! Arnie is a genius! Genius," he exclaimed as he knocked an open pack of toothpicks to the floor.

Arnie's face immediately changed, and an anxiousness took over him. "No! No! No!" He grabbed his head and began pacing back and forth. "Arnie dropped 92 toothpicks!"

Jake was taken aback by Arnie's precise count and attention to detail. "Jesus! How did you know there were 92 toothpicks in the pack, Arnie? You counted them all?"

Arnie nodded hastily, and an idea popped into Jake's head. "Actually, you know what, I'll have a pack of playing cards too," Jake paid the cashier, and they left the store.

"Alright, Arnie, let's put your incredible memory to the test," Jake said as they reached their car. "I bought this deck of cards for a fun game, okay? I'm going to shuffle them thoroughly and deal them out one by one. Your task is to remember the order in which the cards are dealt. Are you ready?"

Arnie nodded. "Ready. Ready."

"Alright, here we go," Jake shuffled the deck and started dealing the cards—Ace of spades, six of hearts, three of diamonds, and then queen of clubs. After dealing out a few more cards, Jake paused, amazed at Arnie's attentiveness.

"Arnie, are you sure you're keeping up? I mean, this is getting pretty impressive."

"Arnie remembers everything. Remembers cards," Arnie said.

"Alright then, let's continue." Jake resumed dealing the cards—King of diamonds, nine of clubs, four of spades. As Jake dealt more cards, his surprise grew. Finally, he finished dealing with the entire deck.

"That's it, Arnie. All 52 cards have been dealt. Now, let's see if your memory matches up. Name the cards in the exact order I dealt them."

With his gaze fixed on Jake, Arnie began reciting the card names. "Ace of spades, six of hearts, three of diamonds, queen of clubs, king of diamonds, nine of clubs, four of spades—"

"Whoa, whoa, hold on, Arnie! Do you remember all 52 cards? You truly have an incredible gift, Arnie. You're a card memory genius!"

"Arnie is a genius! A genius!"

"Hey, hey, buddy...Now, listen…I've got an idea, okay?" Jake told Arnie. "We're going to a place where we could really use this gift you have and make crazy money, alright? Just help me out and do as I say. Come on. Get in the car."

Hours later, Arnie and Jake found themselves at a blackjack table, the vibrant atmosphere of the casino thrilling Jake. The clinking of chips and shuffling of cards filled the air, but Arnie's eyes were fixed on the cards in the dealer's hand.

As the cards were dealt, Arnie's gaze alternated between the cards and the dealer's hand while Jake rubbed his palms anxiously, hoping to make a big win.

"Arnie sees two of spades…and…nine of heart," Arnie told Jake quietly.

"Alright, Arnie, remember what we talked about in the car," Jake leaned closer to Arnie. "You make your calculations or whatever you do, and then you quietly tell me what move I have to make. We are doing this because we want to win big, okay?" he whispered.

"Win big…move. Yes, Arnie remembers."

"Great. Now focus."

Arnie processed each card, probability, and strategy with incredible speed as the game unfolded. Jake looked at Arnie's focused face and grinned.

"Arnie, what should we do next? Hit or stand?" he asked.

"Arnie says, Hit! Hit!" Arnie whispered in Jake's ears.

"Hit us, please."

As the dealer placed another card, Arnie leaned closer to Jake again. "Stand! Arnie…calculates."

Jake smiled at his brother. "Alright, Arnie. We'll stand. Let's see how it plays out."

Arnie's abilities shocked everyone at the casino. He and Jake won every hand, inviting suspicious stares from some onlookers. But Arnie and Jake continued the game, amassing a whopping sum of $100,000.

"Oh god, Arnie! You killed it!" Jake whispered, totally amazed by their big win.

"That guy with you is why you're winning! Don't get too excited, young boy!" an onlooker's voice distracted Jake. "Who is he, uh? Would you mind changing sides, man?" the guy went on to ask Arnie.

Jake noticed people staring suspiciously at them as he ran his eyes across the table. Some were whispering behind their backs, wondering how he and Arnie managed such a winning streak. And it wasn't just limited to the people around them.

Jake's heart pounded, and his hands went cold when he happened to notice a staff member at the casino looking at Arnie in a weird manner. These people would figure out the tactic behind Jake's big win if he and Arnie stayed there any longer.

Jake couldn't afford to get into any trouble and lose the money he'd won after receiving a slew of threatening messages from moneylenders demanding their money back. He had to make an exit.

"Uh, well, sir, sorry, but that wouldn't work out. My brother and I have to be somewhere," Jake turned to Arnie. "Arnie, it's time to cash out. We've had a lot of fun here, and umm, it would be better if we leave now, alright?"

"Cash out…Time to leave. Arnie understands."

Jake and Arnie cashed out their chips and hurried out of the casino before it was too late.

"Phew! That was a close call!" Jake sighed as they got back to their car. "Hey, Arnie, thanks for today, man. What you did back in there was just incredible!"

"Arnie…incredible?"

"Yes, Arnie, yes. You nailed it! And we need to celebrate what we did! Let's get a beer together!"

An hour later, Arnie and Jake were at a pub, celebrating their victory and enjoying their drinks, when a waft of a female's perfume hit Jake. A woman joined them in the corner booth, grinning.

"Well, you two looked too secluded, so I thought of giving you handsome men company," She seductively ran her fingers over Jake's shoulder, then sat beside Arnie. "So what are we celebrating here? Sorry, I sort of overheard you guys."

Arnie shifted away from the woman, his gaze fixed on her. "Arnie and Jake—"

"Uh, Arnie, it's okay," Jake chimed in. "Nothing big, you know. We just got lucky at a game earlier and thought of having some fun. Celebrating and having some drinks now. Care to give us some company now that we've caught the attention of a gorgeous lady? You're beautiful."

"Pretty...says Arnie. Pretty."

The woman smiled. "I'm flattered…and I'd be delighted to join as I almost couldn't resist the allure of two handsome men celebrating their good fortune. I'm Samantha."

"Jake, and that's my brother, Arnie."

"By the way, didn't you guys say you were celebrating? Well, since I'm a regular here, I know just the right drink to make this evening special," she smiled. "Don't move, handsome." She kissed Arnie's cheek before she left.

Jake noticed Arnie's eyes followed Samantha across the room to the bar counter. For a moment, Samantha turned around, looked at them, and waved, and Arnie shyly grinned at her.

"Looks like someone's in love," Jake joked as he sipped his drink. "Hey, Arnie, have you ever dated someone? Kissed some, at the very least?"

Arnie shook his head.

"What? Oh God, Arnie!" Jake laughed. "Never? Do you like Samantha? Look, you've still not had your first kiss, and it's time to change that, okay?"

"Change? Arnie wants a change. Does Jake want a change?" asked Arnie.

Jake really fell into deep thought at that point. Jake's life was in shambles. Unlike Arnie, he'd had his first kiss and even dated many girls. But presently, he didn't have anyone—not even a girlfriend—his dad was dead, and his mom was in the nursing home. Jake was really lonely deep down. In some ways, he was no different from Arnie.

"Uh, for now, I want you to experience life, Arnie," Jake composed himself. "All those years you were stuck in that psychiatric hospital with no access to the fun we get to experience. So I'm gonna arrange your first date ever! You can thank me later, buddy." He winked and disappeared to the bar counter.

Arnie watched his brother anxiously as Jake laughed and spoke to Samantha. Arnie's heart fluttered when Samantha looked at him and smiled.

"So deal…right? I'm giving you like $6,000 if you sleep with my brother," Jake offered Samantha.

"You said that you got lucky at a casino, and come on, I saw how you were holding that bag of yours. I know you've got quite some cash there. $8,000 if I sleep with that whacko brother of yours…'cause I'm more interested in you." She smirked.

"Hey, watch what you say, okay?" Jake warned. "If you don't want the money, it's fine."

"No, no, wait," Samantha paused. "It's okay. I'll do it!"

Jake, Arnie, and Samantha left the bar and went to a hotel.

"Arnie nervous…Arnie wants Jake to stay," Arnie began insisting as they reached the hotel room Jake had booked for Arnie and Samantha.

"Uh, don't worry, Arnie. I'll be right outside in the hallway. I'm giving you and Samantha some privacy. All the best! Go now!"

Jake retired on a chair in the hallway, waiting for Arnie and Samantha to come out. He didn't realize when he dozed off, hugging the bag of cash in his arms. Within half an hour, a ting echoed in the hallway, and the lift door opened.

"SHUT UP, DUDE! I'M SERIOUS AS HELL!" A heavy voice boomed from Arnie and Samantha's room, and Jake was startled awake.

Jake noticed the door to Arnie's room was open, and he rushed inside, only to see a tall man aiming his shotgun at a mumbling Arnie. Samantha lay on the bed, wrapped in sheets and terrified. Jake ran across the room to shield Arnie.

"What the hell is going on here? Point that gun away!" Jake yelled.

"How dare he sleep with my wife, huh?! And who are you?" The man aimed at Jake, then at Samantha. "I'm going to shoot all of you!"

"Honey, please, calm down," Samantha begged as she got down from the bed.

"Man, we didn't mean you any harm. Let's talk this through. No need for violence."

"Jake, you can pay him off! You have the money from the casino!" Samantha turned to Jake. "That's the only way to save us."

"Holy crap! Did you have to mention that? Okay, alright, sir, listen, take the money, but on the condition that you won't harm anyone, alright? Please."

"I'm only taking what's rightfully mine! Place that bag on the bed!" he screamed, making Arnie shiver in terror.

Arnie's body convulsed as he went into a seizure. He grabbed his head and began howling.

"Arnie doesn't want to be here! Arnie was harmed by bad people. They're causing him pain. Hurting."

Arnie banged his head on the wall, then dashed to the window and swung it open.

"God, no! Arnie!"

Jake dragged his brother into the room at the last second, pressing his body weight against the carpet and waiting for Arnie to calm down in his grasp. Arnie curled up on the rug, making mooing noises.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, Arnie. Please. Please, relax," Jake was in tears. "I shouldn't have gotten you into this. I'm so sorry."

Arnie's body finally relaxed an hour later, and his breathing steadied. Jake sighed in relief, glad that the worst had passed. Of course, the couple had vanished, as had the winnings, which could have saved Jake from the creditors' wrath.

"Arnie, they took it all. Every last penny. We've been duped," Jake sighed disappointedly.

After exiting the hotel, Jake took Arnie back to the psychiatric hospital, knowing the facility was the safest and most suitable environment for his brother.

Jake got out of the car as they arrived at the hospital and waited until Arnie disappeared from his sight.

"It was fun having you around, Arnie. And I'm sorry for all the problems I caused," Jake whispered as he turned around to leave. The ringing on his phone reminded Jake his creditors were still waiting for their money, but he had no idea how he would pay them now.

"Jake, stop! I know that's you!" A voice startled Jake as he canceled the call. He spun around to see Sarah.

"What do you want now? I got Arnie back, just as you wanted."

"You'd never get his custody because of the kind of prank you pulled on your own autistic brother, Jake, by kidnapping him from the hospital," Sarah said as she crossed her arm. "But I'm willing to help you."

Jake's eyes lit up. "What? You will help me? Why?"

Sarah removed a check from her jacket's pocket and gave it to him. "Because you would've never brought Arnie back here if you didn't prioritize your brother's well-being over your needs," she said.

"Oh God," Jake read the amount on the check. "Thank you, Sarah. I didn't expect this." The amount was enough to cover his debt.

"Can I ask for something else?" Jake asked. "Can I come and visit Arnie?"

Sarah smiled. "Anytime. Since you were a decent brother to Arnie after all."

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