When Chris Harvey was hospitalized, his daughter asked her son, Peter, to check on him and ensure that his house was ready for his return. However, Peter and his wife had a different plan. When Chris returned home, he found his house in disrepair and was shocked by what his grandson revealed.
“Dad, don’t worry. I’ll figure something out. But I can’t visit you because I’m out of PTO at work,” Angelina told her father, 87-year-old Chris Harvey, over the phone from the hospital.
Chris had called 911 after a heart scare, worried it might be serious. The doctors ran several tests, and Chris needed to stay in the hospital for a few days. He called his daughter, who lived in Miami, asking if she could come to Austin, Texas, to help him.
But she couldn’t. “It’s okay, darling. The doctors are just being cautious because of my age. I’ll know more soon,” he mumbled from his hospital bed.
Later, his daughter suggested, “Peter, you need to go to Austin and check on your grandfather. He’s all alone.”
Peter hesitated. “I’m not sure I can, Mom,” he replied, but she insisted.
“Peter, you need to be there for him. You’re his only grandson. Besides, he always said you’d inherit his house. Maybe you should check it out and see what repairs it needs. You’ll be able to bond with him too.”
Peter finally agreed, telling his mother that he would take time off work and bring his wife, Hannah, along. Angelina was relieved that Chris wouldn’t be alone after being discharged from the hospital.
Days later, Chris was discharged with new prescriptions and instructions to take it easy. He hoped to see Peter at his house, but when he arrived, he was taken aback by the sight of his furniture on the front lawn. His door was ajar, though the paramedics had left it securely shut.
Entering the house, he was stunned to find it completely empty. His paintings, military memorabilia, and furniture were gone. Plastic sheets covered parts of the rooms as if renovations were underway.
“Hello?” he called out. Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
“Grandpa?” Peter appeared, looking surprised.
Chris, relieved, rushed to hug his grandson. “Thank God, I thought someone had broken in. What’s going on?”
Peter hesitated, “Well… we wanted to surprise you. Hannah and I are here.”
“Surprise me?” Chris asked, his confusion growing.
“We thought we’d remodel the house for you while you were in the hospital. It needed some TLC,” Peter explained.
Chris smiled, touched by their thoughtfulness, though he was concerned about the cost. “That’s wonderful! But where is my stuff?”
“Everything’s in storage. Some things we’re replacing as a gift,” Peter replied, with a strange pause.
“Well, thank you, both of you. I’m so happy,” Chris said, hugging them again. He had no idea what they were really up to.
A few minutes later, Chris went to the pharmacy. When he returned, he overheard a conversation between Peter and Hannah that made his stomach churn.
“What are we going to do, you idiot?” Hannah snapped.
“Hannah, calm down,” Peter said, trying to soothe her.
“But you told me he was dying. This is supposed to be our house!” she continued angrily. “We’re spending all this money, and it’s not even ours yet.”
Chris’s heart sank. He listened in, stunned by what he was hearing.
“Don’t worry. The house will be mine soon enough, and we’ll make a profit off of it,” Peter said, sounding frustrated.
Hannah wasn’t buying it. “We’re not spending any more money. I’m done.”
Chris’s eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He walked back into the house, pretending to have just returned from the pharmacy.
“I wanted to thank you both for all the work you’ve done on my house… because I plan to enjoy it for the rest of my life,” Chris said, his voice strong.
Peter and Hannah looked at each other in shock.
“Did you know they thought I was dying?” Chris asked the gathered guests, who had no idea what was going on. “They remodeled my house, thinking it was already theirs. They were planning to leave me with a half-done house.”
Peter quickly tried to calm the situation. “Grandpa, let’s talk privately.”
But Chris shook his head. “No need. I overheard everything. You planned to take my house for yourselves. Well, that’s never going to happen, Peter. I’ve already updated my will. When I’m gone, this house will go to charity.”
Hannah’s face turned red, and Peter didn’t know what to say.
“Everyone, please leave my house immediately, or I’ll call the police,” Chris commanded.
The guests, uncomfortable, quickly left. Peter continued to shout at Chris, but the older man stood firm. “Get out,” he repeated, and they finally left.
The next day, Chris told his daughter what had happened. Angelina was devastated by her son’s actions, but Chris reassured her that it was the right choice.
“Peter severed our relationship when he decided to try and take my house. Watch out for him, Angelina,” he warned.
Chris lived for 11 more years. As he had planned, his lawyer sold the house and donated the proceeds, along with the rest of his estate, to a charity for senior citizens.