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My_daughter_was_bossing_me_around_in_my_own_house_–_but_when_she_opened_the_freezer…(360p)
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00:00and purchase another one where I would have absolutely no right.
00:04I kept reading.
00:06There were more messages from weeks ago.
00:08My mom is so naive.
00:10She signs everything I put in front of her.
00:13She doesn't even read it.
00:14Now just one more document and we're done.
00:17Problem solved.
00:19Problem.
00:20I was a problem to her.
00:22Her own mother.
00:23The woman who gave her life.
00:25Who raised her.
00:26Who sacrificed her entire life for her.
00:29I was just a problem that needed to be solved.
00:32I took photos of all the messages with my own phone.
00:36My hands were shaking so much that some came out blurry.
00:39But I took several of each one.
00:41I needed proof.
00:42I needed to document everything.
00:45There was another chat with someone named Keith Thompson.
00:48A name I didn't recognize.
00:49I opened the conversation.
00:51Ms. Sterling.
00:53As I mentioned last week.
00:54We have processed the documents you brought us.
00:57Your mother signed the waiver of rights to the property.
01:00Everything is in order.
01:02We just need her to sign one last paper and the process will be complete.
01:06You can stop by the office whenever you like.
01:09A lawyer.
01:10She had gone to a lawyer.
01:12She had forged documents.
01:14Made me sign my own condemnation.
01:16And I didn't even know it.
01:17I wrote down the lawyer's name.
01:19His phone number.
01:20The address of his office that appeared in the chat.
01:22Everything, every detail, every word.
01:26I continued checking.
01:28There were photos, scanned documents, copies of papers I had signed without reading them properly.
01:33Contracts, waivers, assignments of rights.
01:36All there on her phone.
01:37Like trophies of her betrayal.
01:39I took photos of everything, one by one.
01:42Making sure they looked clear, that every word was legible.
01:46This was gold.
01:48This was what I needed to prove what they had done to me.
01:51I heard a car pull into the driveway.
01:53My heart stopped.
01:54I looked out the window.
01:55It was the neighbor.
01:56I kept checking the phone.
01:59I had little time.
02:00I didn't know when Jade would return.
02:03I found a folder labeled Mom Documents.
02:06I opened it.
02:07There were copies of my ID, my birth certificate, the deed to my old house, the transfer receipts
02:13for the money.
02:14Everything they needed to rob me was organized and filed there, like a criminal dossier.
02:19And then I saw something else.
02:21A recent document.
02:22A quote for a new house in another neighborhood.
02:25Larger, more expensive.
02:27Dated last week.
02:28They were already looking for where to move.
02:31They were already planning to leave me out on the street.
02:34I took photos of everything.
02:36Then I deleted the call and message history so she wouldn't know I had been on her phone.
02:41I left it exactly where I found it.
02:43In the same angle, the same position.
02:46I went up to my room, closed the door, sat on the bed, and connected my phone to my old
02:51laptop, the one I brought from my previous house.
02:54I transferred all the photos.
02:56I saved them in a hidden folder.
02:58I made copies on a USB drive I had stashed away.
03:01I couldn't risk losing that evidence.
03:04While transferring the files, I thought about everything I had seen, about how my own daughter
03:10had planned my destruction with such coldness, with such precision, as if I were just an
03:15obstacle in her path, something that needed to be removed to move forward.
03:19I finished saving everything.
03:22I hid the USB drive in a safe place inside a box of tampons in my bathroom.
03:26No one would look there, especially not Marcus.
03:30I went down to the kitchen, put water on to boil, and prepared my tea.
03:34My hands were no longer trembling.
03:36My mind was strangely calm.
03:39Now I knew exactly what I was fighting against.
03:42I knew how deep the betrayal was, and that gave me power, because knowledge is power,
03:47and I now had both.
03:50That afternoon, when Jade came home from work, she was frantic.
03:54She was desperately searching for something.
03:57Mom, have you seen my phone?
03:59No, sweetie.
04:00Where did you leave it?
04:01I don't know.
04:02I had it this morning, but I can't find it.
04:05I helped her look.
04:06We checked the living room, the kitchen, her bedroom.
04:09I acted concerned, supportive, like the perfect mother she thought I still was.
04:15Here it is.
04:16It was between the sofa cushions.
04:18She picked it up with relief.
04:20She quickly checked her messages and calls.
04:22Everything seemed fine.
04:24She didn't suspect a thing.
04:25Why would she?
04:26I was just her naive mother, the foolish old woman who signed whatever was put in front of her.
04:31Thanks, Mom.
04:32You're welcome, sweetie.
04:34She went to her room.
04:35I stayed in the living room, looking out the window, watching the sky darken.
04:40But I no longer felt lost.
04:42I no longer felt like a victim.
04:44Now I knew exactly what to do.
04:46I spent the next few days investigating.
04:49I searched online for the lawyer, Keith Thompson.
04:52I found his website.
04:54His office was a 30-minute drive away.
04:57I read about the services he offered.
04:59Real estate, wills, contracts.
05:03Exactly what Jade needed to rob me.
05:05I also looked up information about my rights.
05:08About what I could do if someone had tricked me into signing documents.
05:13I read legal articles, forums, testimonies of other people who had gone through similar situations.
05:19I took notes, saved links.
05:21I prepared myself.
05:23One afternoon, while Jade and Marcus were at work, I went to the bank.
05:27The same bank where we had processed the house mortgage.
05:30I asked to speak with an executive.
05:32A young woman in her 30s with a professional smile attended to me.
05:36Good morning, ma'am.
05:37How can I help you?
05:38I need information about a property.
05:41I'm a co-owner, but I don't have a copy of the documents.
05:44I want to know how I can get them.
05:46She asked for my ID.
05:48I handed it over.
05:49She typed something on her computer, then frowned.
05:52Ms. Johnson, according to our records, you do not appear as the owner of any property.
05:58That's impossible.
05:59I put $50,000 toward the down payment of a house.
06:03I have the transfer receipt.
06:04I showed her the receipt I had saved.
06:07She reviewed it.
06:08She typed more on her computer.
06:10I see the transfer here, but it was made to Jade Sterling's name, not as part of a co-ownership
06:16agreement.
06:17It was listed as a gift, a donation.
06:20Therefore, you do not have any claim to the property.
06:23Her words confirmed my worst suspicions.
06:26They had misled me from the beginning.
06:28There was never any intention of putting me on the deed.
06:32It was all a plan to take my money.
06:35Is there anything I can do?
06:37You would have to consult with an attorney, ma'am.
06:40We only handle the financial side.
06:42But if you signed documents waiving your rights, it will be difficult to recover anything.
06:47I thanked her.
06:48I left the bank and walked to a bench in the nearby park.
06:52I sat down and took a deep breath.
06:54The cold air filled my lungs.
06:56It cleared my head.
06:58Now I knew three things for certain.
07:00First, I had been legally robbed.
07:03Second, I had proof of the conspiracy.
07:06Third, I needed a lawyer, a good one, one who wasn't on Jade's side.
07:10I took out my phone and searched for attorneys specializing in family fraud.
07:16I found several.
07:18I read reviews, compared prices, wrote down numbers.
07:22I would call the next day.
07:24Now I wasn't alone in this.
07:27Now I had information.
07:28I had evidence.
07:30I had a plan.
07:32I walked back home slowly, thinking about every step, every move.
07:38Jade and Marcus still hadn't arrived.
07:40The house was empty, silent, like a stage waiting for the play to begin.
07:45And I was ready.
07:47Ready to act.
07:48Ready to reclaim what was mine.
07:51Ready to teach them that they had underestimated the wrong person.
07:56The next day, I waited for Jade and Marcus to leave for work.
08:00I dressed carefully.
08:01I chose my best clothes, a simple but presentable dress.
08:05I combed my hair and put on light makeup.
08:07I wanted to look respectable, trustworthy, like someone who should be believed.
08:13I took my purse.
08:14I put all the evidence I had collected, the printed photos, the receipts, the USB drive
08:20with all the information from Jade's phone, all organized in a folder.
08:24I left the house and walked to the bus stop.
08:27The trip downtown took me 40 minutes.
08:30I looked out the window the whole way, watching the streets, the buildings, the people busy
08:35with their lives.
08:36And I thought about how my life had come to this point, how I had gone from owning my
08:41own house to begging for justice.
08:43The office of the attorney I had found was in an old building.
08:46I climbed the stairs to the third floor.
08:49My knees protested with every step, but I kept going because this was important.
08:53This was my future.
08:55I knocked on the door.
08:57A secretary greeted me.
08:59I explained that I needed an urgent legal consultation.
09:02She made me wait in a small waiting room.
09:05There were old magazines on a table, cheap pictures on the walls.
09:09But the place looked clean, organized, professional.
09:13After 20 minutes, I was called.
09:15I entered an office where a man about 50 years old was waiting for me.
09:20Gray hair, glasses, a simple suit.
09:22He offered me a seat with a kind gesture.
09:25Ms. Johnson, I'm Attorney Charles Reed.
09:28Tell me what brings you here.
09:30And I told him everything from the beginning.
09:32How I sold my house.
09:34How I gave them $50,000.
09:36How they promised to include me on the deed.
09:39How they made me sign papers without letting me read them.
09:41How I discovered the betrayal.
09:44As I spoke, I took out all the documents, the photos, the evidence.
09:48He listened in silence, taking notes, reviewing every piece of paper.
09:52I showed him.
09:53His expression was serious, concentrated.
09:56He didn't interrupt me once.
09:58He let me empty everything I had stored up.
10:01When I finished, there was a long silence.
10:04He continued reviewing the documents.
10:06He read the photos of Jade's messages several times.
10:09Then he looked at me.
10:10Ms. Johnson, this is fraud, breach of trust, and possibly document forgery.
10:15Your daughter and son-in-law could face serious criminal charges.
10:19I just want to get back my money or my rights to the house.
10:23Whatever is fair.
10:24I understand.
10:26But I need to be honest with you.
10:28This is going to be difficult.
10:29You signed documents waiving your rights.
10:32Even if you did it without fully understanding what you were signing,
10:35the fact is, your signature is there.
10:37That complicates things.
10:39But I have proof that they tricked me.
10:42The messages, the conversations, it's all there.
10:45Yes, and that's good.
10:47Very good.
10:48This demonstrates intent to defraud premeditation.
10:52That helps us.
10:53We can file a lawsuit for fraud and nullity of documents.
10:56But I need you to understand that this could take time.
11:00Months.
11:01Maybe a year or more.
11:03My hopes sank a little.
11:05A year.
11:06Could I survive another year in that house?
11:08Enduring the contempt, the humiliation, paying rent for something that should be mine?
11:13How much would all this cost?
11:16My fees are $200 an hour.
11:19For a case like this, we're talking about approximately $10,000 in total.
11:24Perhaps more, depending on how complicated it gets.
11:28$10,000.
11:29I didn't have it.
11:31I only had about $5,000 saved.
11:34The last of a lifetime of work.
11:36He must have noticed my expression because he added,
11:40I can work with you, Ms. Johnson.
11:42I can take a $3,000 retainer, and we can settle the rest when we win the case, when you
11:48recover your money.
11:50But I need to be clear, if we lose, you would still have to pay my full fees.
11:56It was a risk, but what choice did I have?
12:00Stay silent and lose everything?
12:03Or fight and maybe recover something?
12:06I accept.
12:08What do you need me to do?
12:11First, I need you to sign a contract with me.
12:14Then, we are going to request copies of all the property-related documents from the County Recorder's Office.
12:20We'll ask for certified copies of everything your daughter filed, and we'll prepare a formal lawsuit.
12:27How long will that take?
12:29About a month to gather everything.
12:31Then we file the suit.
12:33Your daughter and son-in-law will be served.
12:35They will have to respond.
12:36That's when things get interesting.
12:37They'll know it was me.
12:39They'll know I sued them.
12:41Yes, there's no way to avoid that.
12:44But, Ms. Johnson, you have the right to defend yourself.
12:47To fight for what is yours.
12:50Don't let fear stop you now.
12:52He was right.
12:54I had already come this far.
12:55I had already discovered the truth.
12:58I already had the evidence.
12:59I couldn't back down.
13:01I signed the contract.
13:02I gave him a check for $3,000.
13:05Almost everything I had in the bank.
13:08He gave me a copy of everything.
13:10He explained the next steps.
13:12He told me he would keep me informed of every development.
13:16I left his office feeling strange, scared, but also relieved.
13:20I had finally done something.
13:22I had finally taken action.
13:25I was no longer just a victim waiting for things to get better.
13:28Now, I was a fighter.
13:30I made the journey back home in silence, thinking about what was to come, how they would react
13:36when they received the notification of the lawsuit, what they would say, what they would do.
13:42I arrived home before them.
13:44I changed clothes, put all my documents in the secret hiding spot, and started preparing
13:50dinner as if nothing had happened, as if it had been a normal day.
13:54When they arrived, I greeted them as always.
13:57Jade barely looked at me.
13:59Marcus didn't even return my greeting.
14:02We ate dinner in silence, each in our own world.
14:07And I observed, storing every detail, every gesture of contempt, every moment of humiliation,
14:14because all of that gave me more strength to move forward.
14:18The following days were a waiting game.
14:21Attorney Reed called me every week to update me.
14:24He had requested the documents from the county recorder.
14:27He was reviewing everything, preparing the legal strategy.
14:30He asked me for patience.
14:33Meanwhile, I kept documenting everything at home.
14:36Every time Jade treated me badly, every comment, every slight,
14:40I started carefully recording conversations on my phone without them realizing it.
14:44I didn't know if they would be legally useful.
14:47But I wanted to have everything recorded.
14:50One day, a certified envelope arrived in the mail.
14:53It was from the county recorder's office, documents the attorney had requested.
14:58I took it before anyone else saw it.
15:01I hid it in my room.
15:02That night, I opened it with trembling hands.
15:05Inside were copies of everything.
15:07The deed to the house, only with Jade's and Marcus's names.
15:11The documents I had signed.
15:13Waving rights I didn't even know I had.
15:15Everything was there in black and white.
15:17Proof of my naivete, my stupidity, how they had used me.
15:22But there was also something else.
15:25Inconsistencies.
15:26Dates that didn't match.
15:28Signatures that looked different.
15:29The attorney had marked several points with sticky notes.
15:33This is useful.
15:34We can use this.
15:36Possible forgery.
15:37I felt a spark of hope.
15:39Maybe there was a chance.
15:41Maybe I could win this.
15:43Three more weeks passed.
15:45Attorney Reed scheduled a meeting at his office.
15:47When I arrived, he had everything prepared on his desk.
15:50A pile of organized papers, legal documents, the ready lawsuit.
15:54Ms. Johnson, we are ready.
15:56I will file the lawsuit tomorrow.
15:58In two or three days, your daughter and son-in-law will receive the notification.
16:02I want you to be prepared for their reaction.
16:05It won't be pleasant.
16:06I know.
16:07I'm ready.
16:08I also need to warn you.
16:10It's possible they will try to intimidate you, pressure you to withdraw the lawsuit,
16:15or threaten to kick you out of the house.
16:17If that happens, call me immediately.
16:20We have legal resources to protect you.
16:23I thanked him.
16:25I left his office with a mix of fear and determination.
16:28In two days, everything would explode.
16:31In two days, there would be no turning back.
16:34That night, I barely slept.
16:36I thought about all the possibilities, all the ways this could go wrong.
16:40But I also thought about justice, about reclaiming my dignity, about showing them they couldn't
16:46just rob me and get away with it.
16:48The attorney filed the lawsuit on a Friday.
16:51He called me to confirm.
16:53It's done, Ms. Johnson.
16:55Now we just wait.
16:56The weekend was eternal.
16:58Every time the doorbell rang, my heart raced.
17:02But nothing happened.
17:04Jade and Marcus continued their normal lives, oblivious to what was coming.
17:08On Monday morning, the mail carrier arrived and rang the bell.
17:12I opened the door.
17:13He had two certified envelopes, one for Jade Sterling, one for Marcus Sterling.
17:19Lawsuit for fraud and nullity of documents.
17:22I signed for them.
17:23I looked at the envelopes for a long moment.
17:26This was the moment, the point of no return.
17:30I could hide them, throw them away, pretend they never arrived, or I could leave them where
17:35Jade would find them and face the consequences.
17:38I left them on the dining room table in a visible spot where they couldn't be missed, and I went
17:43up to my room to wait, to prepare for the storm that was about to break.
17:48Jade arrived home from work at six in the evening.
17:51I heard her open the door.
17:53I heard her footsteps in the entryway.
17:55And then I heard the silence.
17:58That heavy silence that comes just before the explosion.
18:02Mom, get down here right now!
18:04Her voice sounded different, strained, furious.
18:09But there was also something else.
18:11Maybe fear or panic.
18:13I got up from my bed, took a deep breath, and walked down the stairs.
18:18She was standing in the living room, the open envelope in one hand, the lawsuit documents
18:23in the other.
18:24Her face was red.
18:26Her eyes were blazing with rage.
18:28Marcus stood next to her, holding his own envelope, looking at me with pure hatred.
18:34What is this?
18:36What the hell is this, Mom?
18:38She spoke each word slowly, as if she were trying to control herself, as if she were about
18:43to burst.
18:44It's a lawsuit for fraud, for stealing my money and my rights to this house.
18:49Stealing?
18:50We didn't steal anything from you.
18:52You gave us that money.
18:54You signed all the documents.
18:56Everything was legal.
18:57You tricked me.
18:58You made me sign things without telling me what they were.
19:01You promised me this house would be mine, too, and you lied.
19:06You're crazy.
19:07You're completely crazy, old woman.
19:10Nobody forced you to do anything.
19:11You wanted to help, and now you pull this stunt.
19:14I have proof, Jade.
19:17Messages, conversations.
19:19Everything where you plan to sell this house and leave me out on the street, where you tell
19:23your friends I'm a problem that you're removing from the title.
19:27Her face changed.
19:29The color drained from her for a moment.
19:31She looked at me with something that might have been fear, but she quickly disguised it
19:36with more rage.
19:37You went through my phone.
19:39You invaded my privacy.
19:40That's invasion of privacy, Mom.
19:43That's a crime.
19:44And stealing from your mother isn't?
19:46Tricking her?
19:47Making her sign false documents?
19:49Taking everything she owns?
19:51That's fine, according to you?
19:53Marcus stepped closer.
19:54His face was hard, threatening.
19:56He stood very close to me, trying to intimidate me with his height.
20:01Listen closely, Gloria.
20:03You are going to withdraw this lawsuit right now, or you are leaving this house today, tonight,
20:08with nothing.
20:09Go see where you'll live.
20:10Go see who will take you in.
20:12I'm not going anywhere.
20:14This house is mine, too.
20:16I put my money here, and I'm going to fight until I get it back.
20:20Your money?
20:21That money was a gift, a help.
20:23No one forced you to give it, and now you come here claiming we're thieves.
20:28You are ungrateful, after everything we've done for you.
20:31What you've done for me?
20:33You have me paying rent in my own house.
20:36You forbid me to eat the food I buy.
20:38You treat me like trash.
20:40That's what you've done for me.
20:42Jade laughed, a bitter, humorless laugh.
20:45You know what, Mom?
20:46Do whatever you want.
20:48Sue us.
20:49Fight all you want.
20:50But I'm warning you.
20:52You won't win.
20:53We have better lawyers than yours.
20:54We have money.
20:55We have time.
20:56And in the end, when you lose, you'll be left with nothing.
20:59No house.
21:00No money.
21:01No dignity.
21:03I have no dignity left.
21:04You took it from me.
21:05But I'm going to get back everything else, even if it's the last thing I do.
21:10Go to your room.
21:11I don't want to see you.
21:12You disgust me.
21:14Her words hurt, but I didn't show it.
21:17I kept my face straight, my back rigid, and I climbed the stairs without looking back.
21:22That night, I heard them call Attorney Keith Thompson.
21:25I heard fragments of the conversation through the walls.
21:28They were scared, worried.
21:30The lawyer was telling them something they didn't like.
21:33I heard Jade scream and Marcus curse.
21:36I stayed awake late, listening, mentally documenting everything.
21:40This was just the beginning.
21:42I knew they would try something else, something worse, and I had to be prepared.
21:47The following days were tense.
21:49Jade and Marcus barely spoke to me.
21:51When they did, it was to insult me, to remind me that I was ungrateful, a traitor, a bad mother.
21:57But while they attacked me, I observed something interesting.
22:01Jade continued posting on her social media, photos at expensive restaurants, at spas, in clothing stores,
22:08smiling, posing, acting as if her life was perfect.
22:12Buying peace for my soul.
22:14Sometimes you have to step away from negativity to shine.
22:19That was one of her posts, with a photo of her drinking wine in an elegant setting.
22:24120 likes.
22:26Comments from her friends telling her how strong she was, how inspiring, how brave.
22:31And I thought about the irony, how the negativity she mentioned was me, her mother, the woman who sacrificed everything
22:38for her.
22:39Now I was negativity to be avoided.
22:43But I kept watching.
22:44I kept taking screenshots of every post, every comment, every display of her luxury life paid for with my money.
22:52One afternoon, while they were out, Attorney Reed called.
22:55Ms. Johnson, I have news.
22:58Your daughter's attorney filed a response to our lawsuit.
23:01They deny everything.
23:03They say you gave the money voluntarily as a gift, that you signed all the documents consciously,
23:08and that you are now regretful and want to recover what you already gave away.
23:13That was expected.
23:14What happens next?
23:16Now comes the discovery phase.
23:18Both parties present everything we have.
23:21Documents, testimonies, evidence.
23:24Then the judge decides if there is enough of a case to go to trial.
23:28How long does that take?
23:30Three or four months, minimum.
23:32But, Ms. Johnson, I have to tell you something important.
23:36Your daughter's lawyer contacted me.
23:38He wants to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.
23:41What kind of settlement?
23:43They offer to return $20,000 to you in exchange for you withdrawing the lawsuit
23:48and signing a document waiving any future rights to the property.
23:53$20,000 out of the $50,000 I put in?
23:56Not even half.
23:58Exactly.
23:58It's a low offer, insulting even.
24:01But it's something, and it would avoid years of litigation, stress, and legal fees.
24:06No, I don't accept.
24:08I want everything that belongs to me or my rights to the house.
24:11I will not accept less.
24:14I understand.
24:15I just wanted you to know there's an offer on the table.
24:18But if you want to move forward, we will continue.
24:20We will fight until the end.
24:22That's what I want.
24:24Until the end.
24:25I hung up feeling strong, determined.
24:28They thought they could buy my silence with crumbs,
24:31that they could offer me a fraction of what they stole,
24:33and I would gratefully accept.
24:35But they were wrong.
24:37That night during dinner, Jade mentioned the settlement as if it were casual conversation.
24:42Mom, our lawyer talked to yours.
24:45We offered you $20,000 to end all this.
24:48You should accept.
24:49It's what's best for everyone.
24:51I will not accept.
24:53I want what is mine.
24:55Nothing is yours, Mom.
24:56We already told you.
24:58That money was a gift.
24:59But we're being generous.
25:01We're offering you something you don't even have a right to receive.
25:05Then why are you offering it if you're so sure I have no right to anything?
25:09She fell silent.
25:11Marcus intervened.
25:13Because we want to end this circus.
25:15Because it's embarrassing.
25:17Because you're making a fool of yourself.
25:19Take the money and leave.
25:21Find a place to live and leave us in peace.
25:25I'm not leaving.
25:26And I won't accept less than I deserve.
25:29Jade threw her fork onto her plate.
25:32The noise echoed in the silence.
25:34You are impossible.
25:36You are stubborn and selfish.
25:38You've been this way your whole life.
25:40Always thinking only about yourself.
25:42You never cared about anyone else.
25:45Her words took my breath away.
25:47How could she say that?
25:48How could she twist everything that way?
25:51Me?
25:52Who sacrificed my whole life?
25:54Who gave everything?
25:55Who never asked for anything in return?
25:57And now I was selfish for wanting to recover what they stole from me.
26:03I didn't answer.
26:05I got up from the table, put my plate away, and went up to my room.
26:09Because I knew that if I stayed, I would say things I might regret.
26:13Things that could be used against me.
26:16The following weeks were more of the same, them trying to pressure me, trying to make me drop
26:21the lawsuit, threatening to kick me out, to cut off utilities, to make my life miserable.
26:26And meanwhile, Jade continued on social media, posting about her perfect life, about how she
26:32had learned to set boundaries, to protect her mental peace, to distance herself from
26:38toxic people.
26:40I've learned I don't owe anyone anything, not even family.
26:45My mental health comes first, and if that means cutting ties, then ties are cut without
26:50guilt, without regrets.
26:52That post got 200 likes.
26:55Her friends commented on how proud they were of her, how strong, how mature.
27:00And I wondered if they knew the truth, if they knew the toxic person she was talking about
27:05was her mother, the woman who gave her life.
27:08But I kept going.
27:10I kept gathering evidence.
27:12I kept working with my attorney.
27:14I kept preparing for what was to come, because I knew this wasn't over, that the worst was
27:20still ahead.
27:21And I was right.
27:22Three months after filing the lawsuit, the date for the first court hearing arrived.
27:27Attorney Reed had prepared me for this moment.
27:29He explained what to expect, how to behave, what to say, and what not to say.
27:34But nothing could truly prepare me for what I felt when I saw my own daughter sitting on
27:39the other side of the courtroom.
27:41I arrived early.
27:42I dressed in my best clothes, a simple suit I had bought years ago for Frank's funeral.
27:47I carefully combed my hair.
27:49I wanted to look respectable, dignified, like someone who tells the truth.
27:54Jade arrived with Marcus and her lawyer, Keith Thompson.
27:58She wore an expensive dress, designer shoes, perfect makeup.
28:02She looked successful, professional, like the victim of a difficult mother.
28:07Exactly the image she wanted to project.
28:10She didn't look at me once when she entered.
28:12She acted as if I were invisible, as if I didn't exist.
28:15And that hurt more than any insult.
28:18The judge entered.
28:19We all stood.
28:20He was an older man, about 60, with a serious face and thick glasses.
28:25He sat down and began to review the case documents.
28:29All right.
28:29We are here for a lawsuit for fraud and nullity of documents.
28:33Ms. Gloria Johnson versus her daughter, Jade Sterling, and her son-in-law, Marcus Sterling.
28:39Attorney Reed, present your case.
28:41My attorney stood up.
28:43He spoke with a clear, firm voice.
28:45He explained how I had sold my house, how I gave $50,000 for the purchase of the new property,
28:50how they promised to include me on the deed, how they made me sign documents without properly
28:56explaining what they were, how I discovered they planned to sell the house without my knowledge.
29:00He presented the evidence, the messages I took from Jade's phone, the documents with
29:05inconsistencies, the transfer receipts, everything organized, clear, and compelling.
29:10The judge reviewed each document carefully.
29:13He took notes.
29:14He asked questions.
29:16Attorney Reed answered precisely, confidently.
29:18I began to feel hope.
29:20Then it was Attorney Thompson's turn.
29:22He stood up with a confident smile with calculated movements as if he already knew he was going to win.
29:29Your Honor, this case is simple.
29:31Ms. Gloria Johnson decided to help her daughter with the purchase of a home.
29:35She did it voluntarily.
29:38No one forced her.
29:39She signed all the necessary documents with full awareness of what she was doing.
29:44Now she regrets it and wants to recover what she already gave away.
29:49That is not fraud.
29:50That is buyer's remorse.
29:53He presented documents signed by me.
29:56Papers where I supposedly waived rights to the property.
29:59My signature was there.
30:01Clear.
30:02Undeniable.
30:03I felt dizzy seeing it because I didn't remember signing that.
30:07Furthermore, Your Honor, Ms. Johnson has lived on the property without paying rent for two years.
30:13She has had all the benefits of living in a $500,000 home without contributing to the expenses.
30:19And now she has the audacity to sue her own benefactors.
30:23Benefactors.
30:24That word burned me.
30:26As if they had done me a favor.
30:28As if I were a beggar grateful for the crumbs they gave me.
30:33The judge raised his hand to silence him.
30:36Attorney Thompson, I am seeing text messages where your client clearly indicates that she is removing her mother from the
30:43title through deception,
30:44that she plans to sell the property without her knowledge.
30:48How do you explain that?
30:50Thompson didn't even flinch.
30:52Private conversations, Your Honor.
30:54Obtained illegally.
30:56Ms. Johnson violated my client's privacy by going through her phone without permission.
31:00Those messages should not be admitted as evidence.
31:04They were obtained by a concerned mother who suspected she was being defrauded.
31:08There was no break-in, no theft.
31:10She simply checked a phone that was in her own house.
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