A greedy brother inherits a house and mocks his younger sister, who only gets five rusty old clocks from their late grandmother. Little did they know about what was hidden in those timepieces.
“Oh, so grandma called you as well?! I thought you’d be busy in the library…like a good little bookworm!” 26-year-old Brian scoffed at his younger sister Linda, 19.
She had just stepped down from the taxi. Fear filled her eyes as her heart told her: “Nothing will happen to grandma. She’ll be fine. She’ll live for a hundred years more.”
Brian and Linda had come to visit their 90-year-old granny Marlene. She had requested them to see her urgently.
“Sweethearts, I wish to see you one last time. I might not get another chance again,” Marlene had painfully told them on the call two days ago…
As Linda entered her grandma’s bedroom, she coughed, noticing that it was pretty dusty. Marlene was too old and sick to do things on her own. She hadn’t swept the floor, and Linda saw the ceiling was moldy due to leakage.
Linda opened the clock, and what she found inside would go on to change her life.
“Grandma!!” she ran and hugged Marlene, who was in bed. “Nothing will happen to you, grandma. Please don’t worry. God will not take you away from us because you are all that we have.”
Until a year ago, Linda lived with Marlene. She took good care of her and helped her a lot. She was even ready to turn down a life-changing scholarship but moved to the city to pursue her degree upon Marlene’s insistence.
Brian entered the room, coughing and grinning. “Damn…I’m allergic to dust! Grandma, didn’t you sweep and dust your room?”
He came closer and saw his grandma was sick and skinny. But he was least bothered and stood there, waiting to know why she had called them.
Marlene stared into Brian’s eyes as she clasped Linda’s shivering hands. The girl was pained to see her grandma so pale and her eyes lacking that once beautiful spark. They looked lifeless.
Marlene smiled, getting up gently, and took two envelopes from under her pillow. “Sweethearts, this is for you,” she said. “Please use it wisely. I called to give it to you.”
Brian and Linda opened the envelopes and found a wad of $5,000 in each.
Linda could not hold back her tears and ran out crying.
Meanwhile, Brian frowned. “Only this much? I thought you had more to spare. Fine, I have to go now.” He turned his back on Marlene and walked away without even thanking her.
The next day, Marlene was in for a surprise.
“Good morning, grandma!” Marlene heard Linda in her bedroom. She didn’t expect her to return.
She awakened as the girl undrew the curtains, shafts of beams lighting up the dark, dusty bedroom.
She was surprised to see Linda. She had thought the girl had left for the city where she studied and was a part-time librarian.
Linda walked over to Marlene with the envelope she had given her the previous day.
“I added the $4,000 I’d saved over the year. Grandma, remember you told me about your poor vision? I now have $9,000. We can now pay for your eye surgery.”
Marlene rose from her bed. She hugged Linda, tears streaking her face. “I knew you better, darling! But it’s too late for the surgery. I can sense my death nearing. I don’t want to waste this money when it can be used for something better.”
Linda wiped away Marlene’s tears and said she would live with her.
“I’ve taken a month off. I’m not going anywhere until I see that golden smile on your face, grandma.”
And Linda knew what she had to do to restore Marlene’s smile.
Having Linda around was of great help to Marlene. She didn’t have to worry about cooking for herself.
There were days when Marlene would eat stale bread for dinner when she never felt like making herself a nice meal. But after Linda came, she started feeling on her feet again. Marlene had never felt so relaxed and happy before.
One day, she heard strangers’ voices outside her bedroom and went out to check. She was surprised. Linda had spent the $9,000 on renovating the house and fixing the leakage.
“I knew you wanted to repair grandpa’s treasured house for a long time. Are you happy now, grandma?! I renovated it so that you see the beautiful house you once lived in with grandpa. Do you like it?”
Marlene was speechless. She walked to Linda as fast as her fragile legs could carry her and hugged her. Marlene had never cried like she wept on Linda’s shoulders that day.
Marlene often made a wish. “I want to die when I’m the happiest on earth!” A week later, her wish was fulfilled. Marlene died in her sleep, leaving Linda with more than a broken heart.
A couple of days after the funeral, Linda and Brian were called to the lawyer’s office regarding the late Marlene’s will they never knew about.
When they got there, they were told about another surprise inheritance.
“Mr. White, according to your grandma’s will, you’ll be getting her house. Here are the papers. Please sign them.”
Linda was startled. She was not jealous of her older brother, but it worried her because she had renovated the house, and Brian got it when he least deserved it.
“And Miss Linda, this is yours,” the lawyer said, pushing forward a box toward Linda.
“What is this?” she exclaimed and opened the box. She found five old vintage clocks inside. Brian burst into laughter and began mocking her.
“That’s hella insane and cheap!! Grandma left her house to me. She knew who deserved the best. You can decorate your rented apartment with these rusty clocks and cry over it, sis. Luck does not favor everyone!”
Distraught, Linda left for the city, taking the clocks with her. She never bothered to check them thoroughly until one day when she noticed an engraving on one of them.
“OPEN IT!” was etched in a beautiful cursive font on the metal.
Curious, Linda opened the clock, and what she found inside would go on to change her life.
“A note?” she exclaimed and picked a little scroll from the clock’s interior. She unfolded it and sat back, stunned.
“Never underestimate these rusty, old watches! They are 100-year-old classic timepieces that belonged to my grandfather. And they are crafted from rare, exquisite metal! Each piece is worth $40,000, my dear!” began the note.
Linda’s eyes filled with tears of joy as she read further.
“Everyone gets what they truly deserve, Linda! I’m glad you got only the best. With Love, Granny Marlene.”
Linda burst into tears as she held the vintage clocks close to her heart. They still functioned, and she could hear them tick close to her heartbeat. It felt as though her granny had not gone anywhere.
Linda chose not to disclose this to her brother.
“He is blinded by greed and thinks he got the best from grandma. Let him live with that assumption. Granny knew who deserved the best and I needn’t prove it to him!” she thought and kept the rare timepieces locked in her drawer.
What can we learn from the story?
Everyone gets what they truly deserve. Brian mocked Linda when she inherited only five old clocks from their grandmother. Little did he know that she had actually gotten what she truly deserved because each piece was worth over $40,000.
Love and accept your elders for who they are. You will be loved back a hundredfold. Linda loved her grandma unconditionally and cared for her without expecting anything in return. Ultimately, she inherited a surprise $200K worth of legacy after her granny’s death.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
Family Is Searching for Missing Denver Hairstylist Who Disappeared After Leaving Her Apartment
In addition to the worried mother of a Denver-based hairstylist, who shared photos of her missing daughter before she disappeared, others are also searching for her.
The loved ones of a 34-year-old Denver hairstylist named Jax Gratton are in search of her after she went missing. According to the Denver Police Department (DPD), Gratton has not been seen in nearly two weeks after leaving her apartment near the 4200 block of E. Iliff Avenue around 10 p.m. on April 15, 2025.
As confirmed by loved ones, Gratton had planned to step out briefly the night she vanished, telling her roommate she would be gone for only a few hours. But that quick outing spiraled into a troubling ordeal when Gratton failed to return home.
Her mother, Cherilynne Gratton-Camis, grew uneasy after several days of no contact, especially on Easter Sunday. This marked the first ominous break in a lifetime pattern of unwavering connection.
“Jax calls me when great things happen and when bad things happen, and every single holiday. She has never missed a holiday,” Gratton-Camis shared.
That particular evening — April 15 — a photo taken from a camera inside Gratton’s apartment captured her just before she walked out the door. No one knew the details of her outing. “It’s just, it’s absolutely a mystery,” her mother said. “No one knows who she was meeting, who picked her up.”
For those who know her well, Gratton’s sudden disappearance doesn’t align with her usual behavior. Brandy Carey, a close friend, emphasized how deeply concerning the situation is, citing how out of character it is for Gratton to leave behind her beloved cat, Madam Francesca, without making arrangements.
“Her not taking her medication, not taking her makeup, but also the fact that she missed several appointments with clients,” adds to the growing concern, Carey told Denver7.
“We just want her to come home. That’s what we just want: Her home, happy, healthy,” stated Carey. In the wake of her vanishing, loved ones have rallied online and on foot, sharing her images, her story, and their hopes.
Gratton’s family and friends are also urging the community to alert the police if they have any tips to report, no matter how big or small.
Should anyone have any information concerning Gratton’s whereabouts, they can contact Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-2000. Tipsters also have the option to remain anonymous and could earn a reward of up to $2,000.
Gratton’s loved ones have also expressed gratitude for the support civilians have shown for the hairstylist and the disappearance case.
“She’s very caring. She cares about the people that she comes in contact with, and that doesn’t matter if she’s known you forever or she’s just known you in this moment,” expressed Carey.
Yet, amid the activity and public support, a single, haunting plea from Gratton-Camis continues to echo, “I’m scared for her safety. I just want proof of life.”
In an effort to amplify the search, a Facebook group titled “Find Jax Gratton Denver” has become a central hub for updates and appeals from loved ones. Among the most poignant posts came directly from Gratton’s mother, who shared a set of stills showing her daughter in the final moments before she disappeared.
Captured by an indoor surveillance camera, the images reveal Gratton in a patterned jacket, striped shirt, and loose-fitting pants, holding two bags as she steps toward the door.
The accompanying message from Gratton-Camis reflected a mother’s anguish and suspicion. Gratton’s mom expressed that the photos do not appear to indicate that her daughter was headed out on a date.
She also referenced the fact that Gratton left behind important personal effects. Additionally, Gratton-Camis explained her decision to delay adding certain individuals to the group and hinted at a larger conversation with the detective on the case, saying, “Will share at a later date cause [sic] I think it might be important.”
Her words, layered with grief and urgency, also revealed the emotional toll the search has taken. “I have a lot of work to do. Because I was asking for Jane Does and if course did not think they would list her as male. My love for you all is so strong [sic],” concluded Gratton’s mom.
In a separate post to the Facebook group, Princess Sullivan shared a visual collage of Gratton’s tattoos in hopes that someone might recognize her.
The post features close-up shots of several distinct designs inked across Gratton’s arms, shoulders, and chest, including words, geometric lines, and illustrative pieces.
It is a simple yet powerful contribution to the growing community effort — another way to keep Gratton’s image alive in the public eye, and perhaps spark a lead that could bring her home.
Among the many voices joining the search is that of Theresa Becker, a client of the hairstylist who turned to the group after discovering Gratton had gone missing.
Becker shared that she last heard from Gratton on April 15, the same day she vanished. It was also the day they confirmed an upcoming appointment.
When Gratton never showed up on April 18, worry quickly set in. “She means so much more to me than just gorgeous hair,” Becker wrote.
“We talked about so much. We connected on experiences few [sic] can relate to. She helped me feel a little more at home in the world.” Eager to support the search, Becker expressed her intent to join volunteers canvassing near Washington Park.
Outside of the dedicated search group, Gratton’s mother has also taken to her own Facebook page to raise awareness. In a deeply personal post, she pleaded for anyone who may have seen or heard from Gratton after April 11 to come forward.
Underneath her message, she shared a collage of photos capturing her daughter in different moments — posing with sun-kissed hair against a tropical backdrop, smiling with light curls in a salon mirror, and posing with her hair dyed a soft reddish tone.
As the days stretch, those closest to Gratton continue to reflect on the many ways she has left her mark.
Studio owner Dylan Scholinski, a longtime friend, recently shared a moving message that spans decades of their connection, from the vibrant days of her youth to the creative spirit she carried into adulthood.
His message echoed the same sentiment resonating across every post and every plea: hope. While the uncertainty weighs heavily, the community surrounding Gratton refuses to give up, urging others to keep sharing, keep searching, and above all, to believe that she can be found.
For those who have known her in fleeting moments or lifelong bonds, the wish remains the same — that this chapter ends with Gratton safely home.
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