Growing up, my siblings always claimed I was Dad’s favorite. Maybe I was. But favoritism didn’t feel like sitting by his deathbed, holding his hand as he whispered, “Open the drawer. Take the key.”

Inside, I found a single brass key.

“It’s for a hidden cabinet in the basement,” he said. “You’ve earned it.”

He died that night.

At the will reading, my siblings were stunned to receive just one dollar each. Everything else—money, house—was donated. Except for one thing: the key. Mine.

In the basement, I found a hidden cabinet containing a journal and a letter addressed to me.

Inside, Dad explained he’d bought a secret property decades ago—now mine alone. The journal held the deed, address, and keys. He warned: “If your siblings find out, they’ll come for you.”

They did. Samantha came pretending to care. Marcus threatened me in public. Greg sent a lawyer. But I had already hidden everything in a safe deposit box.

Eventually, I drove to the Vermont home. It was stunning—cedar, fields, and quiet. Inside, I found letters he’d written but never sent, and photos of us I’d never seen.

I stayed. I healed. I wrote. Pages turned into chapters. Maybe someday it’ll be a book.

Dad didn’t leave me just a house. He gave me validation, peace, and a fresh start.

One evening, I sat on the porch, journal in hand, wind whispering through the trees.

“Thank you, Dad,” I whispered.

He gave me everything I never thought I’d have. And I won’t waste it.