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.\u201cOh, so grandma called you as well?! I thought you\u2019d be busy in the library\u2026like a good little bookworm!\u201d 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: \u201cNothing will happen to grandma. She\u2019ll be fine. She\u2019ll live for a hundred years more.\u201d\n\n\n\n

Brian and Linda had come to visit their 90-year-old granny Marlene. She had requested them to see her urgently.\n\n\n\n

\u201cSweethearts, I wish to see you one last time. I might not get another chance again,\u201d Marlene had painfully told them on the call two days ago\u2026\n\n\n\n

As Linda entered her grandma\u2019s bedroom, she coughed, noticing that it was pretty dusty. Marlene was too old and sick to do things on her own. She hadn\u2019t swept the floor, and Linda saw the ceiling was moldy due to leakage.\n\n\n\n

Linda opened the clock, and what she found inside would go on to change her life.
\u201cGrandma!!\u201d she ran and hugged Marlene, who was in bed. \u201cNothing will happen to you, grandma. Please don\u2019t worry. God will not take you away from us because you are all that we have.\u201d\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s insistence.\n\n\n\n

Brian entered the room, coughing and grinning. \u201cDamn\u2026I\u2019m allergic to dust! Grandma, didn\u2019t you sweep and dust your room?\u201d\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

Marlene stared into Brian\u2019s eyes as she clasped Linda\u2019s shivering hands. The girl was pained to see her grandma so pale and her eyes lacking that once beautiful spark. They looked lifeless.\n\n\n\n

Marlene smiled, getting up gently, and took two envelopes from under her pillow. \u201cSweethearts, this is for you,\u201d she said. \u201cPlease use it wisely. I called to give it to you.\u201d\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Brian frowned. \u201cOnly this much? I thought you had more to spare. Fine, I have to go now.\u201d He turned his back on Marlene and walked away without even thanking her.\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood morning, grandma!\u201d Marlene heard Linda in her bedroom. She didn\u2019t expect her to return.\n\n\n\n

She awakened as the girl undrew the curtains, shafts of beams lighting up the dark, dusty bedroom.\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

Linda walked over to Marlene with the envelope she had given her the previous day.\n\n\n\n

\u201cI added the $4,000 I\u2019d 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.\u201d\n\n\n\n

Marlene rose from her bed. She hugged Linda, tears streaking her face. \u201cI knew you better, darling! But it\u2019s too late for the surgery. I can sense my death nearing. I don\u2019t want to waste this money when it can be used for something better.\u201d\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve taken a month off. I\u2019m not going anywhere until I see that golden smile on your face, grandma.\u201d\n\n\n\n

Having Linda around was of great help to Marlene. She didn\u2019t have to worry about cooking for herself.\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

One day, she heard strangers\u2019 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.\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew you wanted to repair grandpa\u2019s 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?\u201d\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s shoulders that day.\n\n\n\n

Marlene often made a wish. \u201cI want to die when I\u2019m the happiest on earth!\u201d A week later, her wish was fulfilled. Marlene died in her sleep, leaving Linda with more than a broken heart.\n\n\n\n

A couple of days after the funeral, Linda and Brian were called to the lawyer\u2019s office regarding the late Marlene\u2019s will they never knew about.\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. White, according to your grandma\u2019s will, you\u2019ll be getting her house. Here are the papers. Please sign them.\u201d\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd Miss Linda, this is yours,\u201d the lawyer said, pushing forward a box toward Linda.\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is this?\u201d she exclaimed and opened the box. She found five old vintage clocks inside. Brian burst into laughter and began mocking her.\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s 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!\u201d\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

\u201cOPEN IT!\u201d was etched in a beautiful cursive font on the metal.\n\n\n\n

Curious, Linda opened the clock, and what she found inside would go on to change her life.\n\n\n\n

\u201cA note?\u201d she exclaimed and picked a little scroll from the clock\u2019s interior. She unfolded it and sat back, stunned.\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever 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!\u201d began the note.\n\n\n\n

\u201cEveryone gets what they truly deserve, Linda! I\u2019m glad you got only the best. With Love, Granny Marlene.\u201d\n\n\n\n

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.\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe 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\u2019t prove it to him!\u201d she thought and kept the rare timepieces locked in her drawer.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"