Having a child is one of the most personal choices a person can make. For Delilah, however, it wasn’t just her decision. At 42, she agreed to become a mother at her mother’s insistence, swayed by the promise of inheriting her family’s wealth. But a straightforward agreement quickly fell into a series of surprising events. What followed left Delilah reeling, her life turned upside down. Let’s read her story below.

Delilah’s letter:

My husband and I, we never wanted kids. When I turned 40, my mother said, “If you keep me without a grandchild, don’t expect a penny of my money!” I had a daughter-and my mom mostly raised her.

15 years later, my mom di:ed. I went to her room to get something, and I froze when I discovered that her closet was almost empty, all her valuable items were gone. There was only a hidden jewelry box, I opened it and just found a piece of paper that read, “I’m sorry, but I had to choose the right person…” It had an eerie feeling but couldn’t understand what was going on.

I almost fainted when I found out that the entire inheritance would go to my daughter when she turns 18 in three years. Until then, I’m allowed only $1,000 a month to spend on her. That’s all. The worst part? My daughter already knew. My mother had told her about this arrangement.

Looking back, I know my mother resented me for defying her plans and rejecting the family business. She wanted a grandchild to mold, and I was just a means to that end.

Now, I feel che:a:ted out of what should have been mine, but I’m not close enough to my daughter to ask for her support.