Ruth left a house, a savings account, and a jewelry collection assembled carefully over forty years—nothing extravagant, but every piece chosen, every piece with a story. Diane was named executor. She’d handled all the paperwork anyway, so it made sense. Sarah signed what was put in front of her and felt relieved.
The will was simple: equal shares, minus estate costs, disbursed once the house was sold. Sarah had nodded through the attorney’s reading like someone underwater. She let Diane manage everything and trusted her completely. That trust would later feel expensive.