After my parents died in an accident, I became a legal adult at 18, and my main priority was taking care of my six-year-old brother, Ollie. But not everyone had my best interests in mind. A week after the funeral, my aunt, Melissa, and uncle, Ray, came over and told me I was too young to care for Ollie and that he would be better off with them. I immediately felt that they had an ulterior motive. The next day, I was shocked to find out they had filed for custody of my brother.
I immediately withdrew from college, took on two part-time jobs, and moved us into a small apartment. It wasn’t much, but to Ollie, it felt like home. I filed for legal guardianship, but Melissa lied to Child Services and claimed I was abusing him. Luckily, our retired teacher neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, showed up at the emergency hearing and testified in my favor, calling me an “exceptional” guardian and exposing Melissa’s lies. The judge delayed the final custody decision and granted Melissa supervised visitation instead.
One night, while dropping off Ollie, I overheard Melissa talking to Ray on speakerphone, and I was shocked when she mentioned a trust fund. I had no idea that Ollie had a trust fund. I went home and found documents showing that our parents had set up a $200,000 trust for my brother’s future. I returned to their house and recorded their conversation, in which Melissa admitted she only wanted the money for a new SUV and a vacation, and that they would send Ollie to boarding school.
At the final custody hearing, my lawyer played the recording, and Melissa’s entire scheme was revealed. The judge immediately granted me full legal guardianship of Ollie and reported Melissa and Ray for fraud. They lost their custody bid and faced a criminal investigation. Two years later, Ollie and I still live in a small apartment. I work and take classes at night, and we spend our time together as a family. My brother is safe, and I know that I will never let anyone take him away from me.