2/ They Took My Parents’ House and Banished Me to the Basement—Years Later, I Found Out Why

I waited. I played the obedient niece, smiled at dinner, and did my chores while secretly gathering evidence with my friend Mia. On my eighteenth birthday, armed with documents and recordings, I exposed them. I confronted them with a decoy document that read “YOU’RE ON CAMERA” just as Mia walked in, phone recording. Their rage gave way to panic.

The camera hidden in plain sight had caught everything. With pro bono legal help from Mia’s mom, the courtroom saw the truth. The court uncovered forged documents, bank statements, and even bribes to a judge. Four months later, justice prevailed. My aunt and uncle were found guilty of fraud—and I finally took back everything they had stolen, not just my home, but my power.