Agatha Stones was dying, and she knew it. The 83-year-old had given birth to four kids before her husband Rodney passed away. However, those kids had all become adults and moved away from home to start their own lives. It was something Agatha should have been proud of, but she felt the opposite.

This was because all of her kids had become mostly interested in material things at the expense of important emotions like love. In their pursuit of money, they had lost most of their humanity.

One day, meeting with her friend Sharon, Agatha brought up a topic that kept bugging her.

“My lawyer has asked that I write my will,” she told her friend sadly.

“I take it that’s a bad thing?” Sharon asked.

“Yes, it is,” Agatha said. “I have no idea how I’ll share the little I have among my four kids. Then there’s the little issue of knowing exactly who deserves it too.”

“I know what you can do to determine that,” Sharon proudly said.

“Let’s hear it,” Agatha said grudgingly before her neighbor and friend offered her an insidious plan.

According to the plan, a few days later, all four children received a message stating that Agatha had passed on.

The children gathered to say their last goodbyes to Agatha, not knowing what was in store for them.

The day arrived, and Agatha’s four children – William, Helen, Marcus, and Laura – arrived at the family home. They were greeted by the family lawyer, Mr. Thompson, who informed them that Agatha had left instructions for a special reading of her will.

As they entered the house, they were surprised to see Agatha herself, looking frail but very much alive, sitting in her favorite armchair.

“Mother!” William exclaimed. “We thought you were…”

“Dead?” Agatha finished for him. “Yes, that was the idea. I needed to see what kind of people you’ve become.”

Helen frowned. “What do you mean, Mother?”

Agatha gestured to Mr. Thompson, who handed each of them a sealed envelope. “Inside these envelopes, you will find a letter. Each letter contains a task you must complete within a week. These tasks are designed to test your character, your compassion, and your integrity. Only then will I decide how to distribute my estate.”

Marcus scoffed. “This is absurd. Why can’t you just divide everything equally?”

“Because I want to know that what I leave behind will go to those who truly deserve it,” Agatha said firmly.

With that, the children reluctantly took their envelopes and left the house. The next week was a whirlwind of activity as each of them tried to complete their tasks.

William’s letter instructed him to donate a significant sum of his own money to a local orphanage and spend time with the children there. He grumbled about it but eventually did as he was told, though he found himself more moved by the experience than he expected.

Helen’s task was to volunteer at a homeless shelter and genuinely engage with the people there. At first, she was repulsed by the idea, but as she listened to their stories, she began to feel a connection and empathy she hadn’t felt in years.

Marcus was asked to help a struggling small business in the community, using his skills and resources to ensure its survival. He saw it as a business challenge and tackled it with his usual determination, but he couldn’t ignore the gratitude of the business owner and the difference he made in their life.

Laura’s task was the simplest yet the hardest for her. She was instructed to spend a day with Agatha, just talking and reminiscing about the past. It was an emotional day, and Laura realized how much she had missed her mother’s presence in her life.

At the end of the week, they all returned to the family home. Agatha, looking more at peace than she had in years, asked them about their experiences. Each of them, in their own way, admitted that the tasks had changed them, even if just a little.

Agatha smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. You see, my children, it was never about the money or the possessions. It was about reconnecting with the values your father and I tried to instill in you. Love, compassion, and humanity.”

With that, Agatha instructed Mr. Thompson to read the will. She had decided to split her estate equally among her children, with one condition: they had to continue the work they had started with their tasks. Reluctantly, they agreed.

As the months passed, they found themselves drawn closer together, working not only to fulfill their mother’s last wish but also to rediscover the bond they had once shared as a family. Agatha’s insidious plan had worked – in the end, love and compassion prevailed, and her family was reunited in the most unexpected way.