Gasps rippled around the table. Jessica’s smug facade had vanished, replaced by a veneer of anxious disbelief. “What do you mean, changes?”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think,” I continued, my voice gaining strength with each word. “And I’ve realized that it’s important to reward genuine kindness and respect. I want my legacy to reflect those values.”

Ms. Cooper cleared her throat. “If we could proceed, Mrs. Maria, I need your signature here,” she directed, pointing to a line on the document she had placed on the table. The pen felt cool and reassuring in my hand, a symbol of the control I had reclaimed.