When 87-year-old Chris Harvey was hospitalized in Austin, his daughter Angelina couldn’t come from Miami, so she sent her son Peter and Peter’s wife, Hannah, to “help” and get the house ready. Chris returned to find furniture on the lawn and his home stripped bare; Peter claimed they were “remodeling” as a surprise and had put his belongings in storage.

On a pharmacy run, Chris overheard the couple arguing: they’d assumed he was dying, were spending money to fix “their” future house, and planned to leave if he recovered. Chris played along, telling them he’d soon move to a nursing home and that they could have the house, prompting them to finish the renovation.

At a packed “housewarming,” Chris toasted Peter and Hannah—then revealed their scheme, saying he’d heard everything and that they’d treated the house as theirs while he was in the hospital. He announced he’d revised his will so the house would go to charity and ordered everyone out.

Angelina was ashamed but asked if he was sure about cutting ties; Chris said Peter severed them the moment he counted him out. Chris lived 11 more years, and as arranged, his estate—house included—was sold and donated to a seniors’ charity.