Here’s a much shorter version that keeps the core meaning and emotional arc intact:
I never understood how my sister and I could turn out so different — not until we were adults. Our mom raised us alone, working two jobs just to keep us warm and fed. I remember the cold apartment and how neighbors sometimes brought us dinner. Mom often pretended she wasn’t hungry, giving everything to us.
Eventually, things improved. We moved to a better home, and both my sister, Samira, and I went to college. But Samira didn’t remember the struggle. She became selfish and relied on Mom financially even as an adult.
One day, Mom called me. She’d been diagnosed with a heart condition — a year left, maybe less. She didn’t want Samira to know yet. When Mom finally told her, Samira accused me of wanting Mom’s inheritance and barred me from visiting.
I found ways to see Mom secretly. I brought her groceries, comforted her, and handled her medical bills when I learned Samira was draining her funds.
As Mom’s health declined, I stayed by her side. Samira, desperate for control, claimed the inheritance — until I learned Mom had left a secret will with her doctor.
In it, she left everything to me, writing: “I know who truly cared. Keep your kindness. I love you.”
Even in death, she protected me. And I’ll carry her love and strength forward, always.
Let me know if you want it even shorter, like a single-paragraph summary.