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Because you’re a stubborn, idiot.My inner voice of reason mocked.
Reed sat at the head of the long conference table to my right.Tapping my toe nervously, I watched as he opened a large manila folder, then reached inside and pulled out a small white envelope before handing it to me.
“It’s a private message George left for you, Leagh.You can read it now if you’d like.Or wait until you’re somewhere private.It’s yours to keep.”
My fingers trembled, and my throat constricted.Staring at the familiar scrawl, I smiled.George swore his writing was legible, but it wasn’t.Tears stung the backs of my eyes as memories filled my mind.
George had brought a card to the café one night.He’d handed it to me with a broad smile.
“Card,” I’d said.
“Yes.It’s a card.For you,” he’d confirmed, as a confused frown lined his face.
“What’s does this say?”I’d asked.Pointing to the word he’d written on the front, I’d thought he was playing a game.
“What do you mean, what does it say?It says Leagh!”
“Oh.I thought it said guess, so that’s what I did,” I’d laughed.
The envelope I now held in my hand bore the word, ‘Guess,’ which was, of course,‘Leagh’ in George’s horrific penmanship.
I brushed my fingers along the indentation of my name as if were a lost treasure.This was the only tangible piece of George that Hayden and Sloane hadn’t destroyed.The conference room door swung open, and I quickly slid the priceless note inside my purse.
Reed’s secretary stepped inside the room as HaydenandSloane waltzed in.The poor man didn’t bother masking his surprise.
“What the hell is she doing here?”Sloane thundered.Her expression looked damn near demonic as she slashed a cold stare at me.
“Please, take a seat, Sloane.I should ask the same of you.”Reed arched his brows, awaiting the woman’s reply as his secretary quickly vacated the room.
“Surely, you haven’t forgotten the terms of my divorce, have you, Reed?”Sloane purred as she and Hayden moved to the other side of the table.Their identical feline-like movements unnerved me.
Reed’s lips drew together in a tight, angry line as his jaw ticked.“No, I’ve not forgotten a damn thing.And neither did George.But he was a cautious man, so if you’re thinking about contesting a single word of his will, you’re wasting your brain cells, dear.”
“There is no stipulation about contesting, Reed.I would never have agreed, otherwise.Surely, you don’t take me for a fool.”Her tone was unmistakably condescending.
“You’re a lot of things, but a fool isn’t one of them.However, George ensured there was a loophole,” Reed replied with a satisfied smile.
“I doubt that highly.But we’ll see, won’t we?”Sloane sneered.
I had no idea the meaning behind their tense volley, but I had a sneaking suspicion I would soon find out.
“Can we get on with this charade?”Hayden interrupted as her arrogant gaze homed in on me.“I have decorators to meet.I need to gut every room inmyhouse and dispose of all the sleazy, disgusting shit left behind by a certain squatter.”
Hayden’s insults stung, but imagining the look on her face when she discovered the toy bag under our bed or the cross and spanking bench in the guest room had me howling—on the inside.Somehow, I managed to keep my mouth shut and not ask if she was sure she didn’t want to keep them in case she wanted to get her kink on.
Reed cleared his throat and withdrew several sheets of paper from the folder in front of him.Pages that held my Master’s last wishes…his last words.It seemed paltry in comparison to the abundance of light he’d brought to my life.
As the legal jargon rolled off Reed’s tongue, I focused on thoughts of George and ignored the two venomous women seated across from me.Anger and resentment rolled off them in a choking wave, but I was there for my Master, not them.
“As per my divorce decree dated the sixteenth of May, two thousand and one,” Reed recited, “My ex-wife, Sloane Ingram Marston, and Hayden Ingram Marston, will share equally the remaining assets of my estate.
Reed’s words wrapped around my brain, sending a shock wave clear to my toes.I couldn’t imagine George leaving Sloane a steaming dog turd, let alone half of his estate.Why on earth would he do such a thing?I was beyond flabbergasted.It obviously had something to do with divorcing the shrew, but half his damn estate?That had to be in the millions.Why the hell didn’t he throw both her and Bernard under the bus when he discovered their affair?The whole thing made absolutely no sense.
“If any beneficiary,” Reed continued, “directly or indirectly, contests any provisions set forth designed to thwart my wishes, the contesting beneficiary provisions shall be revoked and all provisions shall be disposed of under the terms set forth in the sealed addendum to my Will.”
Reed lifted another document and began speaking again as I tried to silence the questions racing through brain.“With the exception of separate trust established November 16, 1978 in the sole name of Paula Willhite-Harrington, shall be—”
“That wretched whore,” Sloane spat in disgust.
