Page 27 of The Forbidden Villain
The only thing I haven’t touched is the bookshelf filled with Greek mythology books, and I added some of my favorites to the collection.
A small hallway leads to three doors, two rooms, and a kitchen. I plan to use the latter sometime in the future because cooking is on my list of things to learn. According to a psychological book I’ve read, every adult needs to know how to cook, even if they don’t plan to cook for themselves or their families.
For now, I’m still not allowed anywhere near knives and boiling water.
“It’s lovely here.” Scarlett walks to the chair and sits before taking a document from her briefcase. “Quite cozy, I’d say.” Part of me hates her approval because my penthouse is something that belongs to me, at least in my mind. I prefer for everyone to stay away, so the idea that she saw something she shouldn’t is killing me. “First, you need to sign this.”
“What’s that?” I grab it from her and flip it open, scanning the thing. “It’s a contract?”
“Yes. I can’t officially be your lawyer without your permission.”
“Why? My brothers couldn’t sign it for me?”
“Stop being grumpy and sign it.” She gets a pen, too, and gives it to me. “The sooner you do it, the quicker I’ll leave.”
“My brother taught me to never sign anything without reading it first.” Since she occupies my favorite chair, I stand and read through the document.
Not finding anything concerning about it—just standard lawyer jargon about her representing me and how much it would cost me—I sign it. “Here. My signature proves what a pushover I am.” It doesn’t matter who my lawyer is, because my brothers will continue to control me. They probably came up with this plan so they won’t face any issues with trust funds and inheritances.
A grown woman would have fought for her rights. Bile rises in my throat at how pathetic I am at this moment, especially in her company.
Scarlett is thirty-three and has everything a woman could dream of. Being thirty myself while leading this pathetic existence…I hate the insecure and troubled woman I become in her company.
She reminds me of the things I lost and will never get back, so limiting my time with her is best. Hopefully, as my lawyer, I won’t have to see her much either.
She puts the thing into her briefcase as I go to my “tea heaven,” turning on the pot and grabbing a bottle of water. I flick it open and take a huge sip, only to choke on it when she says, “Now we can go and sue your brothers.” She taps on her chin. “Although I think they would settle outside the court.”
Coughing, I wipe my mouth, and repeat, “Sue them?”
“Of course.” She gets up to face me while I just blink at her. “Do you know your family inheritance history?”
“Yes. The oldest child gets everything. Usually, the oldest divides the inheritance between the siblings, though. Unless he doesn’t want to.”
“Correct. That’s what Rush did before both of your brothers grew their individual fortunes themselves. They are billionaires in their own rights, and both of them created trust funds for you that you could have accessed at the age of twenty-five unless your health prevented you from it.”
Closing the bottle, I grab the tea box and fish out a green mint one, dropping it into my purple mug as the pot finishes boiling the water. “Yes. I don’t have access to the trust fund myself. They just pay for everything.” Pouring hot water into the mug, I wonder if I sound ungrateful when I feel resentment about it.
They fully control my finances, and I can’t even buy a muffin without them knowing, and while yes, it’s their money and I haven’t earned a dime…shouldn’t I be allowed to at least make small purchases without supervision?
“Since they created these trust funds, they have a right to change the rules or how you access the money.”
“Okay. I’m still confused about why we would sue my brothers? And just for your information, I don’t want to sue them. Or anyone for that matter.” On this exhausting day, I prefer not to think about my complicated relationships and focus on the situation at hand. “Would you like some tea?”
She shakes her head. “I prefer coffee, but not at this hour. Back to the topic at hand. We’re going to sue them for unlawfully restricting your access to your inheritance.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your parents wrote in their will that if they have a girl, she gets thirty percent of the family fortune.” My jaw drops. “Whichmeans Rush got only seventy percent and divided that between the three of you.”
“How do you know that?” A warmth spreads through my system at the thought of my parents, whom I don’t remember or know, yet they did their best to protect me even though I don’t need protection from my brothers. True parental love from the grave.
For a child who grew up as an orphan, it means the world.
“I have my ways. Legally, they can’t keep it from you. In fact, they’re breaking the law by hiding the truth since you were supposed to get the fortune a long time ago. So they will either comply with our request, and you’ll finally have access to your five-billion-dollar inheritance, or we take them to court.” She chuckles. “And it won’t happen because just like me, your brother hates to lose, and he knows it’s a losing case.”
Drinking my tea, I ignore the sting on my tongue from the hot liquid and go to the balcony door when another gust of wind whooshes over my skin, bringing it much-needed relief as thousands of thoughts rush through my mind, each more darker than the other.
My hand wraps around my mug tighter when I get out onto the terrace, inhaling the smell and welcoming the drizzle falling on the roof and tapping the roof tiles. “Five billion dollars?” I finally whisper and turn around to look at Scarlett, who leans on the doorframe, her arms crossed, while her piercing eyes study me intently. I would take offense, except that’s her usual stare. Sometimes I think she expects an attack and prefers to be prepared at all times. “Who’s managing this money right now?”
