Page 128 of The Illusion
"Mr. Stevens," Gregory interrupts calmly. "This is not a negotiation. These are the terms of your father's trust. Your thoughts about it are irrelevant.”
Asher's face goes red, but he doesn't say anything else.
Gregory turns to Jamie. "Jamie Nelson. You are to receive a bequest of fifty million dollars, free and clear, with no conditions attached."
My jaw drops.
Jamie's hand flies to her mouth. "What?"
"Fifty million dollars," Gregory repeats.
She looks at me, stunned. I can't speak. I can't breathe. And then Gregory turns to me.
"Julie Stevens," he says. "You are to receive the remainder of the estate."
"That includes sixty-one percent of Ancre Technologies shares, making you the majority shareholder. It also includes all real property, investment accounts, and liquid assets not otherwise designated in the trust."
The room spins. Sixty-one percent. Majority shareholder.
"In total," Gregory says, "your inheritance is valued at approximately twenty point two billion dollars."
I hear the words, but they don't make sense. Twenty point two billion. Billion. With a fucking B. "I don't—" My voice cracks. "I don't understand."
Gregory's expression softens slightly. "Your late father-in-law left you everything, Julie. Everything except the provisions for Asher and Jamie."
I finally look at Asher. He's staring at me, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock and crystal clear, easy to see horror. "How?" he asks, his voice faint. "How is that possible?"
Gregory reaches into the folder and pulls out an envelope. "Your father left a letter about this. It's dated during your honeymoon. He asked that it be read aloud at the trust distribution."
He opens the envelope and unfolds the letter.
"To my son, Asher,'" Gregory begins. "'If I’m dead and you're hearing this version, it means you failed. You've never been disciplined. Never had to fight for anything. Everything was handed to you, and you squandered it.'"
Asher's hands are shaking.
"'I suspected this would happen,'" Gregory continues. "'Which is why I built contingencies into the trust. You fumbled. Just like you always do. I left you a billion dollars. It’s far morethan you deserve. I thought about leaving you nothing. But I don't want people judging the things I didn’t leave you. So you get some money. Just not all that you wanted. I hope that hurts. It probably does, because you’re spoiled and stupid.”
I can't breathe. Dean really was a bastard. What a shitty, horrible thing to do to your child. As angry as I am at Asher, as much as he disgusts me, I can't imagine the kick in the ass having your father talk shit to you posthumously is.
"To Julie,'" Gregory reads, "Before the wedding, I manipulated you. I set a trap with your business, thinking I could control you the way I controlled my son. But you surprised me. You tried to give it back. You told me you didn't want it. That display of integrity, that refusal to be bought, showed me who you really are. And it made me realize that you deserved better than the conditions I'd placed on you.'"
“After that night, I knew I needed to fix my mistake. Therefore, I have rescinded all conditions on your business loan and building,'" Gregory continues. "'The five-year requirement is null and void. The building is yours, free and clear. I've also left a bequest to your sister Jamie, so that both of you can have the future you want. Free of walls. Free of conditions. Free of men like me and my son.'
Tears are streaming down my face now. I’m so fucking relieved it’s staggering. My sister and I get to keep our store. Gregory pauses, then continues reading.
"'Julie, you are a remarkable woman. If you're getting this version of the letter it means my son didn't deserve you. I hope you use this inheritance to build the life you were always meant to have. And Asher, I hope you learn from this. But I doubt you will. You're both too much like me and not enough, all at the same time. It’s not a good mix. Signed, Dean Stevens.'"
Gregory sets the letter down. The room is silent. The board members are staring at the table looking quite uncomfortable.And Asher. Well. Asher looks like he's about to explode. "How fucking ironclad is this?" he asks stiffly, like he’s holding onto his temper by a thread.
Gregory looks at him. "Airtight. Your father worked with me and nineteen of the other top estate and trust attorneys in the country. Every contingency was planned for. Every loophole closed. There is no contesting this. And as I mentioned earlier, if you try, you lose everything.”
Asher's hands curl into fists on the table. "What would have happened?" he asks. "If we were still together? If we were happy?"
Gregory studies him for a long moment before answering. "You would have gotten almost everything," he says quietly. "Twenty percent would have gone to Julie so she was your true equal. Then the fifty million to Jamie. The triggering event made all of that moot."
The weight of those words settles over the room like a shroud. Asher could have had everything. If he'd just stayed faithful. If he'd just loved me the way he promised to. But he didn't. And now he's lost it all.
Gregory slides a stack of documents across the table toward me that's bigger than an old school phonebook. "I know this is a lot to process. Take your time. But when you're ready, we'll go through the paperwork."
