22. The claims her inheritance.
1442 Words
Drake was near tears now. He waited for Teddy to go out and get her wheel chair for her.
He came down the ladder in one smooth move, dropping down next to her.
He grabbed her and hugged her to his chest. He spoke to her over her head.
" Be a good girl for Sam, don't fight with him. I want you to be happy more than anything in the world, even if you are so ugly and"..he couldn't say crippled.
Stella was angry at him.
" You feel sorry for me."
Stella reached up and slapped his face, twice. Then she pushed herself away from his embrace.
"Stay away from me you bully, I hate you. I hate you so much. Don't you dare. Don't you dare feel sorry for me...f* ck you Drake Palmer, you can kiss my ass, I'll show you, I'll show you all."
She hobbled out of the stable.
She was so angry.
He sat down hard. He was feeling things that he didn't want to feel.
He pet her horse. He had named it Marshmellow.
" Come here Marshmellow, it's okay."
She yelled at him, really yelled at him. He knew she was afraid it was true. She would never regain her leg function again.
Drake watched them drive away.
He went back inside and poured himself into his work.
Stella was in a fowl mood after that.
She was done being a captive in Sam's home too.
She faced him and threw her ring at him.
" I'm not a bird, don't cage me in. I'm done with Palmer men." She yelled and wheeled away.
Sam saw that she was angry at something, maybe even scared.
He didn't respond. He just let her go, for now. He picked up her ring and put it in his pocket. He texted Teddy to ask him to watch her closely.
Stella asked Teddy to take her away.
He agreed. They went to her brother David's house.
Stella stayed there for a few weeks. David was barely home, so she had the place all to herself.
One day...
Stella got a call from a Harold Brownstone.
" I'm looking for Stella Louise Miller." He said.
" Well, that is me, what can I do for you?" She asked, hoping it wasn't a bill collector, she had several large hospital bills.
" Maam, I have been looking for you for a very long time." he sounded relieved.
" Your great aunt Sophia Turner, she passed a while back." He said.
" Yes sir, I miss her dearly, she was my best friend." She said.
" Well, I do believe that, yes I do." He said.
" Miss Miller, your aunt left everything to you. Everything. I just need you to come down to the bank on first and main street, then we can go over the details. Maam please bring two sources of ID and your social security card."
" Oh, sounds like a lot of work, see I'm kind of laid up. Can we do it over the phone," she asked.
" No, I have to verify it's you through our new fingerprint and facial recognition programming." He told her.
" Oh, well I can try to make it this afternoon. I will need to catch a ride."
She made a call to Teddy.
He was busy today. She asked TJ. He was training Marshmallow today.
" Oh what's a Marshmellow?" She asked.
" That's what everyone, mostly Drake calls your foal."
" Oh, don't talk to me about that man, hmph." She hung up.
Stella called a cab. The driver couldn't fit her wheel chair in the small sedan, so she brought her cane.
It was reduculously slow for her to walk from the car to the bank.
She finally made it.
The bank teller instructed her to go up to the penthouse floor.
She looked up." Oh, that's a very long way, can Mr. Brownstone meet me here?" She asked.
" I'm sorry, we need you at the penthouse."
She pressed the elevator button for Stella as she hobbled in.
Stella was almost out of energy now.
When the doors opened, she had to go down a very long marbled floor hallway.
By the time Stella was at the large double doors, she was powerless to open them.
She knocked loudly.
A beautiful brunette with shades of red opened the doors. " Ms.Miller, please come in, coffee, tea?"
She said," Water please."
"Yes, of course..sparkling or still?" She asked.
Stella shrugged," Wet and cold?"
She nodded. Stella was shown into a huge office.
A short red headed man with a mustache greated her.
" My daughter, Kira. Did she offer you a drink?"
Stella nodded. She couldn't speak, she was worn out.
" Well, very good. Did you ah..bring the items I requested?" He asked with his hands folded on his very large desk.
She pulled them out of her purse.
He flipped open a hidden computer panel as a nearly clear computer appeared.
He turned the screen towards her. " No smiling, just stare at the white dot."
She did so. He took her ID and had her put her fingers on a special pad that read them.
" Not much longer dear. Your water is here." He motioned to a wine glass.
Stella drank it in one gulp.
Mr.Brownstone pressed a button.
A door swung open behind him. It was a huge vault.
She shook her head. " I can't walk anymore. Can you wheel me in?"
He stood up and nodded to Kira.
She pushed Stella into the vault on the office chair.
" Well to begin with there is a safe deposit box here.
Then I will go over all of the assets. Of course we would love to continue our very long relationship with your great aunts assets.
If you allow us to oversee them for you. It would be my pleasure." He smiled, lips closed and nodded.
Stella shrugged." Sure, whatever."
He smiled and nodded.
He unlocked the safety deposit box. Stella watched as he placed it on the large padded table in the center of the room.
He stepped out. "Let me know when you are finished."
Stella slowly opened the box.
The first thing she saw was the book. The Count of Monte Cristo
She smiled and touched it.
She then saw a letter...
My dearest Stella Louise....
Stella couldn't read it, she was crying too much.
Stella, I love you above all others, you know this. I am leaving you everything. Some things are available to you now, others will be available when you turn 21. I want you to know, I trust you will be charitable with my assets.
Only you know who deserves them the most, only your heart can tell you. Do not ever let a man tell you who you are. If you are to marry, a prenuptial agreement protecting your assets will be required. I want to protect you. All my love Sophia.
And Stella Louise, have fun.
Stella swallowed hard. She called for Mr. Brownstone.
He came in and pulled up another computer screen.
"The column on the left is your current assets available to you.
Then here, he pointed to another column. This you get at age 21."
Stella blink. " I think there is a typo here, too many zeros my aunt, she was very frugal."
He nodded. " She was a very private philanthropist."
" Stella you are a billionairess. You will get the second billion when you turn 21."
Stella rubbed her eyes and opened her mouth.
She closed her eyes again and then blinked several times slowly.
" Excuse me, can you...pinch me?"
He nodded and pinched her hand. She said,"I felt it."
He said," My dear we are here to help you. An heiress like you is a very rare thing, infact a unicorn.
People will be your new best friend, many will disappoint you and take your money, in exchange leave you with heart break.
I suggest you do not tell anyone about this, except close family.
I have taken the liberty to obtain a new identity, passport, and a separate bank account to use for travel, charitable works, your day to day needs. This account will have only $500,000. in it, it can be replenished every 24 hours.
Of course if you find that you need more, this is an AmEx card, you can use it anywhere. He slid it over to her.
If you should need more money, I am a phone call away.
" Here is my private number." He smiled.
- Writer
