Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Things will be different with this baby.” I placed a hand over my stomach. “He will only ever know love.”
Nessie stared at my stomach, her eyes ablaze with rage and disbelief.
“I was thinking I’d name him after his father,” I added. “And his brother, for the middle name.”
“You can’t do that,” she spat.
I offered her a pacifying smile. “It’s what Lucian would have wanted.”
Her eyes cut into me, and she lowered her voice to a growl when she spoke. “You have no idea what he wanted.”
“I do actually.” I gestured to the guard, alerting them I was ready to leave. “It was me. It was always me.”
“I GUESS YOU’RE PROBABLY WONDERING what I’m doing here,” Nolan said.
I wasn’t actually. Considering it was past noon and I was still in my pajamas and half-strung out from the lack of sleep, I didn’t really care what his reason was for being there. But out of politeness and respect for Lucian’s friend and mentor, I sat down across from him on the sofa and waited to hear him out.
Nolan crossed his legs and leaned back. “Lucian asked me to handle his affairs, after the fact.”
“Right,” I murmured.
That made sense. But again, I didn’t really care. Everything that Lucian had to give to me, he gave when he was alive. The rest were just details.
“He wanted to make sure you were provided for,” Nolan began. “So the bulk of his estate will belong to you with the exception of a few donations to some charities that he promised to contribute to.”
I noticed that Nolan didn’t have a will to read from. There was no briefcase. No tablet. And it upset me because I wanted to see Lucian’s words for myself.
“Shouldn’t there be paperwork?” I asked.
“It really wasn’t necessary,” Nolan answered. “Your name was on everything anyway. The details are just a formality he wanted you to know.”
My disappointment was evident. I wanted there to be something else. Something I could see for myself. I wanted every little piece of Lucian I could get. “When did he talk to you about this?”
Nolan cleared his throat. “As soon as the marriage was legal.”
A burning ache spread through my chest and up my throat. Without intending to, Nolan triggered a memory of that day. The day we were married, I hated Lucian West more than anything and swore I would screw him over at the first available opportunity. I’d read his contract, taking particular notice of the clause that stated if he died before the two years were up, I would be free.
I spitefully told him I wished that were the case. And now, the nastiness of that statement made me shrivel up inside. Even after every poisonous word I’d stabbed him with, Lucian wanted to provide a life for me. He wanted to believe I was still good. A sob broke free as I wrapped my arms around myself. Nolan looked distraught, but he didn’t seem to know what to do.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know how difficult this must be for you.”
“I was just thinking that I don’t deserve any of this,” I answered tearfully. “I never deserved him.”
He smiled then, and it was full of sorrow. “Lucian thought the world of you.”
“If that were true, then he’d still be here.”
Nolan didn’t argue but decided the best course of action was to redirect the conversation back to Lucian’s final wishes. “The house is yours,” he said. “The money in the checking account and both of his cars as well. He asked that you donate whatever personal belongings you don’t want to a charitable cause.”
“I’m not donating anything of his.”
“That’s fine,” Nolan conceded. “Whatever you wish.”
My teeth clenched as I considered it. “I wouldn’t just throw his stuff away. What kind of person does that?”
“You have to remember he set this up when the marriage was still new.” Nolan held his palms up as if to say it wasn’t his fault. “It would only make sense that he might draw that conclusion.”
I didn’t answer because I was too ashamed to admit that he probably drew a lot of other conclusions after all the deplorable behavior that he witnessed from me.
“There is also the option to transfer ownership of the house and vehicles to the wrongful conviction foundation he established,” Nolan said carefully. “If that’s something you think you’d like to do.”
I curled into the sofa, recalling how many nights I’d waited up for Lucian here. How I would watch him come through the front door, and all his tension would melt away as soon as he was near me.
This house was full of memories, everywhere I looked. Memories that I didn’t even know we were making at the time. Now they haunted me. They made me smile, and they made me cry. It hurt so much, but I knew I could never let this house, or anything inside it, go.