The mention of my brother sent a chill down my spine that had nothing to do with the morning air. Marcus and I had been close growing up, but his gambling addiction and series of failed business ventures had created tension in our relationship over the past decade. My father had bailed him out financially multiple times, but Marcus always seemed to need more money, more second chances, more opportunities to prove that his next scheme would finally succeed.
“Marcus has been helping you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral despite the betrayal I felt at the thought of my brother collaborating with Evelyn against our family’s interests.“Oh, darling,” Evelyn’s voice carried false sympathy that made my skin crawl, “we’ve done more than talk. Marcus has been quite forthcoming about your father’s… concerns regarding your ability to manage a substantial inheritance responsibly.”
The implication was clear and devastating. Evelyn was suggesting that my father had doubted my competence, that Marcus had contributed to some narrative about my being unfit to inherit the family estate. The suggestion was absurd—I had a successful career as a botanical consultant, I had helped my father manage his personal investments for years, and I had never given him any reason to question my judgment or responsibility.
But the fact that Evelyn felt confident enough to make such claims suggested that she had some basis for believing they would be credible. Either she was an accomplished liar who was willing to gamble everything on a fabricated story, or she had somehow convinced my father to include provisions in his will that would support her version of events.“Get off my property, Evelyn,” I said quietly, my voice carrying the authority that came from a lifetime of living in this house and caring for this garden.
She laughed, the sound carrying no warmth or genuine amusement. “Your property? Oh, Victoria, that’s adorable. This estate is worth twelve million dollars. The house alone appraises for eight million, and the surrounding acreage adds another four million. Did you really think Charles would leave all of that to someone who spends her days playing in flower beds?”
