Page 57 of Jael

Christopher hung up and smiled at her. “How’re you feeling?”

“I’ll be glad when this is all over,” she said.

Her father’s long-time friend and lawyer, Fredrick Housen, sat behind a wide oak desk. “I think that’s everyone,” he saidto the room as he peered over his glasses, then proceeded to rearrange the papers in front of him.

“I don’t expect this to take too long,” Christopher whispered to Jael. “You know how precise your dad was with what he owned.”

The confident smile he gave her irked her. She wondered if her dad had hinted at what he’d left Christopher. The fact that he was there meant there was something for him, but besides hiring him for the CEO position, she couldn’t imagine what her dad would have wanted him to have.

“There aren’t many people here,” she said. “So I’d say you’re right.”

Christopher looked into her lap and placed his hands over hers to stop her kneading. “You shouldn’t be nervous.”

“I’m not. I’m uncomfortable and tired.”

He untangled her hands and wove his fingers between hers. “Not long now,” he said, then leaned closer. “I’ll tell you what.” The lawyer cleared his throat to begin, but Christopher continued in a low voice. “I know this great spa in Arizona. Why don’t I book us a weekend away there?”

Her stomach curled in on itself. She opened her mouth to refuse him, but the lawyer began, and Christopher said, “We’ll talk later.” Then he straightened and focused on Mr. Housen.

“Now that we are all gathered, I’ll begin by reading a letter that Gregory Heber instructed be shared.”

Christopher leaned close to her again, whispering in her ear, his breath warm on her neck. “How about dinner tonight? Followed by drinks at my place. We can celebrate the future.”

She nodded toward the lawyer to get him to focus back on their purpose.

The letter said a lot of superfluous nonsense that she was used to listening to at her dad’s dinner parties. Finally, the lawyer got to the will, beginning by declaring a small portionof his wealth to a charity her mother had supported before she died. That was a surprise. They’d never gotten along well as far as Jael knew, but it was nice to hear that her father cared enough for that, even if it was only a token.

Then, the lawyer read out instructions for the bulk of Gregory’s estate and wealth.

Jael kept her eyes focused on the floor as she listened, but as Mr. Housen explained Gregory’s wishes, Jael couldn’t do more than blink as her entire world imploded. Christopher shifted beside her and spoke softly to her, but she couldn’t hear him. It was all over before her mind could catch up with the details.

“That was a surprise,” Christopher said, retrieving her attention.

Her eyes slid dully to his. “What?”

“Did you know he’d put that in his will?”

She blinked once, then twice. “No.”

“It shouldn’t matter too much, though, should it? I mean, we all knew where this was headed. I haven’t made it a secret how I feel about you.”

The blood drained from her face, and she swallowed back bile. “Excuse me.”

She wobbled as she stood, struggling out of the room. Breathing hard through her nose to steady herself, she reached the door and hurried down the hall, running her hand along the wall to keep from reeling.

She almost didn’t make it to the bathroom in time, not quite securing the stall door before she threw up into the toilet. Her labored breaths echoed softly in the cubical as she listed to the side, resting her temple against the cold metal wall.

It was all exactly how it should have been, except for one small detail. Her dad had left her with everything she’d expected, but it came with a caveat. Even in death, he continued to manipulate her. If she married Christopher, she’d have all shecould ever need. If she remained free, she lost it all. Her father had handed her over to another.

“It’s only money,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes tight to stave off another wave of nausea. If it hadn’t been for the foundation, she would have given up the wealth. But the foundation was her penance. It was all she had any right to in this world. If she didn’t have the means to help those women, then she’d rot away to nothing. Marrying Christopher meant the same, but at least she could help others.

“Becca.” Her voice was hoarse. “I have to think of Becca.”

If Jael gave up her own life, she’d have a chance to save Becca’s and all the others that would follow. And she’d do it. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to steel herself for the worst. She’d do it again. What right did she have to expect any joy when she’d been involved in taking so much from so many?

She licked her dry lips, then left the stall and rinsed out her mouth. With her chin lifted to her reflection, she set her face to a resolute determination toward the future, pinching her cheeks to bring back the color. But when she tried to shift away, a fear like she’d never known held her in place. She stared at a reflection that she struggled to recognize. Then, her perception shifted, and she noticed for the first time that her high cheek bones reminded her of her mom.

The color drained from her face again as she suddenly understood. She’d been angry at her for so many years for being absent even though she was present. Her mom had been closed off to most affection and was always sad, always drinking or taking pills. She’d wear a far-off look filtered through a glassy dullness, and now Jael understood why. Her mom had faced a life with Gregory. Jael wanted to believe that she wouldn’t succumb to the same coping mechanisms while married to Christopher, but how many years could she resist?

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