Page 84 of Never Been Gargoyled
I held my breath.
“After careful consideration, I find that the evidence supports the validity of Ms. Morrison's will. The letters presented by Ms. Hartwell, far from supporting her case, actually demonstrate a pattern of increasingly hostile behavior when her attempts at contact were not reciprocated. Furthermore, the medical evidence shows that while Ms. Morrison was suffering from early-onset dementia during the period when some of these letters were written, making her inability to respond a matter of medical incapacity rather than deliberate rejection, she had the opportunity to reply for years prior to that. Her will was written and notarized prior to her diagnosis. Even if she’d wanted to change it and leave the estate to her daughter, I’d question her capacity to do so after her diagnosis was made.”
Rebecca's face went white. “Your Honor, surely?—”
“I'm not finished,” Judge Harrison said sharply. “The will stands as written. The Winterbourne Estate belongs to Ms. Osborne.”
I won. I actually won.
“This is ridiculous.” Rebecca stood up so fast, her chair rocked behind her. “That old woman owed me. She threw me away like garbage and then gave everything to some stranger. I deserve that estate, and I'm not going to?—”
“Ms. Hartwell.” Judge Harrison's voice could havefrozen fire. “You will sit down and remain silent, or I will hold you in contempt.”
Rebecca remained standing, her face flushed with anger. “You can't just?—”
“Bailiff,” the judge called.
Rebecca's lawyer tugged at her sleeve, whispering something that made her finally sink back into her chair, though her expression remained angry.
“Let me be clear,” Judge Harrison said. “Any harassment of Ms. Osborne, any attempts to contest this ruling through frivolous litigation, or any behavior that could be construed as threatening toward Ms. Osborne will result in serious legal consequences. Do I make myself understood?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Rebecca's lawyer said quickly when Rebecca remained silent.
“Good. This matter is closed.” The judge stood. “Ms. Osborne, congratulations on your inheritance. I trust you'll take good care of the estate.”
I nodded, though I felt like I was floating somewhere outside my body. It was over. The estate was really, truly mine.
Rebecca stood as we left, her face twisted with rage. She followed, and out in the hallway, she stomped over to me.
“This isn't over,” she hissed. “I don't care what that judge says. That place should be mine, and I'll?—”
“Ma'am.” Someone from the courthouse came over to stand beside us. “Judge Harrison asked me to escort you from the building.”
Rebecca's mouth opened and closed, but she seemed to finally understand that she was out of options. With a snarl sent in my direction, she stalked toward the exit, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
I watched her go, then turned to Feydin. He was staring at me with an expression of pure joy, his wings spread slightly behind him like he might take flight at any moment.
“We won.” The words felt strange on my tongue.
“We won.”
“The estate is mine.”
“It's yours.”
“I can finish the gardens. Create the botanical garden. Everything we planned.”
“Everything.”
Something broke open inside my chest, all the fear and anxiety of the past weeks rushing out all at once. I launched myself at Feydin, wrapping my arms around his neck as his wings came up to enfold us both.
“I can't believe it,” I laughed against his mouth between kisses. “I actually can't believe it.”
“Believe it.” He spun me in a circle right there in the courthouse hallway. “It's real. You're real. We're real.”
When he set me down, I was crying and laughing at the same time, overwhelmed by how this day had turned out. Not just the estate, but the future we could build there together.
“So.” I wiped tears from my cheeks. “Are you ready to fly me home?”
