helped her sabotage the farmhouse.
And then came the will.
This time, nobody gathered in Hayes’s office.
We met in a hospital garden.
Russell sat beneath a tree with a blanket over his knees.
Cancer had weakened him.
But he was alive.
Claire sat on one side.
Daniel on the other.
I sat across from them.
Margaret stood behind me.
Hayes arrived slowly with a cane.
His shoulder had healed.
His relationship with me had not.
Not yet.
Russell held a folder.
“Since everyone spent years arguing about my money, I thought we might finally settle the matter.”
Claire groaned.
“Please don’t make this theatrical.”
Russell smiled.
“Darling, I faked my own funeral. I think we passed theatrical months ago.”
Even Claire laughed.
He opened the folder.
“The mansion is being sold.”
Daniel nodded.
“The coastal house?”
“Sold.”
“Cars?”
“Sold.”
Claire looked amused.
“Watches?”
“Sold.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“
The ridiculous yacht?”
Russell looked offended.
“That yacht was tasteful.”
“It had a marble bathtub.”
“Very tasteful marble.”
He continued.
“Most remaining assets will fund three organizations.”
One for victims of coercion and blackmail.
One for legal assistance to whistleblowers.
And one in Eleanor’s name.
Claire stopped smiling.
Russell looked at her.
“The Eleanor Langford Foundation will support women escaping abusive or dangerous situations.”
Claire cried quietly.
“Thank you.”
Russell nodded.
“Your mother deserved something built from the truth.”
Then he looked at Daniel.
“You and Claire each receive enough to live comfortably.”
Claire wiped her eyes.
“How comfortably?”
“Comfortably enough that you will never starve. Not comfortably enough that you can become insufferable.”
Daniel laughed.
Claire said, “Rude.”
Then Russell looked at me.
“And Emily.”
I stiffened.
“Please don’t tell me there’s another box.”
“There is.”
Everyone groaned.
He handed me a small wooden box.
The same one from
