But dear, Scarlett. I wanted to pay you back for all the trouble you’ve been through since you came in contact with our family. Not because I want to pay you off, but because I think you deserve it.
You may not know this, but you’ve changed my son for the better. He never knew true love until he met you. You might think I’m an old woman who doesn’t know anything about love. But one thing I do know is that my son loves you. He may not realize it yet, and might not admit it, but one day he will. My prayer is that when he does, it will not be too late for the two of you.
Inside the small white envelope with your name on it, you will find a check for your half of the deal. I believe it was estimated at one and a half billion dollars. Michael always knew his numbers well. But what he didn’t know, was that I had other foreign accounts with money in them, too. So enclosed you’ll find a check written to you for your half of the deal, which comes to the sum of three billion dollars. You must not tell Michael that you have the money. I don’t want him marrying you for it. There are, however, conditions you have to meet to keep this money.
Inside the small white envelope with Michael’s name on it is another check in the same amount as yours. You must not let him know that you have this, either. If you do, trust me, I will find out (yes, don’t roll your pretty eyes at me. I’ll know even from the grave) and revoke his and your entire inheritance. Please give it to him only after you two are properly married—for love. Needless to say, Michael knows nothing of any of this. In fact, he believes that his inheritance has already been donated to charity.
If Michael does not return to you within a year from the delivery of this letter, and proposes to you, I have made arrangements for his portion of the funds to be released to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Your funds will remain yours until forevermore, or revoked if my lawyer finds out you’ve told him. However, if he does propose, send the third pre-stamped envelope to my lawyer and he will release the funds.
I hope that Michael will finally realize he loves you and see how truly special you are. I hope with all my heart that you will find each other, and that Michael will get his head out of his ass.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Manning
PS: If there are ever any grandchildren, please kiss them for me, oh, and if you don’t mind, Diane is a lovely name for a young girl, wouldn’t you agree?
19
I let the letter drop to the table. Why? Why, why, why? Why does she have to meddle with me even after she’s dead? I’ve vowed to move on, and have done very well, I might add, but sitting here with a three billon dollar check in my hand, I am yet again brought to my knees.
I open the check, and as Diane said, I find a check written out to me in the amount of three billion dollars. Holy. Fucking. Shit. I read it a few more times just to make sure it is written out to me and that it is in the amount of three billion dollars. Strangely enough, the name and numbers don’t change.
Now the only question remaining is…what should I do next?
The Everlasting Chapel
Book 3, the final book in the Chapel Series
Coming Soon…
The White Chapel: Book 2 in the Steamy New Adult Contemporary Romance Series (The Chapel Series) Page 13