20. The Mansion
1808 Words
Molly
We pull onto the road and I sink back into the passenger seat, staring at the dark stretch of trees flashing past the windows. Earlier, Charles had made a call and a man named Alex rushed to the cabin immediately. He instructed him to watch over Lily.
I was a little anxious, but apparently this Alex guy was his friend. Lily isn’t even aware that we’ve left.
Right now my chest feels tight. Josh. My mother. The fact that my mother still thinks I have a boyfriend.
And Charles. What am I supposed to introduce him as? A friend feels like a lie. Anything more feels dangerous.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks, eyes still on the road.
I let out a slow breath and turned my head toward him. “Why are you doing this?”
He glances at me briefly. Calm. Certain. “Because I want to.”
“That is not an answer.”
“It is the only one you are getting.” His jaw tightens slightly. “I care about you.”
I look at him properly this time. He is not teasing. Not smirking. His hands are steady on the steering wheel, his expression serious in a way that makes my stomach flip.
“You barely know me,” I say. “And trust me, you do not want anything to do with my family drama.”
That earns a quiet huff of laughter. “I have dealt with worse.”
I roll my eyes. “You say that now.”
“As long as it is you,” he says evenly, “I can endure it.”
I scoff, because if I do not, I might actually believe him. “You are unbearable.”
“And I'm still coming with you,” he replies without missing a beat.
Silence settles between us. I close my eyes for a moment, the hum of the engine soothing my nerves.
Mike’s house is in Crestfall City, a polished place that pretends it is not built on old money and sharper deals. It sits about forty minutes from Whispering Pine, close enough to feel connected but far enough to breathe differently. Crestfall is all glass offices, gated estates, and people who smile like they are measuring your worth.
When we cross the city line, the road widens and the lights brighten. I sit up straighter without meaning to.
“Turn left at the next junction,” I tell him.
He follows my directions as the houses grow larger, the gates taller, the lawns too perfect to be real. By the time the house comes into view, I have already filled him in on what to expect, including the rundown of why I am being summoned here tonight.
Charles slows the car in front of the gate. “Wow.”
I snort softly. “It is not mine. It belongs to my stepfather.”
I mean, anyone who knows me would be surprised that this is apparently my family’s house. Nothing about me screams wealth, and that’s because I never was.
The gates slide open slowly. Charles drives through, the tires crunching softly against perfectly laid gravel. The mansion is all marble columns and warm golden lights, polished to the point of arrogance. Everything about it screams money with something to prove. Tall windows, sculpted hedges and a large fountain.
I blow out a breath. Of course this is where it happens.
Charles parks near the entrance and steps out first. The moment I open my door, he is already beside me. I spot familiar cars lined neatly along the drive and my chest tightens.
“They’re here,” I mutter. “Uncle Roy and his unfortunate collection of DNA.”
Charles’ mouth twitches like he is holding back a smile. He reaches for my hand.
I pull back instantly. “No.”
“This man is crazy,” I add under my breath.
He ignores that completely and laces his fingers through mine anyway, firm enough that I know fighting him will only make a scene. My pulse betrays me, warmth spreading up my arm like my body has a traitor living inside it.
“Breathe,” he says quietly. “I’ve got you.”
I snort. “You barely know what you’re walking into.”
“I’m very adaptable.”
We walked toward the entrance together. The front door opens before we reach it.
“Welcome, Miss Molly,” Butler Steve says with a polite bow. “It’s good to see you.”
“Thank you, Steve,” I reply automatically.
His eyes flick to Charles, sharp and curious. Charles does not even acknowledge him as we step inside.
The living room is already loud, voices overlapping in that tense way where everyone is pretending they are not about to explode. The moment we enter, the noise dies.
Every head turns.
“Molly, you’re here,” my mother says, rising slightly from the couch. She’s sitting next to Mike, champagne glass in hand, smiling too hard. Her eyes flick to our joined hands and then to Charles’ face confused.
Across from her sits Uncle Roy, broad shoulders and sharp eyes that never learned kindness. Beside him is Levy…my half-brother, older than me, polished and smug like he has never lost a single argument in his life. My half-sister…Cara is next to him, legs crossed, chin lifted, already looking at me with disgust. Two men in tailored suits sit nearby, their briefcases placed carefully at their feet.
Lawyers. Of course.
I walk forward with Charles and sit on the couch opposite them. I am painfully aware of my mother’s stare burning into the side of my face.
“Where’s Josh?” she asks finally.
“He couldn’t make it,” I say evenly.
Her eyes narrow slightly.
“Didn’t Sandra tell you this was a family meeting?” Levy says, lips curling. “Or does that only apply to legitimate members of the family?”
There it is.
Charles’ hand tightens around mine, a silent warning that he heard it too.
“This is Charles,” I say calmly. “He’s my friend. He’s family to me.”
Mike looks startled. My mother looks like she might drop her glass.
Uncle Roy scoffs. “Family,” he repeats. “Interesting choice of words for a bastard child.”
The word lands heavy. Familiar. Old. It still manages to sting.
I smile anyway. “Nice to see you too, Uncle Roy. Still charming as ever.”
Cara laughs softly, fake and sharp. “She always was mouthy. You’d think she’d learn her place by now.”
I glance at my mother. She takes a sip of champagne instead of saying anything. Of course she does. The bubbles do not hide the way her hands shake.
One of the lawyers clears his throat. “Miss Molly, we are here regarding the property registered under your name. The Bennett land in Red Hollow.”
My jaw tightens. “I know exactly why you’re here.”
Levy leans forward. “Then you know it was never meant for you. Our father was manipulated.”
I laugh softly. “Can you prove it?”
Cara rolls her eyes. “You don’t even live there. You don’t contribute. Selling it is the logical thing.”
“It’s not for sale,” I replied.
Uncle Roy’s expression hardens. “You have no right to it.”
Charles finally speaks.
“She does,” he says calmly.
Every head turns toward him.
“And you are?” Uncle Roy asks, disdain dripping from every syllable.
“Her lawyer,” Charles replies smoothly. “And her friend.”
Levy’s brow lifts. “Convenient.”
“The land was transferred legally,” Charles continues. “Signed, registered, and protected under a private trust. Any attempt to coerce or intimidate her into selling it could be contested in court.”
The lawyers shift. One of them frowns.
Cara scoffs. “You expect us to believe she understands any of that?”
I lean back against the couch, crossing my legs. “You’d be surprised what a so-called mistake baby can learn when she grows up fighting for air.”
Levy lets out a laugh that has no humor in it. He runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair and meets my gaze.
“I still cannot accept this,” he says. “All these years we thought the land was in my name. My father’s land. And suddenly it belongs to you.”
His gaze hardens. “A bastard.”
I lift my chin. “If you have a problem with that, take it up with our father.”
Levy’s face twists. “Do not call him that.”
The room goes quiet.
“How do I even know you share his blood?” he continues coldly. “For all we know, your w***e of a mother lied to my father.”
My mother shoots up from her seat. “Do not insult me.”
Mike doesn’t move. He doesn't react. He doesn't even look annoyed. He sits there like this is a business meeting that does not concern him.
Levy scoffs. “Did I lie?” he asks. “You got my father drunk, seduced him like the gold digger you are, and now you and your filthy daughter want to steal his wealth.”
“That’s enough,” I snap, standing. “Don’t insult us.”
Levy rises too. “Or what?” he asks. “Since you could not convince your daughter to sell the land, we are done playing nice. You will be hearing from us in court.”
He looks directly at me.
“She is not legally part of the Bennett family. There is no reason she should own that land.”
“She is,” Charles says calmly.
Every head turns.
Levy laughs. “Our father never acknowledged her publicly or legally,” he says. “And we will prove that in court.”
Cara smiles thinly. “This little mistake will be corrected.”
My mother steps forward, panic written all over her face. “Please,” she says quickly. “Calm down. Give me some time. I can convince her.”
I turn to her slowly.
“You can't convince me.”
So this is what she has been doing. Talking to them. Negotiating behind my back.
Uncle Roy hisses under his breath and straightens his jacket. “We are done here.”
The Bennett family gathers themselves and walks out like they have already won.
The door closes. The silence is deafening.
My mother turns to me, her face tight with anger and fear.
Before I can speak, her hand connects with my cheek.
The sound echoes.
I stumble back, stunned.
- Writer
