The Dead Man Knew My Name
I was being thrown out like trash when a dead man left me everything.
"OUT, MARA!"
My landlord threw my bag into the rain. All my clothes got soaked. People outside were just staring at me. I checked my phone. 8,000 naira left. That was all I had.
I have no mother. No father. Nobody.
Then a black Rolls Royce stopped right in front of me. Mud splashed on my legs.
A man in a black suit came out. He looked at me.
"Miss Mara Quinn?"
"Who are you?"
"We are from Grayson and Stone. We work for the late Elias Thorne." He gave me a black envelope. My name was written on it in gold.
My hands were shaking as I opened it. It was raining hard.
It said: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ELIAS THORNE. I leave all my assets, 47 million dollars, Thorne Manor, and my shares to Miss Mara Quinn, daughter of...
The last part was burnt. Someone burnt it.
"Daughter of who?" I shouted.
The lawyer's face changed. "We need to leave now."
Just then, another car stopped behind us. A man stepped out, and I couldn't breathe.
He was so fine, it was scary. Tall, broad shoulders, white shirt wet and sticking to his body, face like he was sculpted. You could tell he was rich from far.
But he looked at me like I was a thief.
"So you are Mara," he said, his voice cold. "The girl who fooled my father before he died."
"I don't even know your father!"
"Yes, that's what all gold diggers say." He came closer and collected the paper from my hand.
He read it and laughed.
"My father was blind for five years. He never left his room. How did you meet him, Mara?"
I was so angry I slapped him. I didn't plan it.
Everywhere was silent.
The lawyer whispered, "Oh my God..."
The man touched his cheek slowly. Then he grabbed my wrist and pulled me close to him.
"Listen, little stray," he whispered in my ear. "I am Julian Thorne. He is the only son of Elias Thorne. That house, that money, that company, they are mine. You have 48 hours to stay in my house before I show everyone you are a fraud."
He left my hand and looked at my wet clothes.
"But I will say this, for a liar, you are very beautiful. It will be painful to destroy you."
He entered his car and drove off.
The lawyer pushed me into the Rolls Royce. "We have to go to Thorne Manor now!"
As we were driving, I kept looking at the burnt part. Daughter of who? Is Elias Thorne my father? And if he is, then Julian Thorne is not my enemy. He is my brother.
