Chapter Seven — The Inheritance
670 Words
Dira stared at Vanessa in disbelief.
“A fortune?”
Mandy almost choked on her drink.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
Vanessa shook her head calmly.
“I wish I was.”
Radi leaned forward carefully.
“Why would he leave money to Dira if he didn’t even want her around?”
Vanessa looked down briefly.
“Because guilt changes people.”
Nobody spoke for a moment.
Dira’s mind spun wildly.
Sixteen years ago, Richard Monroe had hidden her existence from the world.
Now he had left her millions?
None of it made sense.
“There’s more,” Vanessa admitted quietly.
Mandy groaned.
“Of course there is.”
Vanessa ignored the comment.
“Before he died, my father changed his will.”
Dira frowned.
“And?”
“And most of the Monroe estate was transferred into your name.”
The entire table went silent.
Radi blinked slowly.
“Wait… most?”
Vanessa nodded once.
Dira laughed nervously.
“This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
Mandy leaned back in her chair.
“So you’re telling us Dira basically became rich overnight?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Vanessa said carefully.
Dira noticed the tension in her voice immediately.
“What aren’t you saying?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“The rest of my family isn’t happy about it.”
Something about the way she said it made Dira uneasy.
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa sighed softly.
“You have an uncle. Vincent Monroe.”
The name sounded cold even before she explained further.
“He expected to inherit everything after my father died.”
“And now he hates me because I exist,” Dira guessed.
Vanessa looked at her sadly.
“Yes.”
Mandy crossed her arms immediately.
“Okay, that sounds like the beginning of a crime documentary.”
Radi nodded nervously.
“Seriously.”
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“I need you to understand something. The Monroe family isn’t normal.”
Dira frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My father built his fortune through power, influence, and fear. People obeyed him because they were afraid of him.”
The atmosphere at the table shifted instantly.
“And Uncle Vincent?” Dira asked carefully.
“He’s worse.”
A chill ran through Dira’s body.
Vanessa continued.
“If Vincent discovers where you are before the legal transfer is complete, things could become dangerous.”
Mandy immediately sat up straighter.
“Dangerous how?”
Vanessa didn’t answer directly.
And somehow, that answer felt worse.
Later that night, the triplets returned home exhausted.
Dira sat on her bedroom floor staring at the city lights outside her window.
Adopted.
A biological mother.
A secret inheritance.
An angry wealthy family.
Her entire life had changed in less than a week.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
Radi walked in quietly.
“You okay?”
Dira gave a weak laugh.
“At this point, I don’t even know.”
Radi sat beside her on the floor.
“No matter what happens… you’re still our sister.”
Dira felt tears sting her eyes again.
“You really mean that?”
Radi looked offended.
“Obviously.”
A few seconds later, Mandy walked in holding snacks.
“Nobody sleeps during emotional breakdowns,” she announced.
Radi rolled her eyes.
“Only you would bring chips to a crisis.”
“It’s garlic parmesan,” Mandy defended.
For the first time in days, Dira laughed.
A real laugh.
The three sisters sat together talking late into the night like they used to when they were younger.
For a moment, everything almost felt normal again.
Then Dira’s phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
She frowned before answering.
“Hello?”
Heavy breathing filled the line.
Then a man’s voice spoke quietly.
“You should’ve stayed hidden.”
The call disconnected immediately.
Dira’s blood ran cold.
Mandy noticed her expression instantly.
“What happened?”
Slowly, Dira lowered the phone.
“I think my uncle just found me.”
- Writer
