Bad Boy (An Indecent Proposal) - J.C. Reed Page 0,45

the first time, I realized how naïve I had been. He was a lawyer, I wasn’t. He was prepared to do whatever it took to further his agenda; I wasn’t.

I swallowed hard, but couldn’t quite get rid of the lump lodged in my throat.

“It’s not your right to interfere in my life,” I said angrily. “Just so you know, Clint never forced me to give him anything. I did it freely. He’s been offering me money for years—money I never took.”

“I know that.” Chase nodded slowly. “Your mom told you not to take anything, right? It’s the reason you gave up everything.”

My whole body tensed.

He was right.

It was the only reason, something I might have mentioned to him. But he knew way more than the bits and pieces of information I had fed him.

“Don’t ever talk about my mom again. It was her wish that Clint receive the money, so I’m going to respect it.”

“Laurie,” he started, his voice serious, heavy. “Did you ever stop to think about why she would demand something like that from her daughter? Your own mother out of all people.” He inched closer to me until his thigh brushed mine. I peered at it for a second, unsure whether to put some distance between us, when he resumed the conversation. “Did it never occur to you that maybe she was forced? That maybe she had no choice? That maybe she was fearing for her life?”

Slowly, his face came closer, his hot breath brushing my lips. “Think, Laurie. The entire estate belonged to your mom. It’s been in your family for generations—not just money, but heirlooms. You really think anyone would give it away to someone they’ve known for a few years rather than their own child?”

“I’m sure she had her reasons,” I protested weakly, even though I knew he was right.

The same thoughts had occurred to me years ago. They had kept circling in my mind, coming and going at regular intervals. Even Jude had tried to pinpoint it to me, and I had brushed her off simply because I could feel just how right she was.

“And yet Clint insists that you get a fraction of your inheritance,” Chase said coolly. “Do you know why he wants you to have it? As your lawyer, I can tell you it’s so you won’t be able to contest the terms of the will later, once you find out your mom wasn’t well. That’s why he wanted a written agreement. If you simply refused to sign, you would have received everything. And then there’s another matter.”

“What?” I asked faintly.

“Your grandparents were the actual owners of Waterfront Shore. Your mom was their heir, followed by you. Your grandfather was still alive when she died, which is why I think Clint adopted you. She was living there, yes, but the entire estate never belonged to your mom in the first place. By adopting you Clint became your legal guardian, meaning he got the estate through you once your grandfather passed away. Legally speaking, her testament should never have been implemented because the estate had never been passed on to her. I think she left that legal loophole open because she knew something was off about Clint.”

I leaned back, both in shock and realization, my thoughts racing. “Are you saying my mom wanted me to have the inheritance?” My voice dripped with disbelief.

“Yes.”

I shook my head. “I don’t believe you.”

“Well, that’s too bad.” I frowned at his words. “I have every reason to believe that your mom’s letters contain her real thoughts on the matter.”

His words made my head spin. “How do you know all this?”

He smiled gently. “The law is complex, particularly when you’re a minor and your legal guardian, the one person who should be looking out for you, has only his own gain in mind. I don’t believe your mom was as crazy as Clint made her out to be. I believe she was scared. In fact, so scared that she put it in writing.”

He hadn’t answered my question.

I shook my head again. My hands were clammy and trembling. The past I had left behind was catching up with me. I needed to be alone, if only to figure out my next step.

“The ten minutes are over, Chase,” I said weakly. “Tell the driver to stop the car.”

“We’ll reach the hotel in a few minutes.”

“I want to leave now!”

Chase grimaced. “Laurie, you don’t even know where you are.”

“That’s not your problem,” I said harsher than intended. “Stop the