Chapter Twenty-Six #2
The notification popped up, and I accepted the call.
Louis Jordan appeared on the screen. He was probably in his late ’60s, tanned, with a thick head of sparkling silver hair, and sharp brown eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses.
His white shirt was impeccable, and his blue and white tie bore the discreet stamp of a luxury designer.
“Mr. Forest? Hello. Nice to meet you face-to-face, finally.”
“Finally? I don’t recall ever hearing your name. Have we had correspondence at some point?”
Jordan shook his head. “No, but I’ve been your mother’s personal attorney for over thirty years.” He met my gaze with a steady eye. “I’m aware of who you are and how you were raised.”
A bit nauseated, I brushed the hair off my sweating brow. “I had no idea. Then you must be aware I’ve neither spoken to nor seen her since I moved out for college at eighteen. That’s twenty-two years ago.”
“Yes, I know.”
The conversation was making me both irritated and sick to my stomach. “With that information, I’m sure you can understand why I’m a little confused. Can you please tell me what this is about? You said I’m a beneficiary. Is it something you can send me in the mail? Do you need my address?”
Jordan clasped his hands. “Mr. Forest, I understand your concerns. But as you’re probably aware, your mother has amassed an incredible fortune. Her acting allowed her to purchase real estate and create her beauty company.”
I was growing impatient. “Yes. She owns real estate in Beverly Hills, Malibu, the Hamptons, London, and Paris. I know all about it.”
“It’s all yours now. Aside from some personal bequests to long-standing employees, you are her sole beneficiary.”
I froze, and I heard Denis whisper, “What the fuck?”
“I’m sorry. Did you say she left the real estate to me?” I waited for clarification.
“No, not only the real estate. Everything. Title and ownership of her properties are now passed to you. As for her beauty company, it’s split into separate entities.
One part—Dahlia Beauty—she owned in full.
The other—Love Lessons—she was a fifty percent owner and board member.
That is now you. Obviously, it’s a complicated arrangement, and I urge you to have your lawyers review the documents carefully. ”
I blinked. Was I breathing? Alive? This couldn’t be happening. “I-I don’t think…I’m not sure I understand what this all means.”
Jordan removed his glasses. “In the simplest terms, it means you’re now an extremely wealthy man.
Your mother’s company has a market valuation of over one billion dollars.
Her real estate is estimated to be in excess of one hundred million dollars.
There are various investments which will be passed on to you—stocks, bonds, treasury notes and CDs. ”
“But…but…why?” Did I sound like a hurt child? The years of rejection and loneliness returned with a vengeance. “She ignored me. Her whole life was manufactured to keep me at a distance.”
“And I urged her every chance I had to do something about it. She always replied the same: that she’d long ago known the decision she chose to prioritize her career over being a mother to you would be a wall between the two of you that could never be breached.
Even after she fell ill and it became apparent she was terminal, I begged her to call you.
Again she refused, saying that she didn’t want a reconciliation based on impending death.
I disagreed, but I was the hired help. I had to carry out her wishes. ”
“I still…I don’t know what to say or do, even. This is not anything I ever imagined.” My head spun, and I held out my hand, which Denis immediately grabbed.
“We can do this by mail, but my suggestion is for you to come out here. With an estate of this magnitude, it would be better to do it all in person.”
“I…I’ll have to get a lawyer. I haven’t spoken to Greer Parsons—who helped me back then—once my mother gave me my payout and property.”
“I know Greer. Sharp guy.” His smile came and went like quicksilver. “I’m sure he’ll take the case.”
I looked to Denis. “Might as well, don’t you think?”
“Absolument.”
“All right. I’ll get in touch with him and let you know. Obviously, I’m still in shock.”
“I know. And Sterling? I’m very sorry. I wish things could’ve been different. There isn’t going to be a funeral. She was cremated, and her ashes are kept in an undisclosed location.”
Odd, but on this remarkable day, nothing surprised me. Not anymore. “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”
I closed my laptop and sat staring at its dull silver cover. “None of this makes sense. Why would she leave it all to me? We were strangers.” Denis took my cold hands between his and rubbed them, but it did nothing to warm my numb emotions.
“It’s only my opinion…” he began hesitantly.
“Which I’d like as my brain has suddenly stopped functioning.” I was as weak as a newborn kitten and still hadn’t fully processed this news.
“Perhaps all along she knew how terribly she treated you, and while she didn’t seem to have the desire—or, more likely, the courage—to face you, this was her only way to try and rectify it.
In her mind, giving you her entire fortune wiped the slate clean and she could die easier, knowing she took care of you. ”
“Her entire fortune.” I held my head in my hands. “My God, Denis. That’s more money than I can even imagine. I’m not equipped to deal with all this. It’s a nightmare. I can’t—”
“Shhh. Calm down.” He took me in his arms and held me until I stopped shaking. “First thing we’re going to do is call that lawyer you mentioned. We can fly out to California and meet with them. This is going to require an entire team of financial experts.”
“California? B-but we were going to Barbados.”
He cupped my cheek. “You need to do this. And where you go, I go.”