Chapter 14 #2
“Enough of your bragging of your brute strength,” he seethed, focusing back on Theresa. “What madness do you speak of?”
She only had eyes for her grandfather. “Following the law matters. Thinking you are above them causes problems that not even your power and money can get you out of.” She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a sealed file folder, tossing it at the man who easily caught it. “Like paying your damn taxes.”
“Oh fuck,” I whispered, several of the cops around me going tense and realizing she was about to light the fuse.
Rage built in his eyes and emanated from him so fast it was like a damn volcano going off as he opened the file and looked at what was there.
“I paid the last ten years of property taxes on the estate,” Theresa purred.
“As is my right to do privately as a legal descendant before the land went to public auction. It’s now all mine.
Every acre. Every building. Everything.” She chuckled darkly.
“You have thirty days to vacate or I’m sure we can come to some rental agreement as family, Grandfather. ”
“You will die for this!” Andrew screamed.
“You won’t even make it to her,” I warned him, letting him see in my eyes that I was ready and willing.
“That’s for torturing my mother,” Theresa told him, only having eyes for her grandfather.
“For selling her to a monster even if it led to me being born. For torturing her when she wouldn’t lure me in to be sold.
The courts might have ‘punished’ you and made you pay, but I wanted you to never forget the cost of your evil. ”
“This will never stand,” he bit out and tore the papers.
Theresa rolled her eyes. “That’s not the only copy, duffer.
And yeah, it will. It’s signed by our president and the new Minister of Finance, not your corrupt buddy.
” She gestured around. “All of this was bought and funded by selling Graves women. I find it fitting that it’s now owned by a woman of the bloodline instead of rapists, criminals, and abusive men. ”
That was when the males of the family snapped. Andrew lunged for Theresa and I kept my promise that he wouldn’t reach her, grabbing him by the hair and flinging him away. I turned and saw Mr. Graves was on Theresa… And she was kicking his ass.
That had to be better than years of therapy. Seriously.
I honestly wanted to pull out my phone and film it for Aurora, but someone jumped on my back and I was a bit busy.
The fight didn’t last long and Theresa got the last laugh, walking past Mr. Graves with a smirk. “What animals that they couldn’t even hold their tempers and had to resort to physical violence.” She turned and smirked at me. “Don’t you agree, Creed?”
I snorted. “Even my lion is smart enough to know not to engage in a fight he can’t win.
This is a whole other level of stupid that’s insulting to animals.
Like it would all go away if they beat you or even killed you in front of witnesses?
” I made it clear I was mocking the Graves men.
“She’s an attorney. A very prestigious one. She has a fucking will, idiots.”
Theresa snorted, confirming it. “Of course I updated it.” She shot me a curious look like she was surprised I knew that… But with a hint of guilt. She explained once we were through the portal an hour later. “I left it to Ellie because she could handle the politics, not to punish Aurora.”
“I know. I would have done the same.” I extended my hand to her. “You did this for her. I know you did.”
“Not just me,” she warned, and gave my hand a quick shake. “I still worry about your past, but you’re a better man than I gave you credit for. I wish you luck in the unbinding. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish with your new life.”
That was about the nicest thing Theresa could have said to me that I wouldn’t wonder if she was drugged or I was dreaming. I thanked her and decided to give her an inch going forward as well.
Aurora and the others cried as Theresa told them the truth.
Apparently, Ellie had put up most of the money since Theresa hadn’t had the hundreds of millions needed to buy the decade of property taxes…
Which were rolled together and with penalties.
Wow, I couldn’t even imagine how much that was for such vast, prime land in France.
“Are you really going to rent it back to them?” Aurora asked when she finally wrapped her mind around it.
Theresa snorted. “Of course not. I just said that to taunt them. I have no idea what we will do with it, but I could not stomach allowing horrors to continue there as if they were acceptable. That part of history is over. They still have generations of wealth.” Her lips twitched when I snorted. “Yes, for now.”
Aurora glanced at me. “I am so jealous you got to beat Andrew twice.” She winced when his wife flinched.
Yeah, there were definitely going to be a lot of hurt and sensitive feelings to tiptoe around for a while. I was glad I wouldn’t have to be a part of that constantly.
Unless they were Aurora’s feelings. I only worried about hers.