Chapter Nine #2
“It would surprise me greatly if that was not the case,” Lena admitted.
“But he’s in charge of the Proctors,” she paused and looked at Lena. “Did you know that?”
Lena sniffed. “Yes. But his name was not on the paperwork. His profession meant little.”
“Am I able to request you personally to look after my accounts?” Kiera asked.
Lena gave her a soft smile. “I would love to continue working with you,” she said.
Connor closed the two portfolios. Lena handed him the last one. “This one will need Kiera’s signature to open the account. She has come of age, and it was the only stipulation your parents had for her to access the account.”
“For the past five years, I’ve been working so hard for my siblings.
I wanted to do everything I could so we wouldn’t be a burden to my uncle.
” She stared down at the paperwork. “It’s infuriating remembering the number of late nights, overtime, and cup of noodles I ate to save money, looking back is exhausting. ”
Lena thought it over. “You could sue your uncle for damages.”
Augustus leaned forward. “How so?”
“He knew from the beginning that the kids had money. He chose not to tell Kiera, knowing she was working hard to support her siblings. That is financial, emotional, and mental abuse.”
Augustus rubbed his hands together. “Do you have anything that proves he knew?”
Lena looked at him flatly. “Of course I have proof. I documented everything that man said or did concerning these accounts. I have the original letter sent notifying Kiera of the accounts. I also have all the transcripts from his calls that are timestamped and verifiable.”
Augustus turned to Kiera. “I told you he would regret giving us time. This is exactly what we need to get custody.”
“If your parents did not leave a will, the fact they made you the Trustee of your siblings' accounts prove they wanted you watching over them. If they trusted him, then he would have been the Trustee,” Lena pointed out.
“Can you get me copies of everything?” Augustus asked.
She picked up her phone, tapped a few times. “Your email?” she asked him.
Augustus gave it to her and seconds later he had everything.
Connor slid the portfolio over to Kiera. “This one is good to go.”
Lena handed her a pen. “The next part is all you.”
It took her a solid thirty-minutes signing at multiple sections per page to finally get through everything.
She was rubbing her hand when Lena picked up the portfolio and turned to the legal pad in the back.
“We can go over a more detailed growth plan later. In the meantime, is there a way you want to divide up your funds?”
“Huh?” Kiera asked. She looked from Hunter to Augustus to Connor, then back to Lena. “Like how?”
“I see.” Lena put the pad down. “Do you have any large projects you want to start? A company to invest in? Real estate to buy?”
“No, not really.”
“May I?” Hunter asked.
Kiera lifted her hand as if to say, ‘be my guest’.
“Keep the one-hundred million in her account and you two can discuss how you want to grow it later. Not only can I provide for my mate, but she also has the ‘everyday’ account her parents left her. For Keran and Nicol, simple percent interest added back in year after year is fine for now,” he suggested.
“Let’s do that,” Kiera agreed, feeling relieved at Hunter’s suggestion.
Augustus tapped the table. “Can I assume that your bank moves over a certain percentage over to material wealth in intervals?”
“Absolutely.”
Kiera held her hand in a ’T’. “Time out. What does that mean?”
Lena smiled. “Remember how I said paranormals use human banks to accrue interest?”
“Yes.”
“At a certain point hundreds of billions of dollars raises a few eyebrows. In regular intervals, we move that money over to what we call ‘material’ wealth. Converting it to gold, silver, platinum, or any other precious material or metal.”
“Why?”
Lena will point down to the portfolios. “If you had to put your hand on your money right now, could you?”
Kiera shook her head. “No, it’s in the bank.”
“Exactly. Right now, all your wealth is just a digital set of numbers. Paranormals, especially the long-lived ones, have seen civilizations rise and fall, we tend to trust gold more than anything. So, in regular intervals, our accrued wealth in human banks is converted over to something material and stored with the fae.”
“It doesn’t accrue interest, but you know it won’t disappear either,” Kiera said.
“Yes. It is a balance between the two that makes it work.” Lena grinned. “Plus, it is hard to buy a Starbucks latte with ancient Roman gold coins.” She stood, went to the side terminal typed a few things and sat back down.
Kiera shook her head. “This is so surreal. You have no idea what I’ve had to do these last five years.”
Lena’s expression hardened. “If you need anything else from me for the lawsuit, including a testimony, please let me know.”
Kiera was about to respond when the elevator opened, and a young woman stepped forward and handed something to Lena. “Thank you, Margot.” The woman turned and left.
Smiling, Lena handed Kiera a small black card. “Congratulations, Kiera. For taking the first step into the life your parents left you.”
With a trembling hand, she took the card. “What’s this for?”
“Your ‘everyday’ account. If you need over fifteen million, just call me.”
Kiera looked at the card feeling nothing but panic. She immediately handed it to Hunter. “You hold it.”
He laughed. “It won’t bite.”
“I could lose it.” She shook her head. “No. It’s safer with Hunter. Look at him, no one is stealing it from him.”
“If it is stolen call us. We will monitor the account and can always print you another card,” Lena pointed out. “We offer twenty-four seven support. It is one of the perks of banking with us.”
“I’m good with him having it.” She looked up at her mate. “Just buy me stuff.”
He kissed her forehead. “Okay, hun.”
She looked to Lena. “Thank you, for everything.”
They stood and Lena held out her hand. Kiera took it.
“It was wonderful meeting you, Kiera. I look forward to working with you.”
She escorted them to the elevator, used her badge, and pressed the lowest button. “This will take you back down to the lobby.”
Kiera gave a little wave, and they walked into the elevator. Once downstairs, they made their way out.
As they walked down the street, Connor pointed at a clothing shop. “Wanna get some clothes? Sky’s the limit,” he teased.
She shook her head. “Actually, I’m starving. Can we find a place to eat?”
Hunter beamed at his cousins. “I told you she was perfect.”
They both laughed at his eagerness to eat. Augustus jabbed Hunter in the ribs. “I wonder how much of that opinion is based on your own desire for lunch.”
Hunter pouted down at her.
“I know, I know, you’re so abused.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the street. “Hurry!”
Laughing, they walked ahead of her pointing out different eateries.
Kiera realized, even without the money, she’d be just as happy with her mate beside her. It was only then did she truly feel fortunate.
*****
Darian looked at their bags of to-go containers. “What did you all get?”
Kiera groaned and rubbed her stomach. “Lobster rolls. So good!”
“Any extra?”
Hunter pulled the bag behind him. Kiera lightly punched his arm. “He can have some of mine.”
Darian winked. “I’ll trade you for some pie.”
“Deal!”
They made their way upstairs and Darian unlocked the door to the apartment he used.
“Do you have random places everywhere?” she asked.
He paused, then after everyone stepped in he closed the door. “Kinda.”
Hunter passed Darian a styrofoam container and Darian passed him a small cardboard box.
“Did you get your banking issues straightened out?” he asked.
“Yes. I learned quite a bit about paranormal banking,” she replied.
“If you need help getting a fae vault, let me know,” he offered.
She turned back to Hunter. “This is the gold thing?”
Hunter nodded. “Yes, the gold thing.”
Darian raised his hand, and a portal shimmered into view. “You’d be surprised what makes it into vaults nowadays.”
They walked into the Nu estate’s living room. Connor took their bags and headed to the kitchen.
Augustus lifted Kiera and swung her around, causing her to squeal.
“Dammit Augustus, put my mate down!” Hunter growled.
Augustus put her down and ruffled her hair. “She’s our little lucky star. Because you met her, we get kids to spoil, me and my brother’s get the assistant we’ve been needing, and we found an amazing banker.”
Kiera smoothed her hair down. “You forgot the lobster rolls.”
Augustus winked at her. “And had amazing lobster rolls.”
Eoin leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “I see how it is. I shmooze and submit paperwork, and you all get food.”
Hunter pointed to the kitchen. “We brought back leftovers.”
Eoin turned and went to the kitchen.
“Don’t touch my pie!” Kiera yelled.
“Got it!”
Meryn waddled in. “I thought you’d be more upset that your uncle filed a counter claim.” Pip was at her side, lightly holding one arm.
“What?” Hunter asked.
“What?” Augustus demanded.