Chapter 20
Nolan had his own things to work on while Helena worked on whatever file she was reviewing.
Nolan was lost in balancing the books for the feed store while Helena worked on her thing.
Occasionally, Helena would make a disgruntled sound, or a victorious cheer, but otherwise they worked in companionable silence.
Nolan finished his books first. He loved it when all the number lined up perfectly. The business was growing since they expanded into nearby towns. Nolan had to hire a full-time delivery driver, but the cost yielded much greater returns, making it a solid business move.
“Oh my gosh,” Helena whispered. She set down the papers in her hand and leaned against the bed’s headboard.
“Is everything okay?”
“I need a very private DNA lab. Like, super private.”
“I know someone. Let me see if she can do it.” Nolan sent a quick text to Piper Davies Creed. She had her own lab and could run DNA there. Piper got back to him immediately. “Done. It can be run through Keeneston, but they need a DNA sample to compare it to.”
Helena looked around at the papers spread out all across the bed and found what she as looking for. “Right here. Their parents had theirs done and each child as soon as they were born. They sent the samples all the way to Switzerland to be typed and stored. Here’s the readout from the Swiss lab.”
“Mind if I take a picture and send it to our lab?” Nolan asked, wondering who had felt the need to take their own DNA samples and those of their children.
“Here you go. Block out their names though.”
Nolan didn’t recognize the names until he reached the children. “Wait, are these your witnesses coming tomorrow?”
“Two of them. The other three have nothing to do with this,” Helena said, motioning to all the paperwork on the bed. “Do you mind listening as I talk this out? I think I have it figured out, but it’s going to be the biggest blessing and the biggest curse of their lives if I’m right.”
Nolan closed his books and set them aside. “Go.”
“So,” Helena said taking a deep breath and moving for her first document.
“Okot came from a strong military family. However, they were heavily influenced by life under a particularly harsh dictator and raised Okot to believe in freedom and democracy. He met Amna at a festival when he was twenty. He was a soldier, still in a low-level leadership role at the time but rising steadily up through the ranks of the military. Amna came from a wealthy family. She was the sole legitimate heir. Her father had another child out of wedlock. Remember that. Amna was eighteen when she met Okot. Her family prospered under the previous dictator and gained wealth we can’t even imagine. Gold, minerals, jewels, oil, and more.”
“I take it her parents didn’t approve of Okot?” Nolan asked.
“Quite the opposite. They wanted someone strong they could hand the business over to when the time came. Someone who would strike fear into anyone who questioned their unethical practices. They approved of Okot. He and Amna married, but then came the early days of the revolution. Amna’s parents were killed because they were so loyal to the dictator.
Amna and Okot chose to fight for democracy.
Amna changed the entire setup of the businesses.
She paid everyone a fair wage. She pushed for unity and democracy in the country.
She managed to get several powerful businessmen to side with democracy.
Meanwhile, Okot fought bravely, sometimes against his own military, and earned quite a reputation.
Not as much as Ahmed, but maybe the Ahmed of South Sudan.
When the dictator was killed, Okot prevented the military from establishing another dictatorship.
Between him, his young wife, and several other powerful people brought in by Amna, they formed a democracy.
Okot and Amna were national heroes. However, Amna realized they would be targets.
They went to Switzerland and made their wills and provided their DNA so there could be no fake relatives trying to claim their estate if something happened to them.
For years, their power and reputations grew.
Amna turned her companies into ethical leaders of industry and Okot became a general. ”
“I’m guessing this is where the trouble begins.”
Helena nodded. “Lamya was born when the opposition began targeting the president. War is all these kids have known. Amna took Lamya to Switzerland. Got her DNA tested and changed her will to leave everything to Lamya if something happened to her. Okot was her trustee and would help Lamya lead.” Helena held up a second will.
“Fighting intensified right after Abu was born. Amna did the same thing. She took him to Switzerland and got his DNA and changed her will a third time.” Helena held up a third document.
“This leaves minerals, jewels, and gold to Lamya and the oil to Abu. However, they were to run the family company together as co-presidents. This time Amna did not include Okot. All her belongings went to her children.”
“Okot never changed his will?” Nolan asked.
“No. His original gave everything to Amna and then if they died at the same time or if it couldn’t be proved who died first, then it was to be assumed that he died first and all his belongings were to follow Amna’s will.
By all accounts, he was busy fighting in South Sudan so a quick trip out of the country wasn’t going to happen. ”
“How did anyone learn of these wills with them being in Switzerland?”
“Exactly!” Helena held up a photocopy of the wills.
“These were sent to a local lawyer. You can see that if something happens to the children, the board of directors would run the companies and become equal owners. However, if the children were alive, as soon as each child turns eighteen, they will become president of their inherited companies. Further, Lamya would take control of the board for the entire company by herself until Abu turned eighteen. Okot and Amna were killed and Amna’s illegitimate younger half-sister took the kids and vanished.
No one knew this half-sister existed. So, no one knew what happened to the children.
“The political fight waged on for over a decade. Then, according to this,” Helena turned her laptop around to show an article from two and a half years ago. “The lawyer’s office was broken into. All his documents were taken along with all the cash and assets he held in his safe for his clients.”
“You have an idea about that, don’t you? I can see it on your face.”
Helena grinned. “I do. I think Garang broke into the office. Either by himself or he was hired to do so. Then, while there, he discovered the copy of Amna’s will and the extent of the power and money the children would control.
I also believe, at that time, Garang was approached by the New Renaissance,” Helena said, giving Nolan a brief rundown of the group.
“He was suddenly flush with cash and weapons, and a new era of the opposition began. This one led by Garang with no questions asked as to why he was the leader.”
“This group could have hired Garang to break into the office too. Either way, if Abu and Lamya are in fact the legal heirs . . . then what?”
“Then all hell is about to break loose. One, if Garang can get to them and turn them to the New Renaissance, he’d be even more powerful.
Two, he could force Lamya to sign everything over to him.
Or, three, and this is a little iffy, but I think there’s someone on the board of directors working with Garang.
Remember, the board gets ownership of the company if Lamya and Abu are dead.
And they could have been the ones to hire Garang to get the documents. ”
“But it’s been almost eighteen years. Aren’t Abu and Lamya assumed dead?”
Helena shook her head. “In the will is a note to the children. However, I think it was really a note to her half-sister. It instructs the survivors to appear, once a year, at the Swiss embassy. And that was done, until Garang began attacking and looking for them, so they’ve only been ‘missing’ for two years.
Also in the will, is the power for the president of the company to dismiss the entire board.
The second Lamya turned eighteen, she could take full control of the company, firing the board. That’s also a motive.”
“Is that why you think there’s a board member working with Garang?”
“Exactly. Now, the will is full of clauses and ifs and thens. It’s very dense, so I just gave you the basic summary.
But the main point of it is, if Lamya’s and Abu’s DNA match the DNA of record, they have the right to walk into a tremendously powerful global company, fire everyone, and take all the money.
They can run it however they see fit or they could sell everything right then and there.
The board would be left with nothing more than a thank you for your service. ”
“It’s their best day because they discover they’re billionaires. But it’s their worst day because it makes them a bigger target than they already are.” Nolan felt horrible for them. That was so much for two young adults to go through. However, they’ve already lived through something far worse.
“Are you going to tell them or are you going to sneakily get their DNA first to confirm?”
Helena sighed and set all the papers down. “I figured Greer might have a plan when I meet with her tomorrow to go over the layers of this will.”
“What would you do?”
“I want to tell them. I think it’s always best to be honest. Plus, you never know if Lamya knows anything.
Yes, she was very young when her parents were killed, but she knew enough to call her guardians her aunt and uncle and not her parents when telling the story of their deaths. She has to know something.”
Nolan nodded at that. It made sense to be honest. It built trust. “You should tell Greer that. I agree you should tell them. Let me know if I can help in any way.”
Helena placed all the papers back into the folder in a specific order and set it beside the bed. She patted the mattress beside her and smiled at him. “I can think of a way you can help.”
Helena held out her arms and Nolan reached for her.
He pulled her into his lap as he settled on the bed and leaned back.
Nolan took Helena’s chin between his finger and thumb and brought her lips to his.
How one kiss could be so different from any other kiss he’d gotten from other women, he didn’t know.
But it was. The first moment their lips met, the slight inhale of breath, then the way Helena relaxed into him as if she couldn’t get enough—everything was different from any kiss in his past. His heart somehow sped up and yet he was content.
Happy. Full. This was it. His body recognized it probably before his mind had.
He was in love with Helena and it was endgame.
“How can I not be close enough to you, even though I’m pressed into you?” Helena asked with a laugh as she kept touching him with her hands like she couldn’t get enough.
Nolan loved it because he felt the same way. It was hard not to constantly want to have a physical connection to Helena. A kiss, a touch, even holding her hand. He wanted it all.
“Then get closer,” Nolan told her.
Helena wasted no time. She shoved up his shirt and Nolan leaned forward a bit so she could pull it all the way off.
“This is more than sex,” Helena told him reaching for his zipper with a desperation he also felt.
“I know it is. Everything with you has been more than. When this Garang situation is over, I can look into joining the New York Fire Department. I want to be with you, Hel. If you want that too.”
Helena didn’t respond verbally, but she did with her body.
She grabbed his face and kissed him hard before undressing and climbing on top of him.
Nolan had to clench his hands into fists not to grab her and take control, but this was what Helena needed.
She took her time, teasing him as she balanced on her knees above him before finally sinking down, taking him inside of her.
Nolan groaned and gave up not touching her.
His hands moved to her hips, but he made sure not to set the pace.
That was all Helena. She leaned forward, still moving slowly, and kissed him.
Nolan saw her eyes were shining with unshed tears as she pulled back.
She sat up, put her hands on his chest, and looked him in the eyes as she began to move faster.
Nolan’s fingers flexed into her hips as he struggled to stay in control.
But then control was the last thing that mattered when Helena finally let go of her own control and just felt.
Nolan shouted her name between clenched teeth as Helena gasped his.
Her fingers tightened on his shoulders and he felt the pinch of her nails as she dug in.
Then the rush was over and Helena collapsed into his chest. Nolan wrapped his arms around her as they both lay there breathing heavily.
He kissed the top of her head and took another deep breath.
Helena leaned back and looked at him. “You would really leave Keeneston for me?”
“Yes,” Nolan responded instantly. He raised his hand and used his thumb to brush away a tear that was rolling down her cheek.
“Thank you, Nolan. I don’t think any other man has offered me that before. It’s usually me they expect to move for them.”
“We’re a couple, right? We support each other. Sometimes that means me sacrificing and sometimes that means you. But in this? If it means I get to be with you every day, I’ll move anywhere or do anything. It will be worth it.”
Helena kissed him again and Nolan knew he had made the right decision. He loved her. Falling in love happened as hard and fast as his friends had told him it would. However, Nolan had never been so sure of anything in his life.