The Inheritance Clause by Flora Ferrari

Chapter Ten

Amelia

I wake up alone and my heart immediately sinks in my chest.

Where is Leo?

He should be here beside me, keeping me warm. But his side of the bed is cold. He’s long gone.

It doesn’t make sense to me. We live in the same house. This is his bedroom. He can’t just run away from what happened. And yet I’m the one waking up confused and alone. I wish I had some way to contact him, but I don’t have his number. I look out of the window and see that his car isn’t in the driveway. He must have had somewhere more important to be.

I sigh, wrapping my arms around myself. I’m being unfair. I don’t know what reason he had not to be here, but I’m sure it’s a good one. I’m just so insecure. I’ve never had a man want me before. I’ve never once had someone care about me enough to stick around. I’ve been alone in this world for as long as I can remember, and now, it feels like I’m being left behind again.

I know deep down that Leo isn’t that kind of man. He’s a good person, and the way he treated me last night with so much respect. So much respect, in fact, that he refused to have sex with me because of everything that I’d been through. I know that he was trying to do a good thing, and yet now, I just feel rejected again. I know that’s my problem and not his, but now that I’m here on my own, it just makes me feel like this is how it’ll always be.

Maybe I’m crazy. I’m not used to affection and love so I assume that I’ll never have those things. But Leo has been so willing to give me everything. Last night was so incredible. I went from feeling scared and alone to being held in his arms, pleasured beyond belief by his touch. I slept beside him all night and he held me protectively in his arms. But I guess that’s why this morning feels a little hard to swallow. Because now that he isn’t here, there’s no one around to convince me that it wasn’t just a figment of my imagination.

I get out of bed and dress slowly. I’m supposed to be working today. Rachel will probably be wondering where I am and what I’m doing, seething because she’s not in my shoes. But right now, I have no smugness in me. Until I’m certain that Leo and I are solid, I can’t allow myself to feel happy. Not until I’m sure that this is all going to work out the way.

I’m about to leave the room and begin work when I bump straight into Leo. He smiles down at me, a real smile with so much affection, holding me close in his arms.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he says.

I stare up at him in shock.

“I...I thought you were gone.”

“I had some things to take care of this morning, and later today,” he says. “But later, I want you to have dinner with me. We can talk properly then.”

I just want to talk to him now. I don’t want him to leave me again. But the fact he wants to have dinner with me is reassuring. The fact that he called me beautiful is comforting. Maybe I’m letting my paranoia get the better of me.

He cups my cheek in his hand. “I can’t wait to see you later,” he growls.

I nod. “Okay...I should get to work…”

“That stops right now. You don’t work for me anymore,” he snarls. “You’ll never work again if you don’t want to. Do as you wish today. Spend some time painting or whatever you’d like to do. But you won’t be doing a single chore. Leave it to the staff.”

I can barely believe it. Did I just get the nicest firing in the world? My head is all over the place. But right now, I don’t have the energy to question any of it. A day to paint and gather my thoughts sounds like exactly what I need.

“What time should I meet you?” I ask. He smirks at my question.

“You’ll receive a delivery at six o’clock. Meet me for dinner at seven in the dining hall.”

Now I really am overwhelmed. I’ve been in the dining hall many times before, to clean. To think about having dinner there is baffling. I’ll be served by all the rest of the staff...this is going to be beyond strange.

“Okay. I’ll be there.”

He kisses my cheek and I wish he’d give me more, but I tell myself that I need to put my trust in him. I have to allow him this time to prove that this is what he wants. He’s asked me to do this for him and I will, because I want to know what he has in store for me. I head downstairs in a daze, passing the other staff members as I head back to my bedroom. I close the door behind me and stand in front of my easel, but I don’t pick up a paintbrush for a very long time, taking a moment to let this whole thing sink in. I don’t know what to expect next, but the more I think about it, the more excited I feel. He said I’d get a delivery at six. Is he planning a special evening just for the two of us? It’s all I can do to stop myself from crying out in joy.

I manage to curb my excitement by starting a new painting. It’s abstract and emotional, splashes of color on a canvas inspired by the turmoil of emotion inside me. It’s different from what I’d usually paint, but today is a very different day. It feels like everything is about to change, and if that’s true, I will remember this feeling forever. Hell, maybe this is just how life will feel from now on. I didn’t realize it was possible to feel so good, so hopeful, so lucky. With each passing moment, my fear fades and hope takes me over.

The day passes agonizingly slowly. I can’t wait to see what my delivery is at six o’clock. By the time it rolls around and I hear the knock on my door, I’m so nervous and excited that I squeal to myself.

Opening the door, I see that there’s a clothes bag hung on my door. My heart thumps hard in my chest and I unzip the bag to reveal the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s pale pink and soft as a rose with a tulle skirt and silk top. It makes my heart swell with love. Leo just gets me. He understands me better than I ever thought he would. Now, I know why he’s been so busy today. He’s been throwing this together for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful. It shows how much he really cares.

And the dress fits like a glove. I glance in the mirror and for the first time in a long time, I feel really good about myself. In this dress, I can see how a man like Leo might fall for a girl like me. It’s taken me a long time to love myself and my curves, but now, I know that it was worth waiting. Now, I can be the girl he wants to love.

I carefully style my hair and add a little bit of makeup, keeping an eye on the time. Seven o’clock is fast approaching, and my nerves have me glued to my seat. But five minutes before the hour, I rise to my feet, feeling like a princess as I glide toward the dining hall. I can’t walk away from this. There’s so much for me to be happy about for the first time in my life.

And as I enter the hall, all of the staff turn to look at me. I see Rachel, her face creased in disgust at me, but all of the others seem to have a smile ready for me.

And then there’s Leo. My handsome Leo. He rises from his chair, looking dapper in his navy suit. He stares at me in awe as I walk toward him, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest.

“You look so beautiful,” he growls, taking my hand and kissing it gently. I blush deeply, unable to stop myself.

“Thank you. You look really good, Leo. I’m so glad you asked me to have dinner with you.”

“Me too,” Leo says. “On the menu tonight, we have some of your favorites, prawns for starters, steak for our main, and then a lemon posset for dessert.”

“How did you...how did you know?”

Leo smiles at me, his eyes dark and alluring. “I pay attention. I know you inside and out, Amelia. I’ve been watching you for a long time and… I asked around a little just to be sure.”

He pulls out my chair for me at the long table, though only two places are set. Tonight is just me and him. He sits at the head of the table, right beside me, and the staff spring into action, pouring us drinks and bringing out the starter. I catch one last glimpse of Rachel as she disappears from the room, her eyes hard. I’m not a bitter person, but she deserves whatever she’s feeling right now for everything she’s done to me.

When we’re alone, Leo reaches across the table to take my hand. “Amelia, I know the past few days have been crazy,” he says. “And I know that you must have been confused by me leaving so early today, but I had my reasons. You see, I thought my hand might be forced. I thought that I might have to choose between my inheritance...and you. I knew my choice would be you no matter what, but the inheritance clause was tricky, and while the money was a concern, if I let that all go I would be costing all our employees their jobs. I thought perhaps I had to marry someone in particular to keep it all.”

“And...do you?” I ask gently. I don’t want to imagine that I’ll be the reason he doesn’t get to keep everything he’s worked for, but I also can’t take it if he marries that horrible woman who took him out on a date. He shakes his head.

“No. The choice is mine,” he says, voice deep. “And I know there’s only one woman in the world who I’d be willing to marry.”

I feel my heart swell as he looks deep into my eyes. Does he really mean me? I can barely believe it. After so much doubt, after so much anxiety, I finally know how he truly feels.

“You’re the one. You’ve always been the one,” he says. “You’re the only woman who has ever made me feel this way. I’ve waited such a long time for love to come my way. I’ve waited so long to feel the desire that you bring out in me. It’s taken me far too long to act on these feelings that I’ve had...ever since I met you, I’ve wanted you. I can’t live without you. Now that I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to be with you there’s no way I’m ever letting you go. No other man can ever have you. You’re mine now, Amelia. You’re mine forever.”

“I’ve always been yours,” I breathe. “My heart has always belonged to you.”

We lean for a kiss and fireworks explode in my chest. This feels too good to be true, and yet it’s real. Sitting here in a beautiful dress made for a princess, I feel like I’ve just found my prince. His hand rests on mine across the table, but his grip tightens possessively on me and I feel a jolt of desire rush through me. Will I ever get used to this feeling? Now that he’s told me he wants me forever, will I ever adjust to belonging to him, to finally being special to someone?

I feel alive for the first time in a long time, like I’ve finally found my purpose. I always knew I was made to love, but now, I can finally begin to take on my role. It’s just me and him, forever. Just me and him against the world.

When we pull apart, he’s smiling, another real smile, before his smiles were rare. I love that I can bring that out in him.

He squeezes my hand.

“This meal is just the beginning,” he says in a husky tone. “This evening, I’m going to give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”

I feel my heart pounding hard. I know what that means without him having to spell it out to me. Tonight, he’s going to give me everything.

And he’s going to take the one thing I’ve been saving for him.

My virginity.