Chapter 1

A small-town teacher inherits a billionaire’s fortune, only to unravel deadly secrets and an illicit bond with her vengeful half-brother. Can they survive the legacy of lies?

The fluorescent lights above my class quietly buzzed in the background as my class worked on their projects. The time on the wall read 10:12 AM. The smell of chalk and freshly sharpened pencils mixed together reminded me of how familiar this place I had become over the years. It was Wednesday, mid-October, with the fall fully entrenched, the trees outside the classroom window were a canvas of flaming oranges and reds. I loved this time of year because the air was cool and it was effortless to teach third grade in our small Willow Creek neighborhood. It felt comfortable and like home.

However, it didn't feel like a normal day today.

I heard a slight knock on the door just as I finished a math problem on the whiteboard. On the other side of the door, I saw Ms. Bennett, she works in the front office of the school, and she was holding a big envelope.

"Emily?" She said whispering, her brow wrinkled as if she wasn't sure why she was doing it. "This was just delivered to you."

I quickly looked at the kids, who were working hard on their projects, and then crossed the room to meet her. I picked up the thick envelope from her and noticed the embossed emblem of a New York law company called Wentworth & Turner.

I smiled nicely and muttered, "Thanks, Miss Bennett."

She gave me one final confused glance before nodding and walking away. Following her, the door clicked shut, but I remained motionless, gazing at the envelope as though it would disappear if I took my eyes off it.

Wentworth & Turner? New York? My thoughts were racing. Why was a New York law firm reaching out to me? Teaching third grade in a little Pennsylvanian town, I was a long way from the New York legal world where everyone knew each other by name.

The weight of whatever was inside the package made my stomach turn with an unaccustomed strain, as it felt thick in my hands. With every step I took toward returning to my desk, my heart rate rose. I paused for a second before putting it down and acting as if it never existed while I checked on my kids. However, the weight of it remained, a subtle pull I was unable to fight.

"Okay, class," I said, sounding a little stressed. "Let's get in line for lunch now."

The children's laughter filled the room as they hurried to gather their things and speak about the latest shows and lunchbox goodies. With a slight smile, I walked them out the door, shut it, and went back to my desk. I breathed deeply, then carefully lifted the envelope and pressed my finger under the seal. The stationery used by the establishment that handled million-dollar properties was elegant and pricey, with a smooth texture.

There was a neatly folded letter inside. The prominent heading at the top caught my eye when I unfolded it:

"Regarding Henry Monroe's Estate."

Monroe Henry? Henry Monroe, who was he in the world?

With every second that went by, my heart raced as I skimmed the page. The letter explained that I had been named in the will of New York City billionaire Henry Monroe, who had lately passed away. It was written in exact, formal English. I was to receive a large share of his estate.

I gave a blink. There has to be some sort of mistake here. A billionaire? inheritance? This was not a letter meant for me. I was unaware about Henry Monroe. Not even to New York City had I been. I had never met someone close to me who was rich enough to leave this much money behind.

Upon rereading the letter, I tried to understand it better, but it stated the same thing. My name was on the beneficiary list. Me. Emily Clark a teacher from a tiny town who had always fought to make ends meet with a meager salary.

I looked at the clock, it was exactly ten thirty AM. I had thirty minutes till my lunch break. My fingers trembled a little as I called Sophie's number, and my heart raced as I did so. She was the only person I could talk to about this kind of thing; she was the school counselor down the hall.

"Hey, Emily," Sophie said with a smile, her voice as calm and familiar as ever. "What's going on?"

"Sophie, would you mind spending a moment in my room?" I asked, attempting to keep a steady tone. "I have something I should show you."

"Yes, of course. I'll arrive soon."

I ended the call and walked around the room, holding the letter tightly. What was the meaning of this? Why would I receive anything from a billionaire I'd never heard of? I had little time to sort out the questions circling in my mind because, shortly after, Sophie knocked and came in, her eyes raised in inquiry.

"Alright, what's happening?" Her eyes widened at the sight of my face as she asked. "You look like you have seen a ghost."

Without a word, I gave her the letter. As she reached the bottom, her eyes widened, and she grabbed it, reading quietly.

She looked straight at me and said, "Are you serious right now? Henry Monroe? A billionaire? Emily, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure!" I raised my hands in exasperation. "I don't know who this man is. There must be some sort of mistake."

Sophie took a seat at a student desk and stared at the letter, as if it would show something new if she looked closely enough. "This is really crazy. How come a millionaire would give you a part of his wealth?

Shaking my head, my mind continued to race. "I'm not sure. However, it seems like something is missing. My mother never said she knew someone who was like this. We do not even have any relatives in New York."

With a sigh, Sophie carefully folded the letter and set it down on the desk. "Look, I'm not saying that this isn't a big problem; it is, after all but perhaps there is some strange legal issue here. Perhaps all they require from you is your signature, after which you'll be done with it."

"Perhaps." Though for a moment I didn't think that was true, I whispered. This letter carried too much value and formality for it to have been a straightforward error.

After a brief pause, Sophie replied, "You should call the law firm. Know the whole point is. It's not a regular letter you get every day, really."

I paused, looking at my phone as though it may stab me. Making the call seemed, for some reason, like stepping over the edge and into a place I didn't belong. But Sophie was right; I needed clarification.

"What if everything changes because of this?" My question was hardly heard above a whisper.

Sophie smiled at me in a kind yet loving way. "Perhaps it will. However, that might not be a bad thing.

I took a deep breath and looked over the letter once more. I felt as though the carefully written words were glowing on the page, calling me to continue.

"Isn't it going to change everything?" Silently, I spoke to myself rather than Sophie.

With a serious gaze, she nodded. "sure. Emily, you're still strong. Anything that comes your way, you can handle. "

Even though I wasn't sure if I believed her, I had to act now. With shaky fingers, I picked up my phone and dialed the number on the letter. Every ring seemed to be a timer, a step toward something I hadn't yet seen.

"Wentworth & Turner, This is Lisa speaking, how may I help you?" On the other end, a professional voice replied.

My breath caught in my throat as I paused. "Hello. Emily Clark is my name. Regarding Henry Monroe's assets, I got a letter, and I have no idea why."

There was a long, unsettling gap in the talk. The woman then spoke once more, but this time her tone carried an unclear hint.

"That's right, Ms. Clark. We were anticipating your call."