That sick feeling in Mia’s stomach become full-on nausea. She tried to keep her tone level when she replied, “You know why.”
Mia’s father, Richard Ennis, had been a brilliant man. His job as the city’s most sought-after negotiator for corporate mergers meant that by the time he’d died of a massive heart-attack—no doubt brought on by years of steak dinners and high stress and topped off by the unbearable strain of losing a child—he’d amassed a not-so-small fortune.
A fortune he’d left to Mia with explicit instructions that he’d outlined in the letter attached to his will.
‘My Mia,
If you’re reading this, then I must apologize because it means I have left you alone in this world with no family to lean on. With Andy and your grandmother—and now me—all gone, that leaves only your mother. And we both know she isn’t fit to offer you any sort of support.
For what it’s worth, she wasn’t always this way. When I first met her, she was fun and vivacious, compassionate and good. Or...at least Ithinkshe was. Is it possible I was so blinded by her beauty that I only saw in her what Iwantedto see?
For years I have asked myself that question. And it pains me to admit this, dear daughter, but I’m still not sure of the answer.
Regardless, I married her. And I have spent the last two and a half decades lying in the bed I made.
I don’t regret honoring my vows to her even after it became clear she carried around a multitude of monkeys on her back. I promised to stand by her side through sickness and health, and that is what I have tried my best to do. What Idoregret is that you and Andy suffered as a result of my decision.
My only excuse is that I kept thinking I would find a balance, a way to take care ofallof you. Except in trying to take care of all of you, I fear I couldn’t truly take care ofanyof you.
I hope, with this will, I can remedy that in some small way.
I have set up a trust in your mother’s name that will provide her with enough money to live comfortably, but not so much money that she can live recklessly. And I have put aside additional funds that she may use only on therapy and rehabilitation.
The bulk of my estate, however, I am leaving to you. You have always had a kind and generous heart, Mia. I know you will use the money in good health and for good causes.
All my love, Daddy.’
“You selfish brat!” Hatred flamed so hot in her mother’s eyes that Mia felt like her own heart was burned to ash by it. “I cannot believe Richard left everything to you! It’s not fair. It’s notright!”
“He didn’t leave everything to me, Mom.” Mia struggled to keep the tremor that gripped her body from coming through in her voice. “He left plenty for you to—”
“Plenty?Plenty?” Jane snarled. “Are you kidding me? I can only afford to get a manicure every two weeks. I have to wait a wholemonthbetween appointments to have my hair highlighted. And did you know the man at the Mercedes dealership told me I couldn’t afford the payments on an S-Class? I had to get the E-Class this year, Mia. TheE-class.”
Jane said this with the same derision others might use if they’d been forced to eat warm, worm-filled dirt.
“Is this truly the thanks I get after I spent twenty-five years of my life catering to your father’s every whim?” Jane demanded.
Mia knew it was a rhetorical question, so she didn’t bother answering. Although, in her head, she pointed out that never once had she seen Jane cater to anyone’s whims but her own.
Jane pointed a pink-tipped finger at Mia’s nose. “You want it all for yourself. Admit it.”
“No.” Mia shook her head. “I haven’t touched a dime of that money. And I won’t. I plan to donate it to charity once I find one I really like. One that helps kids in trouble.”
Jane gasped. “It’s a travesty to give all that money away when I need it. When it’s rightfullymine!” Her mother slammed her hand down on the table with enough force to make the silverware jump.
Despite trying to add some volume behind it, Mia’s voice came out as nothing more than a raw whisper. “I’m going to make the donation in Andy’s name.”
Jane recoiled. “How dare you even speak his name after what you did to him!”
It wasn’t only Mia’s heart that was ash then. Every inch of her skin burned. A terrible heat gathered behind her eyes.
“This was a mistake.” She grabbed her purse and pushed up from the table. But she had to place a hand on the back of the chair to steady herself when the room spun.
Closing her eyes, she started counting to ten. It was something she’d learned to do as a child when her world spiraled out of control and felt helpless to do anything about it.
Eight...Nine...
Once she reached ten, she swallowed the bile burning the back of her throat, opened her eyes, and turned to leave.
