I release Magnolia and step back as she turns to face the lawyer, confusion on her face.
This is going to be good.
CHAPTER 36
Magnolia
I haveno idea who this guy is. Maybe he’s a cousin or an uncle. But I don’t know why he would be happy that I’m here.
“I’ll just reread the will now that you’re here. Would you like to take a seat? This one looks comfortable,” the man says as he reaches for me and gently guides me toward an overstuffed chair.
I let him, simply because he has a nice smile on his face. It’s a shallow reason to trust someone, but it’s all I have to work with right now.
I glance behind him and see Nash standing with his arms folded across his chest, and he’s grinning.
What is going on?
“Um, I’m sorry, but I don’t remember who you are,” I tell the man who just ushered me to a seat.
“I’m Alexander’s lawyer. I don’t think we’ve officially met yet. I’m Nelson Chesterington.”
Well, if that isn’t the most lawyerish name…but I keep that comment to myself.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Magnolia Hawthorne.”
“Yes, I know,” he says quickly, but he doesn’t seem rude, just as though he’s stating a fact. “Now that you’re here, I’ll read the will to you.”
“Oh, I’m not family. I’m just here for Nash.”
“Yes, that’s exactly why you’re here,” Nelson says.
That only makes me more confused.
“I don’t mean to be unprofessional, but I think this was an excellent turn of events.” And then he grins. And he doesn’t look like he does that very often because he looks distinctly uncomfortable.
He picks up a folder from a nearby table that I didn’t notice before.
“Allow me to begin reading. It’s rather important you listen to this.”
I smile politely and nod even though I don’t think there’s any reason I should be butting into Alexander’s private affairs, and I’d much rather be kissing Nash right now.He loves me.He said it himself. And most importantly—I believe him.
He starts reading a long, boring will, which essentially states that Alexander has piles of money. One look around this house, and that’s obvious. I’m not sure why they have to list it in the will. But the more he reads, the more I realize even I underestimated how rich he was. No wonder he can afford a home chef and a private driver.
But then something he reads catches my attention. I clear my throat, sure I heard it wrong, but the lawyer is grinning again—I really wish he would quit that—and Nash is shaking with laughter.
“Er, would you mind repeating that?”
“Of course.” He clears his throat and reads it slowly, “Alexander Whitlock, being of sound mind, has left the entirety of his estate to Magnolia Hawthorne.”
I blink slowly. It’s as if my body has forgotten how, and I have to carefully remind my eyelids how to move.
“Wha—why—whe—we—” Words aren’t forming anymore.
Nash is no help at all; he’s completely doubled over laughing.
Alexander is smiling brightly at me, and Nelson is folding up the papers and putting them away.
“What have you done?” I finally manage to ask.
