Hidden Legacy

The Confrontation

Ava stormed into the small house, completely disregarding Hunter’s mother’s presence. Her eyes blazing with anger as she turned to face Hunter. Without a second thought, she launched into a tirade, screaming in his face that he had no right to divorce her without her consent.

“Are you fucking serious, right now? A divorce? Just who do you think you are, Hunter, that you filed for a divorce over some minor argument?”

Hunter, taken aback by her sudden outburst, tried to remain calm. “Ava, we’ve been over this. I cannot stay married to someone who constantly lies and manipulates me,” he said firmly.

But Ava was not ready to back down. Instead of feeling remorseful, she was apprehensive. Today was the day she was supposed to sign the ownership papers for her share of inheritance. If her father found out about the impending divorce, he could revoke the transfer, leaving her with nothing. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let her brothers take what belongs to her.

Charlotte, watched the scene in front of her, unfold. She tried to intervene to prevent a bigger problem. “Ava, please. Just leave before things escalate any further,” she pleaded.

But Ava turned a deaf ear to her pleas. She was too focused on trying to salvage her inheritance. As she continued to argue with Hunter, her phone rang. It was her family lawyer on the line.

Her heart pounding in her chest, Ava answered the call. The lawyer informed her that her father had signed the documents, transferring her inheritance into her sole possession. Her eyes widened in shock as she processed the news.

A wave of relief washed over Ava as she realized that her inheritance was secure. With newfound confidence, she turned to Hunter and smirked. “Looks like you can go ahead with the divorce, Hunter. You were nothing but a pawn in my game,” she spat out coldly.

Hunter felt a pang of hurt at her words, but he tried to hold his head up high. He knew that he deserved better than to be used and manipulated by someone like Ava.

As Ava strutted out of the room, a sense of emptiness washed over Hunter. He had loved her once, but her deceptions had shattered any semblance of trust between them.

Charlotte, sensing his inner turmoil, approached him with a sympathetic smile. “You deserve someone who will love and cherish you, Hunter. Someone who will be honest and true,” she said softly.

Hunter nodded, grateful for her words of comfort, but still hurt by the blatant betrayal.

Ava stood outside the grand gates of her family’s mansion, a sense of relief washing over her. The inheritance was finally transferred to her name. She pushed open the heavy iron gates and made her way up the long, winding driveway to the imposing mansion that had been in her family for generations.

As she approached the front door, her mother, Margret, appeared on the steps. “Ava, where is Hunter?” she demanded, her voice sharp.

Ava took a deep breath. “I don’t know, Mother,” she replied calmly. “I haven’t seen him.”

Margret’s eyes narrowed. “You know your father will want to know where he is. I need him to fetch something for me.”

“I’ll handle it,” Ava said, brushing past her mother and into the grand foyer.

Dinner that evening was a tense affair. Ava’s father, Andrew Paige, sat at the head of the long dining table, his expression stern. Her eldest brother, Richard, sat to his right, watching her with a smug look on his face.

“Where is that husband of yours?” her father asked, his voice cutting through the silence.

Ava set down her fork and looked her father in the eye. “Ex husband, Father. Hunter and I are getting a divorce,” she announced.

The room fell silent. Margret gasped, and Richard’s smug expression turned to one of shock.

“Divorce?” Andrew’s voice was barely more than a whisper. “Why?”

Before Ava could respond, Richard started clapping slowly. “Well done, Ava. You’ve fooled everyone quite successfully,” he sneered. “The whole marriage was probably your scheme to get your inheritance. Poor Hunter, unaware of the condition Grandfather placed on it.”

Andrew’s eyes flashed with anger. “Is that true, Ava?” he demanded.

Ava took a deep breath. “Yes, it’s true.”

Andrew’s face turned red with fury. “You are unfit to handle the property on your own. You’ll make wrong choices with it. My father’s properties are not something you toy with! Just look at you! Marrying someone just to obtain legal possession of it.” he thundered.

“I’m truly disappointed in you, but since you now have possession of it, I will not interfere with your decisions for the properties. You will manage those lands, buildings, and the restaurant, with care or else!”

A heavy silence fell over the dining room. Ava could feel the weight of her family’s judgment pressing down on her. Richard’s smirk had returned, more insidious than before. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “So, Ava,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “what’s your grand plan now? Going to sell everything off and live a life of luxury?”.

Ava met his gaze steadily. “No, Richard. I’m going to manage the properties responsibly. I’m going to prove that I can also make a name for my self despite being a woman. That’s why grandfather put in that condition, right?”

Margret’s eyes brimmed with pride. “Good riddance then. That boy was starting to stink this place up.”

Ava felt a pang of guilt but steeled herself. “Hunter was never treated like a son, Mother. He was treated like a servant because of his background. He deserves better than this family. It’s good that he finally garnered the courage to leave.”

Andrew’s fists clenched at the table. “And you think you deserve the inheritance? After this deceit?”

Ava stood up, her chair scraping against the marble floor. “I did what I had to do to secure my future, Father. You might not agree with my methods, but the result is what matters.”

Richard’s laugh was cold. “You always did think you were smarter than the rest of us. Let’s see how well you handle it all on your own.”

Ava walked out of the dining room, her heart pounding. She made her way to the study, closing the door behind her. The room was filled with the scent of old books and polished wood, a comforting contrast to the turmoil she had just left.

She sat at the large oak desk, looking at the documents that lay before her. The mansion, the lands, the buildings, and the restaurant—all hers now. She would show them that she was just as capable as they were.