RICHARD’S POVI couldn’t believe them. Standing there, both Amelia and Cathy, acting like the world revolved around their petty bullshit while I was trying to wrap my head around losing my father. The audacity. My blood was boiling, and I could feel the tension mounting in the room.I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself before speaking, but it didn’t help. The anger still bubbled beneath the surface.“Go home,” I finally said, my voice cold, staring at both of them. “Just… go.”Cathy, of course, had to be dramatic. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing at me like I’d just insulted her entire family. “I’m going to tell my father to strip you of any respect or position you have, Richard. If you don’t come to a conclusion about our relationship, you’ll lose everything. You’ll regret it.”I snorted. I actually *snorted*. “Do your worst, Cathy. Honestly, go ahead. Threaten me all you want, but we both know this whole act of yours is just because you’re pissed that no one’s put a r
RICHARD’S POVI was sitting at my father’s old mahogany desk, flipping through some documents—more paperwork than I thought I’d ever have to deal with in my life. Legal stuff, property deeds, board meeting minutes. I could feel a headache coming on, just looking at it all.“Mr. Richard,” Billingsworth’s familiar, polished voice broke the silence. I glanced up, rubbing my temples. “There’s a lawyer here to see you.”A lawyer? Great, just what I needed—more legal talk. I sighed, pushing the stack of papers aside. “Let him in, Billingsworth.”Within a minute, the butler returned with the lawyer trailing behind him. The guy looked as stiff as a board, dressed in a charcoal suit that probably cost more than the car I drove last year. His face was as serious as a heart attack. “Good evening, Mr. Richard,” the lawyer greeted me, but there was no warmth behind his words. “I’m here on behalf of your brothers.”Of course. I leaned back in the chair, folding my arms. “Let me guess—they’re not h
RICHARD'S POVI slammed the drawer shut, a bit harder than I meant to. I’d spent the last two hours digging through my father’s files, searching for anything related to my brothers’ finances. Finally, I found what I was looking for—bank details. All their accounts, tied to the family business.I dialed my lawyer’s number and waited, pacing the length of my father’s study. When he finally picked up, I didn’t waste time with pleasantries.“I need to know if I have the right to freeze my brothers’ accounts,” I said, voice sharp.There was a brief pause. “That depends, Mr. Richard. Are these accounts tied to your father’s estate?”“They are. Every penny in those accounts came from the company.”“Then, according to the will, you have the authority to take control of those assets. Freezing the accounts would be within your legal rights.”I smiled, feeling a rush of satisfaction. “Good. I want those accounts frozen. Today.”“I’ll get on it right away.”“Thanks,” I muttered, hanging up. I wa
RICHARD'S POVThe phone rang just as I was fastening my cufflinks. It was my lawyer, Carter. “Richard,” he started, the tone in his voice already giving away the bad news, “you can’t freeze Jonathan and William’s accounts. Not until after the court hearing. We need the judge’s approval first.”I sighed, a bit of frustration creeping in, but I kept my voice steady. “Yeah, I figured. Fine, we’ll wait.” This wasn’t the first roadblock, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. But that didn’t change the fact that I was going to win this.I hung up, finished getting dressed, and took one last look in the mirror. Black suit, white shirt—sharp. I’d need to look every bit as confident as I felt. After all, today wasn’t just about legalities. It was about showing my brothers that I wasn’t some pushover they could walk over.As I arrived at the courthouse, the scene was as chaotic as I expected. Reporters everywhere, their cameras flashing like they were trying to burn a hole through my soul.
RICHARD'S POVI pulled up outside Amelia’s house, my nerves humming under my skin. The last time I was there, things had gotten heated with Cathy, and honestly, I wasn’t sure how Amelia felt about that. But I had to deal with that mess, and now… now, I needed to fix what I could.As I knocked on the door, I heard light footsteps, and the door swung open. Amelia stood there, a soft smile on her face. She looked genuinely happy to see me."Richard," she said, her voice light. "I’m really glad you came. I wanted to apologize for… well, the other day. Cathy was completely out of line.""Don’t worry about it," I waved it off like it was nothing, even though the memory of Cathy’s little outburst still grated on my nerves. "Water under the bridge."She stepped aside, letting me in. The house smelled like vanilla and something freshly baked. Classic Amelia. Always with the homey vibes."Look, I actually came by for something else," I said, trying to keep my tone light but serious enough to ge
RICHARD’S POVI had just kicked off my shoes, ready to sink into my couch when my phone rang. I groaned, glancing at the screen. It was Dennis, the chairman. Of course, just when I was about to relax."Richard, my boy," his voice boomed the moment I answered. "I saw you on the news. You didn’t think to come to me for help?"I rubbed my temples, already feeling the headache forming. "I didn’t want to bother you with my family’s drama, Chairman. You’ve got enough on your plate.""Nonsense," he said, almost offended. "You should’ve come to me. I would’ve given you the best lawyer in the city. We could’ve wrapped this whole thing up already.""Yeah, I appreciate that," I said, walking to the fridge to grab something cold. "But I’ve got it handled. My lawyer’s good."Dennis let out a little grunt, the kind that told me he wasn’t convinced. "Alright, if you say so. But you should’ve called. We could’ve avoided this whole mess with your brothers."I chuckled, shaking my head. "Trust me, Chai
RICHARD’S POV The courtroom doors had barely closed behind me when the reporters swarmed like a pack of hungry wolves. Their questions came at me in a rush, a barrage of flashing cameras and jabs that I barely had time to process. “Mr. Richards! How do you feel about the judge’s decision?”“Will you be reconciling with your brothers?”“Is there any chance you’ll reconsider their share of the inheritance?”I pushed through them, barely registering their words. I just wanted to get out of there. But of course, my brothers had to make a grand entrance at the worst possible time. Jonathan and William appeared from the crowd, their faces twisted with anger. Jonathan’s eyes were blazing, and he looked like he wanted to tear me apart. Before I could react, he lunged at me, his fist swinging toward my face. I barely flinched, but William grabbed his arm, pulling him back with surprising strength.“Stop it!” William shouted, his voice harsh and panicked. “You’ll get us thrown in jail if you
RICHARD’S POVI pulled up outside Amelia’s house, feeling the remnants of the day’s chaos settle into my bones. As soon as the door swung open, Amelia’s grandmother was there, eyes wide with what I could only assume was a mixture of dread and irritation.“Amelia!” she called out, almost tripping over her own feet as she hurriedly summoned her granddaughter. I shook my head, a smirk playing on my lips. “You know, you’re the greediest woman I’ve ever met. I’m here to rescue Amelia from your clutches, not to deal with your petty schemes.”Her face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. “Richard, how dare you speak to me like that!”I met her gaze with a cold, unflinching stare. “Oh, I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your plans. But I’m not here for you. I’m here for Amelia.”Amelia appeared behind her grandmother, her eyes full of determination and a touch of relief. “What’s going on?”I turned to her, feeling a bit of the weight of the day lift. “I’m here to get that marriage certi