Chapter 7 - The Hospital Ploy
The reality of my father's words crashed over the waiting room.
"She can't do that, those are our personal accounts!" my mother shrieked.
"She has the best lawyers in California, Susan, she can do whatever she wants," my father replied in despair.
I realized then that Eleanor was not just protecting her grandson.
She was executing a calculated, merciless destruction of my family's financial life.
"You have to talk to her, Amanda," my mother begged, suddenly turning to me with pleading eyes.
"You're the only one she respects, tell her to leave us alone!"
I looked at the woman who had spent my entire life pushing me into the shadows.
"You stole my grandfather's money to buy ice swans, and now you want me to save you?" I asked in disbelief.
"We did it because Stephanie needed a perfect day to secure this marriage!" she cried out.
"It was an investment for all of us!"
I felt Marcus put a steadying hand on my shoulder.
"Let's go, Amanda, there is nothing left for you here," he whispered.
I nodded and turned away from my parents.
"I will see you in court for my half of the trust," I told them before walking away.
The next morning, I received a formal summons to the Sterling corporate offices downtown.
Eleanor was sitting at the head of a massive glass conference table when Marcus and I arrived.
"Sit down, Amanda," she commanded, not looking up from a stack of legal documents.
Derek was sitting next to her, looking incredibly relieved but exhausted.
"I called you here because I believe in settling debts," Eleanor announced.
She slid a certified bank check across the sleek glass table toward me.
I looked down and saw a number that made my breath catch in my throat.
It was exactly the amount of my grandfather's trust, plus five percent interest.
"I recovered the stolen funds from your parents' liquidated assets this morning," Eleanor explained calmly.
"They will be facing federal fraud charges by the end of the week."
I stared at the check, realizing that my future was finally back in my own hands.
"Thank you, Mrs. Sterling," I said genuinely.
"Do not thank me, I merely corrected an imbalance of justice," she replied.
Derek leaned forward and gave me a sad, apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry my wedding became the reason your family broke apart," he said.
"They were broken long before you met them, Derek," I assured him.
Eleanor closed her leather folder and stood up.
"Now that this ugly business is concluded, I suggest you take your husband and go enjoy your lives," she said.
We walked out of the building into the bright San Francisco sunlight.
It felt like the heavy clouds that had followed me for years had finally cleared.
I looked at the check in my hand, then up at Marcus.
"Let's go look at houses," I smiled.
May you like
We were finally free, or so I thought.
When we arrived back at our apartment, the door was already unlocked.
