“As you are well aware, Ellen and I no longer have an heir. We’ve talked about it at great length, and we’ve decided that when the time comes, you will also inherit our estate as well. One day, Teddy, you will be the sole heiress of the White family fortune.”
I cannot believe what he’s telling me. The whole thing sounds like some crazy dream. And yet, all this time I did look exactly like Sadie. Like a twin.
It has to be true. Eli Hamilton did the DNA test. He has the proof. One day, maybe today, I’ll ask to see it—just to be sure.
But everything, everything, it’s too much. I’m the only living young person in the White family. The sole heir. I’m a billionaire. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around that. It just doesn’t seem real to me.
“This is all so weird,” I murmur as I lean back against the chair and try to make myself understand it. I imagine the numbers in my head, and I decide there are a lot of zeros in a billion dollars.
Dane holds his hand up. “I do want to clarify one thing for you, though.”
I knew it. There’s a catch. There’s always a catch. “What’s that?” I ask, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Most of Paul’s estate is in a trust, so that’s going to take some time to work through before we get it all in position for you to take over, which won’t fully happen until you graduate from college. You’ll need some help from us to make sure that things are all handled as they should be. But, in the meantime, you’ll have some benefit.”
“What kind of benefit?” I ask.
“I’ve set up a discretionary fund for you. A trust, if you will. It’ll take a couple weeks to get in order, but you’ll be well taken care of in the meantime. I’m open to some discussion, but I think a cool half a million should do for now.”
My jaw falls open, and I have to stop him a moment to take it in. “Five-hundred thousand dollars?” I ask, astounded. “I wouldn’t know how to spend tha
t kind of money.”
I do a quick calculation in my head. That’s over a hundred grand a year until I graduate.
“Yes, of course,” he says. “It’ll be a good trial period. If you end up spending more than that each year, then we might have a problem.”
“Hold on a second,” I say, pressing my palm flat on the table. “You’re going to give me that much each year?”
He glances up at me. “You think it should be more?”
I’m at a loss for words.
“No, no …” I say, shaking my head vigorously. “It’s more than enough.” I giggle a little, nervously. “I think you’re overestimating the kind of lifestyle I’m accustomed to.”
He just grunts and goes back to filling out a page.
“Of course, things will go smoother if you decide to take on the White name. Paul wrote you in his will as Theodora White, not Price.” He glances up at me again. “It is, of course, your choice.”
My head spins. “I don’t know,” I say, honestly. “Can I have some time?”
Dane leans back in his chair and nods.
I have to close my eyes and drop my face into my hands. How many times did I dream that my real parents were rich, wonderful people who were going to come and save me from my horrible life at any time? And it never happened. I grew up, discovered what life really held for me, and those dreams faded. And then somehow, it happened after all.
It’s more than I can take. I grow lightheaded all of a sudden.
“Are you all right?” Eli asks, speaking for the first time since we came into the room.
I lift my head and nod. “Yeah … I guess. It’s just a lot to take in,” I say, looking from him to my uncle.
Even though I’m in complete shock, there’s one thing that won’t leave the back of my mind. There’s one underlying emotion that has stayed constant with me.
Anger. Outrage. Fury.
Victoria Waldorf killed my father. She took him from me right before my very eyes. For all the years that I was alone with no one to love me, I would trade every penny I just inherited, every single one of them, to have him back and have a father who wants me.
Now I have it all, but that’s the one thing I can’t have.