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  “I am sorry to interrupt, Nicolas, Shona, but Alexander was adamant that his testament be read at his wake.”

  Shona turned to him with a gasp. “But why … it is too soon!”

  “Samantha is a beneficiary in his estate, and he wanted to guarantee she is found immediately so she could be informed of her inheritance. He did not want there to be any delay with that and he was very adamant about it. That is why he made you call me to the hospital the day he had the heart attack. He made me promise. I am sorry Shona, but I have no other choice.”

  Samantha took a step in his direction. “Uncle Jamie …” Her voice rang strained and vulnerable. His eyes swung towards her and he froze. He shook his head in disbelief and then held out his arms. She flew into them without any hesitation and he wrapped them around her protectively.

  She pressed her eyes tightly shut and banned the emotions coursing through her body to the dark recesses of her heart, knowing that she could not allow them to rise to the surface.

  Gripping her by the shoulders Jamie pushed her back, shook his head and almost immediately pulled her back for a quick hug.

  “Sammy … my darling Sammy … I can’t believe it is you! And at long last the real you … such a beauty! If only your father could have seen you like this.” He looked at her, touched her glossy hair and let it slip through his fingers.

  Nicolas fisted his hands and forced his feet not to move forward to yank her and her hair from his hands. He was the one that wanted to feel her pressed against him, have her hair fall through his fingers … and here he had to stand … Disgustingly he snorted softly. Where did those thoughts come from!

  “Well, this is so much more than we could have hoped for. I am so happy you are here, my dear.” He glanced at Shona and noticed she was extremely upset; he wiped a weary hand over his eyes and squeezed Samantha’s arm.

  “Seeing as Samantha is here … and if you are all in agreement, why don’t we leave the reading of the testament until tomorrow morning? Let’s say around eleven?”

  Shona closed her eyes and tears squeezed through her eyelids. Seeing Samantha fly into her brother-in-laws arms with so much abandon and love tore her heart apart. How was she ever going to breach this gorge of resentment and … hatred that existed between them?

  “I would appreciate it, yes.” Everyone agreed and Jamie left. She turned towards Samantha. “Sam … your room is still …”

  “Oh please! Do not tell me … still as I left it?” The defeated look on Shona’s face nearly caused a fracture in the ice around her heart … nearly, but not quite.

  Shona looked at Nicolas, then back at Samantha. “Sam, please…”

  Nicolas stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. Anticipating that he was on the verge of interceding, with of course sympathy towards her mother, she held up her hand.

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I have no intention of staying here … in this house … not tonight … not ever again.”

  Amidst her siblings collective gasps she turned back at the door and her gaze touched each one of them, resting for a moment too long on the hard blue eyes shooting sparks at her. “I’ll be back at eleven.”

  “I knew she would not be here! She is manipulating all of us so she is the important one! It is always her. I don’t see why we should wait for her! Uncle Jamie, read the testament.”

  Jamie sighed and ran his hand over his eyes. “It is only ten minutes past. Surely we can wait a few minutes longer?”

  Elaine stomped back and forth. “So typical of her. Everything must always be arranged to suit her! I’ve had it, for once can we ….”

  Samantha paused outside the door listening to her sister’s tirade. This is turning into a real circus, something she really did not need in her life right now. She sighed, pushed open the door and walked in, drawing all eyes to her.

  Nicolas’s heartbeat increased as his eyes stroked down her body. She wore tight fitting jeans, with a white tee shirt that hugged her full breasts. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and she hardly wore any make-up. Their eyes caught and the now familiar tightness around his heart and groin started a low fire in his stomach.

  She dragged her gaze from his and went to pour some coffee at the side table, then sat down in one of the arm chairs, still not saying a word. Jamie cleared his throat and asked everyone to take a seat so they could get started. Elaine’s mumbled, “Not even apologizing for being late,” ignored by all.

  First all the general beneficiaries were dealt with, staff, Jamie and welfare, then he cleared his throat. “I need to inform you all that Alexander amended his testament shortly before he died. Everything was signed and finalized prior to his heart attack so this testament is the most recent and legal one. He was quite adamant about this and his final wish was that no one opposes his last wishes.”

  He gazed at everyone; his eyes meeting the four pairs of eyes across from him and at the end came to rest on Samantha’s. Her compressed lips told him she was not ready for this. Just as she moved to pull herself up Jamie shook his head. “No Samantha, this is important. Please stay.”

  She fell back against the chair and emotionally prepared herself for what was coming. Jamie cleared his throat and started reading again.

  “Firstly, the beach property in Swakopmund at Long Beach is bequeathed equally to Shona, Samantha and Elaine. It is where we spend so many happy holidays together as a family; therefore it is my wish that it remains family property.” Elaine speared a disgusted look in Samantha’s direction, but she ignored her.

  “To my dear wife Shona, I bequeath the Beach house in Ballito Bay, as well as her share of my investments in the offshore oil company to the value of fifty Million Rand. She also receives five percent shares of the company, Global Consultancy and Co. It is important that she remains part of the Exco team and be known in all major decisions made. To my lovely daughter Elaine, I bequeath her share of my investments in the offshore oil company to the value of twenty Million Rand. Nicolas Forrester will be the Executor of her money and manage and decide on the amounts drawn, until she reaches the age of thirty.”

  Elaine jumped up and shouted at the top of her lungs, “That is preposterous! I am nearly twenty six!”

  Shone pulled her back in her chair, her voice dry, “And we all know how you spend money! Your father was only looking out for you.”

  Jamie waited patiently for her to calm down. Elaine sat stiff and upright, her lips compressed in a straight line. “What about the rest of the company shares and this estate?” Jamie ignored her and continued reading.

  “To my eldest daughter Samantha whom we all so heartlessly alienated from the family, something I have always regretted, I bequeath the main family estate on the outskirts of Sandton. She also receives all of my Swiss investments, to the value of eighty Million Rand, and forty percent of the Company, Global Consultancy and Co shares.” He ignored Elaine’s interruption.

  “I urge you, my daughter, to allow your mother and sister life time rights to stay at the main estate. It has always been their home and it is time to be a family again.”

  Ignoring Elaine’s livid screech he continued, “To my business partner, forty percent shareholder and friend, Nicolas Forrester, I leave the balance of my Swiss investments to the value of twenty Million Rand and the remaining fifteen percent of the shares of Global Consultancy and Co shares.”

  Elaine jumped up. “No! He did not! He did not leave me out of it. Uncle Jamie! I saw the draft! He left that fifteen percent to me!” Jamie sighed and speared an angry glare at her.

  “That is what one gets for snooping! After his trip to Australia a week after the draft was done, he made the final amendment.” The look in his eyes warned her not to pursue a further debate. He hesitated and glanced at Samantha then at Nicolas before he continued.

  “To Samantha and Nicolas combined ownership of the Country Estate and Stud farm on the outskirts of Pretoria, with all the horses and life stock, under the condition that they must live there toget
her for at least one year, before either can sell their share of the property, or get married to an outside party. ”

  For a moment there was dead silence. Jamie cleared his throat and said: “This next part is very important, so please pay attention. All three shareholders must accept the shares as bequeathed and Samantha must be an active Operational Director side by side with Nicolas. Should anyone not accept the shares or should Samantha not be prepared, to be an active Operational Director, all the shares bequeathed in my testament, totaling sixty percent will be opened up to the stock market and sold to the highest bidder. Nicolas Forrester will not be allowed to bid for any of these shares, nor any of his subsidiary companies.”

  Three collective gasps made Samantha look up at her siblings and Nicolas. His gaze was livid and accusing when it met hers. She frowned. Now what?

  “Samantha, you have not been in the country so you would not be aware of this. Jason Wieldman became your fathers’ biggest enemy and opposition and has been trying years to buy him out, which is why he sold twenty five percent of the shares to Nicolas ten years ago, and again another fifteen percent six years ago. If the shares go on the stock market, he will buy them all.”

  She went as white as a sheet. Jason Wieldman! The one man who was the cause of her shame and relentless execution by her own family! And here, now, he is back in her life again. And no one knew just how much he took from her six years ago, how much he had cost her and how much she hated him! And now they expected her to become an opposing business force to him! She stood up, her agitation clear in her face. “No, I can’t. I have a life in New York.”

  Elaine also jumped up and shouted in Samantha’s face. “Yes, go … leave! We don’t want you here!” Her eyes were wild when she turned on Jamie. “And you! Why did you not stop him from changing his will? You knew he was not the same man since she left! And when he found out about… I will contest this testament! I deserve those shares not her! I worked my ass off the past six years studying and working at the company so I could get shares. I will not allow her to get her dirty, cheap hands on them, they are rightfully mine!”

  Samantha frowned. Before she could speak up Shona jumped up and pulled Elaine back to her chair. “Stop this selfish attitude of yours, Elaine! Your father knew what is best for the company and he would not leave it to someone incapable…”

  “Exactly! How capable is she? I am the one that completed my studies; she didn’t even finish her degree! The only thing she is qualified in is seducing men and sleeping her way to the top! I knew Daddy would not stand for that then, so why did he all of a sudden change his mind! After she left he changed his testament! All of it was mine! And it still will be!”

  Samantha sat quietly watching Elaine’s face contracted with anger and the hardness in her eyes turned her into someone totally foreign and ugly. She noticed her mother’s concerned frown as she tried to calm Elaine down. She watched Nicolas’s expression turn to disgust when Elaine mentioned her seducing older men, her heart contracted and she wanted to jump up and run away.

  What was the point? He was the one person she wanted to see her for what she really was, what she became. Not be reminded of her one single disastrous mistake she made in her life. He clearly still thought of her as a cheap tart and the sharp pain in her chest was testimony to her feelings for him that the years of abstinence clearly haven’t diminished.

  She took a deep breath and slowly got up from the chair, drawing all eyes to her. She frowned and some of the things Elaine said in her tirade triggered questions in her mind. She said she knew their father wouldn’t stand for her actions then, as if she knew what was going to happen? And when he found out about what? She stared into her sister’s pale blue eyes, still glittering with anger.

  A slow smile formed around her lips, her eyebrows raised and her voice was clear in the silent room. “Uncle Jamie said I was out of the country and don’t know what changed here … he was right … but similarly none of you know anything about me.” Elaine frowned and tried to interrupt, but Samantha stilled her with a swipe of her hand.

  “I may not have finished my degree here, but I did at Harvard, with Uncle Jamie’s help. I also went further and obtained my Honors and MBA degrees and my Doctor’s thesis eleven months’ ago in Business Management and Strategy. In fact, I was the first person for the past twelve years, to complete all of this within less than five years. My results were of such that I was placed on the Dean’s list.” She watched Elaine struggle to take all of this in, then continued.

  “I have been working as an equal partner in a Consulting Business in New York dealing only with Blue Chip companies, specializing in Business Development and Strategies, Process development, mergers and Market Shares.” She walked up to Elaine until they stood toe to toe.

  “So you see little sister…”

  “Stop calling me little sister! I am only a year younger than you!”

  “Perhaps if you acted as such you might be treated as such … as I was saying … I am more than capable of running the business … and maybe it is time that the truth came out …”

  Because Samantha was watching for it and stood so close to her, she was the only one that noticed Elaine’s start and the panic that flickered in her eyes. It only cemented the realization that somehow Elaine played a role in what happened six years ago and that at long last she might just be able to clear her name and put things right …

  Jamie handed personally hand written letters addressed to Shona, Nicolas and Samantha. “Alex asked that I gave you these after the testament was read. He also implored all of you to read it by yourselves and honor what he asked of you.”

  Everyone left the study but for Samantha and Nicolas. He approached her where she stood gazing out the window. Samantha startled when he called her name; she had not realized he had stayed behind. She slowly turned and brushed along the length of his body, he was standing so close. His eyes burned into hers. The tip of her pink tongue sneaked out and circled her lips. His gaze followed the movement and stayed on her lips.

  His voice was low and hoarse. “After all these years I am still livid with you.” His hand lifted and he slowly traced her bottom lip with his thumb. Samantha froze. What was he talking about?

  “I don’t know … why?” Her breath froze in her lungs when he slipped his thumb between her lips and gently stroked her tongue. Try as she might she could not stop that appendage from gently caressing the pad of his thumb. His breath caught and their eyes met: his firing blue flames at her.

  She tried to pull her mouth away from his hand but he growled: “Oh no you don’t!”

  His hand slipped to the back of her neck and he drew her closer to him in one movement. His lips covered hers while his other arm snaked around her waist to yank her flush against him. Heat … pure unadulterated heat drowned her in an instant.

  His lips were warm, soft and hard simultaneously, engulfing her in a blaze of desire. He nibbled at her lips, then stroked at them with his tongue, his fingers caressing her neck all the time.

  Samantha was drowning in a sea of need. His tongue urgently stroked at the seam of her lips, but she kept them pressed together. She just knew if she let him in she would be totally lost. She pushed at his chest and he reluctantly pulled away and growled in her ear.

  “I am livid that you gave what should have been mine to that bastard, years ago! But now that you are back, know one thing … you are meant to be mine, and mine you will be!”

  He pulled her back against him and gave her a hard possessive kiss, pushed her away and walked to the door where he turned and seared her with his gaze.

  “ … And soon …”

  Chapter Three

  Nicolas’s words kept running through her mind. One part of her was ecstatic that he wanted her, the other livid. Did he think because of what happened six years ago she was available … a cheap slut … as her mother called her all those years ago?

  She started walking across the narrow stone bridge and realized
that she was subconsciously on her way to the one place where she could really be alone and find peace on this estate.

  There was a running stream about 800 meters from the main house, with the bridge that crossed to the other side; where one path lead to the stables and the other to a very secluded little island with only a weeping willow tree in the middle. The willow was so old and so big it covered the whole island, the curtain of branches drooping low to gently swing in the water. The refuge was in the inside of the willow tree where the drooping branches formed a tight curtain all the way around, once inside you were not visible to the outside world. Soft moss grass covered the area below the curtain of branches where Samantha had spent many years lying flat on her stomach or back day dreaming.

  She pushed the branches to the side and stepped through. She breathed in the clean smell of grass and leaves, the tranquility of the running stream immediately soothing her frayed senses. The willow had a low thick branch that had grown out vertically for a meter or so, then only rose to the sky, creating a small bench so to speak. Samantha settled on this branch with her back against the main branch with her legs stretched out before her.

  She pulled Alexander’s letter from her jean pocket and glanced at her name, scrawled in strong, black strokes on the envelope. She stared at it for so long that the black letters turned into his cold, hard brown eyes, staring at her with disgust. The ugly words he flung at her flashed through her memories and slashed at her heart, ripping it apart anew. Her hand slowly closed around the letter, crumbling it in her clenched fist.

  Nothing he could say now would make up for the devastating hurt he hurled at her that day. Not even allowing her to defend herself, condemned her to a world of pain and loneliness … to deal with what really happened to her alone and with no support of her once loving and supportive family.

  She hurled the crumbled letter on the ground and followed its progress until it landed next to a pair of expensive Italian sneakers. Her gaze followed the long, muscled jean clad legs, over the narrow waist, that expanded into very strong, broad shoulders, her gaze hesitated for a moment on his strong lips then upwards to be caught by his blazing eyes.