Eleanor dressed in jeans and a tank top, thought how life had changed so quickly for her. She was an only child and after her mother had died the problems had started. She sat down sighing and thought that maybe if she didn't show up they would continue without her. It's not like she was that important or anything. Dammit. She was already twenty minutes late. By the time she took a cab and arrived there, she was sure everyone would throw daggers at her. Fuck it. She told herself slumping on the worn-out couch. They would just have to do without her. Closing her eyes she pictured what her life would have been like if her father hadn't fallen ill.

They were happy once. Her parents and her. But then a drunk driver had to go and maul her mother leaving her without a mom and causing her father to be so depressed he forgot he had a daughter to take care of. Eventually, he just forgot things little by little until he didn't remember who she was. Eleanor remembered the first time it had happened. She had left for school only to come back to an empty house. Even though she was sure she had locked all the doors the front door was open making her panic. She'd looked everywhere and when she hadn't found her father she'd called the police who had advised her to take him to a nursing home. She was too young to take care of him by herself even if she was almost eighteen.

Her phone rang startling her from her daydream. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Stanley Fletcher. Clearly, he wasn't giving up. "Hey, Stan. What a surprise. How may I help you?" she answered faking her pleasant tone.

"Cut the crap, Ella. We've been waiting for almost half an hour for you. Where are you?"

"Really? Can't you guys just continue without me?" she rolled her eyes.

"You know we can't. Now get your lazy a... Self here. You have twenty minutes before I show up at your doorstep"

"Haha very funny. I doubt you even know where I live" Eleanor told him not really laughing. She really didn't feel like facing a certain someone.

"Don't I?"

"No, you don't... Right?" she asked hesitating. Lawyers were funny people and she didn't like them at all but Stan got a pass. Now and then.

"Eleanor!"

"Fine am coming. Jeez, such bad treatment Stan. I thought we were friends"

"I swear to God Eleanor if you're not here in twenty minutes......"

She cut him off "But that's not fair. You know how hard it is to get a cab around here" she could see him bunching his fists.

"Twenty minutes young lady. I mean it!" Stanley barked then hung up. She stared at her old cellphone scoffing. This was why she didn't like rich people. They were all entitled bastards who thought they could do whatever they wanted.

"I seriously hate you, Marcus," she said tying the strings on her worn-out sneakers. This was not the way she wanted to spend her day. Bracing herself she walked out knowing this was going to end badly. No matter what she did it was still going to backfire on her.

----------------

Theo sat in the conference room of Fletcher and associates wondering who they were waiting for. Bradley was on his phone while his mother kept pacing the room. It was so like Ingrid to show up then when she hadn't shown her face at the funeral until a week later. Theo had ignored her hoping she would get the message and leave but the woman was stubborn when she wanted to be. Gripping his phone he thought he would rather have one of those women who disappeared from their children's lives than this. His mother was selfish and self-centered not caring about anything even her sons. Many are the times he had called her as a kid and she had said she was busy.

"Fletcher, who are we waiting for? As far as am concerned our family members are all here" Ingrid asked for possibly the hundredth time. Her patience was wearing thin waiting for a stranger who had the audacity to arrive late at her late husband's reading of the will.

"Someone who should be here soon," Stanley told her hoping Eleanor was on her way. The Sullivans were powerful people even if the patriarch was now dead. Theo Sullivan with or without his father's fortune was still someone who could crush him like a bug despite being the owner of one of the most prestigious law firms in the country.

"Tell me again why we're waiting for this someone you keep mentioning?"

"Because the will dictates all the benefactors should be present at the reading." Stanley was starting to lose his patience too. Dammit, Eleanor. He didn't like Ingrid one bit so the last thing he wanted was for her to create a scene. He wondered what Marcus had seen in her when he married the witch. Of course, she was pretty even in her old age but the vibes she gave warned others of what she was capable of.

"Really how important is this person that we have to wait for them? I have important things to do you know" Ingrid sneered tapping her foot impatiently. She couldn't sit still due to her anxiousness. What did that old bastard leave her?

"Really mum. Important things like what? Throwing your extravagant tea parties?" Theo asked finally sick of hearing the woman complain. It's all she had done ever since she'd shown up and he was sick of it. Sick of all of it. If he could he would take his daughter and go far away where it would just be the two of them. This mask of indifference he wore was starting to fall off.

"Yes. In fact, now am going to be late to one of my...."

"I don't give a shit mum. Sit down and be quiet you're driving me nuts with your pacing"

"Theodore that's no way to talk to your mother!" Ingrid rebuked him.

"Yeah well if you sat down quietly I wouldn't be talking to you like that now. Would I?" Theo retorted making Bradley snicker.

"Ungrateful brats. I should have aborted you. Both of you" She said making Theo growl. This was why he avoided her like the plague. Everything that came out of her mouth was pure venom.

"I feel sorry for you mum." he sighed. An argument will just blow everything out of proportion. This was not the place nor the time.

The door opened and in walked someone else who made his blood boil. All this time they were waiting for this prostitute? "unbelievable" he muttered under his breath.

Eleanor looked around. The room was evened out with her in the middle. On one side was Brad and Stanley who liked her and on the other side was Theo and his mother who despised her. Great. This is going to be so much fun. She told herself. "Hey hun" she bent down to place a kiss on Bradley's cheek.

"Took you long enough," Stanley said pointing to a seat next to Brad. "sit"

"Wait. All this time we were waiting for this... this piece of trash?" Ingrid pointed at her with a hand that was shaking due to anger.

"Oh, I didn't see you there. Hello Ingrate?" Eleanor asked with a sickly sweet voice that was full of sarcasm.

"You... You." she was so angry words failed her. How dare that old man include this woman in his will Fuck you, Marcus. She cursed him in her head over and over again. She should have killed that bastard herself.

"Let's move on Stan. Am sure most of us don't want to be here" Eleanor said ignoring Ingrid.

"Yeah right. Am sure you're not eager to know how much money my father left you for your services." Theo commented.

"Stan you have five seconds to start reading that damn will before I walk out that door. I don't need all this bullshit especially today" she told the lawyer who nodded. Eleanor hated people who looked down on her just because she didn't have money like them. One look at her and Theo had decided she was a prostitute. And she wasn't even dressed like one so what made him jump into that conclusion, eluded her.

"You'll be doing us a favor lady. No one is forcing you to be here."

"Seriously back off Theo." Brad finally spoke throwing his brother a glare.

"Why are you defending her? Don't tell me you're that stupid to cheat on Ashley with this... " he stopped searching for a suitable name.

"This as you call her is my friend. So do me a favor and shut up. Both of you" he replied looking at his mom too.

"Listen here, kid....."

"Enough!" Stanley yelled. He was seconds away from calling security to drag everyone out. This was the most infuriating family he had ever worked for. If it wasn't for the substantial fee they paid him for his services, he would have quit years ago. "Am done listening to your childish remarks. Everyone shut up and listen. Interrupt me and I'll have security drag your ass out. Are we clear?" they all murmured 'Yeses' and he started reading the will.

Half an hour later the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was stunned even Eleanor who didn't see that coming. Ingrid spoke first "You fucking slut!" she yelled standing up so abruptly and scraping her chair back. Rounding the long table she stood in front of Eleanor seething. "How many times did you suck his dick before he agreed to put you in his will?" she asked making Eleanor gasp while Stanley watched in silence.

"Mom!" both Theo and Bradley admonished.

"What? Do you think your father would have left her a penny if she didn't service him?"

Eleanor stood up and slapped Ingrid so hard her face snapped to her right. "You're a vile disgusting witch who is bitter so don't you dare taint Marcus's name" she spat out.

"Why you... How dare you lay your filthy hands on me, you prostitute?" Ingrid asked attempting to slap her back but Eleanor had quick reflexes catching her wrist.

"Listen Ingrid. I don't give a shit about what you think of me or even call me. But don't you dare touch me. Ever!"

Theo intervened stepping between the two women "Brad get mom out of here. Now!" he said looking then at Stanley who got his message and got up. Eleanor started to leave but he grabbed her elbow pulling her back. "Oh no. You and I are going to talk" he snarled.

"I have nothing to say to you. Let go of me"

"Why don't you start by telling me how you convinced my father to leave you almost all his assets?" Theo was bitter but not because he wanted the money. He had enough money of his own to last him a lifetime. The inheritance his father left to this woman was supposed to go to his daughter. Again not that she needed it but still.

"Gosh, you people are so ignorant. One would think all the education you got would have opened your eyes but no. It's all the same all over the world. The richer you are the dumber you get" Eleanor told him trying to yank her hand out of his grasp but to no success. His hand was warm and a little rough in contrast to his upbringing. Rich people had soft hands due to all the hours and money they spent on a manicure and expensive lotions.

"Don't insult me"

"Oh, I forgot. Of course, you can hurl insults at me because am a lowly person but I can't insult you back. Right your highness?" she asked rhetorically.

"I don't have time for this. I'll find a way to take back everything that belongs to me and my family" he let go of her hand shoving her so that she almost fell.

Eleanor used her hands to balance herself and glared at the giant standing in front of her. He was so much like his mother and for that she disliked him immediately. "In case you forgot the will said I get to keep everything for a year then I can do whatever I want with it. So you can learn to respect me or I will donate everything to charity." threats always worked.

"Am not scared of you. I will make your life so miserable you'll wish you never crossed paths with me." Theo threw a threat back at her.

She laughed. Like she was scared of this bully "Bring it on mister. May the best woman win" Eleanor told him turning on her heel and leaving quickly. She wasn't stupid. More goading and God knows what he would have done to her. 

Theo slammed both his palms on the table. That woman was infuriating. He was used to women who tested his patience but her, she got under his skin. He wanted to throttle her but at the same time admired her spirit. She didn't hesitate to put Ingrid in her place and not many people stood up to his mother. They were all afraid of her especially her name. Eleanor just spoke to her like they were equals. Dammit, Theo. Don't admire her. She's the enemy. He chastised himself. His father had left her half the house. The other half belonged to him and Bradley while his mother had gotten the villa in Italy. The rest of his money, shares of the hotel belonged to her.

Whatever she had done to convince the old man had clearly worked. That's why she had kept them waiting because she knew she would get everything. Theo got up feeling enraged. If that woman thought she was going to keep everything then she was in for a surprise. He would do anything to take back what she had stolen from them. He was Theodore Sullivan and he always found a way. Even if it meant paying off all the judges in the country to contest that will and rule in his favor then he would. Nothing was going to stop him.

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Yap. So that's that.

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