Relentless Hope (Resilient Hearts) (13 page)

I hear loud gasps all around the room, followed by a whisper of “the bastard.”

Lou’s head snaps towards the sound, but he can’t tell who it came from and Steve continues.

To my oldest son, Tom Pierson, I bequeath the house in Manhattan, five percent shares of Pierson Investments, and a trust fund valued at a total amount of fifty million dollars.

To my daughter, Karen Pierson,
I bequeath the house in the Hamptons and
a trust fund valued at a total amount of fifty million dollars.

To my son, Chris Pierson, I bequeath the vacation house in the Bahamas and a trust fund valued at a total amount of fifty million dollars.

The will goes on to give each of the grandkids except for Aiden thirty million dollars in trust funds, and then smaller trust funds to David’s sisters, brother, and nieces and nephews, ending with:

The remainder of my estate should be kept in a trust account managed by trustees designated in the separate formation of trust document with specific instructions provided in that document as to how, to whom and when proceeds from the trust will be released.

Tom bangs his fist on the table exclaiming, “This is ridiculous. I know Dad was worth over four billion dollars. Even if he’s giving away fifty-one percent of his wealth to charity, that still leaves about two billion dollars. The total of everything he gave all of us here today cannot be more than three hundred million dollars. Are you saying he’s putting one point seven billion dollars into a trust account?”

“That’s precisely what your father wished to do, Mr. Pierson,” Steve responds.

“That’s preposterous. It doesn’t make any sense. I’m contesting the will. I’ll take this to court,” Tom retorts.

“You can do that Tom, but I warn you, David’s will is one of the most bulletproofs ones I’ve ever done. In addition to the written will, he also had us videotape him stating the same things, and he had
two
different physicians evaluate him on the same day certifying that he was of sound mind. He knew you would want to drag this to court and he did everything he could to make sure there are no questions about the authenticity of the will.”

Tom’s face falls, revealing his disappointment. Someone jumps in at this moment asking, “What about her? What is she getting?” while pointing to me.

“You heard the will. Only the people mentioned in the will are receiving something,” Steve responds.

“Are you saying my dad gave her the sentimental family ring, but is not leaving her a penny in his will?” Karen interjects.

“Ha…Dad did it again,” Chris jumps in with a smirk, “guess he was as sharp as ever. He took advantage of another gold digger and left her high and dry.”

I can’t take the insults anymore. I have to make one thing clear. “I knew your dad was not going to leave me anything. I agreed to it in a prenup before we got married.”

Everyone’s eyes go wild. “You mean you agreed to marry a dying seventy eight year old man knowing that you wouldn’t get any money out of it?” Chris asks, his voice laced with surprise.

“I didn’t marry your dad for money, Chris.”

The shocked look on his face and everybody else’s in the room gives me a warm happy feeling. For a fleeting moment, I think that maybe finally I have been able to prove to these people that I’m not like them. That money is not everything to me.

“What about Aiden? He didn’t receive anything in the will either,” Karen asks.

“You heard the will. That’s all there is to it. I need to ask all of you to leave now. You will receive letters in the mail detailing how you will receive your inheritance,” Steve responds.

At this point, I notice the female attorney next me slipping me a folded piece of paper under the table. I steal a brief glance at the paper.

Please stay after everyone leaves. You should pretend like you’re gathering your stuff or talking to Lou, but don’t leave.

I raise my head, my eyes catching Aiden. I notice that he’s looking at a small piece of paper too.

The group starts to slowly leave the room grunting and grumbling their disappointment, while they leave. I start digging in my purse, pretending like I’m looking for something, and notice from the corner of my eye that Aiden is lingering too.

Soon everyone’s gone except for Aiden, me and the lawyers.

“You’re probably wondering why we asked you to stay here,” Steve starts. “For you Aiden, that’s because your inheritance is different from everybody else’s. In fact, David wrote a personal letter for you that he asked me to read after everyone is gone.”

I start to rise from my chair after hearing that, but Steve quickly asks, “Where are you going, Aleah?”

“Aren’t you going to read him the letter? I can stay outside and come back in when you need me again.”

“No, David specifically asked that you be present when we read the letter to Aiden.”

Aiden’s head snaps towards me, his eyes full of questions I don’t know the answers to. I shrug my shoulders, trying to tell him that I don’t know any more than he does.

“Are you sure? This sounds private.” I ask again.

“I’m sure, Aleah. He wrote us specific instructions on how he wanted this handled,” Steve repeats.

I sit back down and let Steve start.

“Aiden–As the days of my life are coming to an end, I realize more and more everyday that among my many regrets, my biggest one is for the way I let you down when you needed me the most. I told myself that I’m busy, that I don’t have time to handle this when my work is so demanding, that I’m doing everything I can, but even then I knew those were excuses. I was selfish and preoccupied with my own life and didn’t know how to handle a lost teenager. You were left alone on your own without anyone to point you to the right direction or give you any emotional support. Despite all of that, you have turned out to be a great young man. You are smart, well-educated and have a business mind that reminds me of your Uncle Tom and myself when we were younger. In addition to those qualities, you have something else. There is a spark in you, a kind of passion simmering underneath the surface that I never had. You have the potential to do incredible things with your life, take what I built and take it new heights. Yet I feel that you are letting all of that go to waste, because you do not have the vision to pursue those horizons. You have never had the coaching needed to cultivate your talents and broaden your perspective. That is my fault, and I hope to fix that now. That is why instead of giving you money outright, I want to give you a challenge. An opportunity to learn lessons that could change the course of your life and make you a better man. But because I also believe that the first step in any transformation is willingness of the participant, I want to give you a choice, so the decision is yours. You can either choose to receive ten million dollars in a trust fund, or you can decide to participate in a series of challenging experiments I have designed for you for a chance to receive the remainder of my estate. The experiments are designed to be life changing and will be tough for you. My attorney Steve Johnson can give you more information. You have one week to decide which route you want to take. My sincere hope is that you will pick the right one.”

I study Aiden’s face as the letter is being read and see the range of emotions playing on his face, disappointment, anger, confusion, and if I’m not mistaking, a hint of excitement.

“What does this mean?” he asks when Steve is finished reading.

“Exactly what it said. He has set out specific instructions for a series of experiences he wants you to go through and a scoring scheme for scoring your performance during each experience. Each will have a different length which may vary depending on your progress, but you should expect the whole experiment to last anywhere from six months to a year and a half. The amount of your inheritance will be determined based on your total score on the experiences and a few other markers that will be gauged at the end of the whole experiment. If you decide to take this route and quit in the middle, you won’t receive anything. Let me know one week from today, if you want to give this a try or not.”

“What are these experiences?” Aiden asks in confusion.

“I can’t tell you what they are. You will know what the first one is if you decide to try it. Then each next experience will be revealed after the previous one is finished, but not before.”

“This is really
stupid
. Why couldn’t he just give me something like all the other people here today?” he asks in exasperation.

“Because he loved you too much,” Lou chimes in.

Aiden snorts. “Yea, sure... No, he always wanted to make my life difficult. I just never thought he would keep doing that from beyond the grave too.” He turns to leave the room.

I grab my purse to leave when I see Aiden about to head out, but Steve’s voice stops me.

“Aleah–you should stay. There’s a letter for you too.”

Aiden turns his questioning eyes to me and I shrug my shoulders to let him know I am as clueless about this as he is. He is about to sit back down in a chair, when Steve turns to him.

“Your portion is done, Aiden. You can leave now.”

“I’d like to hear this,” Aiden responds.

“You can’t. David wanted this letter to be read to Aleah only.”

Aiden’s demeanor changes instantly, going from calm to furious in a second. He turns an accusatory glance at me, his eyes burning a hole through my face. “She can sit through my letter, which was
very private
, by the way, and I can’t hear hers?” he asks, raising his voice.

“I’m sorry. That’s how your grandfather wanted it done,” Steve says apologetically.

“We have to kindly ask you to leave the room now,” Lou chimes in.

Aiden mumbles under his breath, “This is bullshit,” before storming out of the conference room. I sit silently staring at his profile as he leaves; my mind perplexed at his reaction, until Steve turns my attention back to the matter at hand and starts reading.

“
Aleah−First, I need to thank you for everything you have done for me. I know this is not how you envisioned your life, or where you wanted to be at this stage of it. I know that marrying me was painful for you, and I know you did it for me. You have a heart of gold and a purity of soul that is truly rare on this planet. Your kindness and sacrificial spirit is unparalleled, and I will be forever grateful to God for bringing you to my life when he did and will always be appreciative of you through eternity. But because you are such a saint, I have another request from you. This one is about Aiden. If things have gone according to plan, you should have just heard the contents of the letter I wrote him. The experiences he will have to go through will be very tough for him and he will need a true friend to stand by him through it all. A real friend is a rare commodity in and out of itself these days, but among the people he surrounds himself with, it is undoubtedly nonexistent. He needs someone who is not into this for personal gain, and I can’t think of anyone better than you to fill that role. That is why I am asking you to please consider moving back to my house. The house will become Aiden’s base throughout this experiment and your presence there will be a huge boost for him. I know that this may be asking too much from you, but I hope you will consider it, as a last request from me. I don’t want to promise anything in return to you for this, but I guarantee you will not regret it. With all my love. David
.”

I sit dumbfounded at the words just read, and marvel at the range of emotions overflowing my body. The letter makes me miss David. It reminds of me of days he could actually talk, telling me stories and sharing words of wisdom. But in addition to sadness, the letter terrifies and excites me in equal measure, and I don’t dare examine the roots of either one of those feelings.

As I pivot my way down the hallway and into the reception area of the law firm on my way out, I see Aiden sitting in one of the chairs. I turn my head around to wave him goodbye when we lock eyes and the extent of the fury in his glance startles me. Before I have a chance to open my mouth, he blurts out, “You must have given him one hell of a blow job for my grandpa to have fallen under your spell like that…must have sucked him off real well.”

My jaw drops, my heart rate jumping in anger, as his crass words hit me like a blade.

“How dare you talk to me like that?” I manage to ask, through clinched teeth. I open my mouth to say more, but soon realize that I can’t get anything more out past the huge lump in my throat. Not wanting him to see how much his words have affected me, I choose to turn around and run, like I always do.

I lie awake in my bed all night for another sleepless
night,
turning the events of the day repeatedly in my head. What Aiden said was deeply hurtful, but beyond the sting of the words themselves, the fact that
he
spoke them hurts the most. I may have expected that from someone like Tom or even Karen, but not from Aiden. The more I think about it, the more I’m at a loss at what could have caused such a sudden outburst.

I’m also still perplexed at why David would want me to move back into his house and become friends with Aiden. David was a very sharp and observant man. I know he had sensed the tension that’s always simmering beneath the surface between me and Aiden.

From various conversations, I also know full well that Aiden is a very popular guy. He has a huge social circle that includes Hollywood celebrities and people with a lot of money and influence. Why would David think that he will need another friend? And why would he want me to be that friend?

What makes me nervous about this request is that I know how much of a methodical planner David was. He wouldn’t have asked me this if he didn’t have very specific reasons for my presence at the house. And all possible reasons that I can think of frighten me. Aside from being scared, I also question if I really want to get myself tangled up again in another Pierson family drama.

I have had enough pain, heartache and drama to last me a life time in the past few months. Can I deal with more? Would I want to?

Because I know without a shred of doubt that if I accept this request, there will be more confrontations.

More insults.

More turmoil.

And more pain and heartache.

Aiden’s words from earlier in the day echo through my mind and make me wonder if I even want to be friends with a guy that talks to me like that. Can this heart of mine that has been through a shredder more than once take more? Because I recognize my body’s reaction to Aiden. I know how my heart races when I’m around him. How my whole body tingles from a single touch of his hand. But I have also seen his mood swings, and his temper, and I’m well aware of his playboy reputation.

Being close to him, living with him in the same house could only mean getting my heart tangled in something that could only end in more heartbreak.

As the rays of the sun slowly invade the solitude of my torturous night, they bring a renewed clarity to my mind, solidifying my decision.

A few hours later, I decide the best way to shake my grogginess
and
change my dismal mood is to go for a run. Since moving to my own condo, I have gradually started to get back into exercising and a run in the morning always helps wake me up and pump me up for the day.

As the elevator door opens in the first floor lobby, I walk out to see a gorgeous male backside, I can’t help but recognize. I notice he’s arguing with the lobby attendant and curiosity gets the best of me.

“My grandfather owns this whole damn building, and you’re not letting me get on the thirty-first floor?”

“I’m sorry, sir. I have to follow our policies. No exceptions. The only way I can give the security code for the elevator is to call the residence to confirm she wants to see you.”

“But this is a surprise. How am I supposed to surprise her if you call her first?”

I decide to step out to stop the impending argument. I clear my throat, making them both swing their heads my way. Aiden’s pupils get big, but his surprise is quickly replaced by a shy smile.

“What’s going on? Why are you here?” I ask curtly.

“I…I have to talk to you…privately, if you don’t mind. Can we please go up to your condo?”

The thought of having him in my apartment has my stomach cramping with nerves.

“How about we go out here by the pool? There’s a sitting area and there is no one there right now.” I say, pointing to the glass windows on the side.

Aiden quietly follows me as I lead the way. Before we sit at a table, he hands me an exquisite bouquet of purple hyacinths in apology, softening up my angry heart before he even opens his mouth. But I am not about to let him off that easy.

“Why are you here? And how did you find out where I live?”

“I have my ways,” he says with a sexy grin, “and I’m here to apologize, Aleah. I was way out of line yesterday. You didn’t deserve what I said. I’m sorry… It’s just that, I don’t know how to explain this.” He pauses taking a deep breath, as if he’s struggling to come up with the right words to explain his behavior. “I grew up looking up to my grandpa like an idol, always craving his attention, but I never got it. There would be snippets here and there where he would give me some time and show some affection, but it was few and far in between. As a kid, I thought it was me. That I wasn’t good enough or smart enough like him and Uncle Tom. So I went through periods when I would try real hard at school and work myself crazy at sports. When that didn’t help, I would go through periods of huge rebelliousness, failing classes and getting myself in all sorts of trouble. None of that got me any consistent attention and I started to think that he just didn’t love me. As I grew older though I realized that it wasn’t just me. My grandpa just didn’t have time for people or for consistency in his life. He had many friends and many people who followed him around, but he personally didn’t show particular care and affection to anyone on a consistent basis. So I accepted that it wasn’t me. That it was him that was the issue, but then you came along and every emotion that he didn’t show any of us all his life, he showed to you… And I’ve been conflicted about your relationship with him from the beginning…on so many levels. I think…I think I just got really jealous yesterday, probably on multiple fronts.” He says this last part with a shy smile, before continuing, “The point is I just got too emotional and directed my anger at you. That was wrong of me. I’m sorry.”

I sit there trying to digest his words. If there is anybody that can understand what it feels like to crave an older relative’s love and affection, it’s me. I remember how I longed for my dad’s attention. How I strived all my life to get his approval or receive his love, and how his disregard shattered my spirit. The memory makes me understand Aiden in a way other people may not. My heart aches for the little boy that never received the kind of attention he deserved from his grandpa. But I know from my conversations with David how much he did love Aiden, and I realize at this moment that I have to tell him what I know.

“You’re wrong, Aiden. Your grandpa loved you more than you’ll ever know and he was very proud of you. Every time he talked of you, his face would light up. He told me so many good things about you, and he kept saying over and over again how he regretted not giving you more attention when he should have… Even yesterday’s letter to me, the one that you got so upset about, was related to you.”

“Related to me?’ he asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. Your grandpa…he…he thought that you’re going to need a good friend if you decide to go through the experiment. He wanted me to move back to his house to be close to you because apparently that house will be your base throughout the experiment.” I pause to see his reaction, but he just stares at me with an open mouth, so I continue. “You see? The letter to me was all about you anyway, and that’s probably why he didn’t want you there when it was being read... Frankly, I don’t get it. I know you have a million friends, and I don’t understand why he would be asking me to do this, but he did.”

Aiden takes a few minutes to respond, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation before he finally lifts his head up. “It’s because he trusted you. More than anybody else around.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Maybe, but that doesn’t mean you will actually need my help.”

“Does that mean you’ve already made your decision?”

“Have you made yours? Are you going to do this?”

“I have. That was actually the reason I was sitting in the lobby yesterday when you walked out. I was waiting to see Steve to tell him I’ve made up my mind.”

“Wow. That was fast.”

“Yea, I thought about it for a few minutes and knew there was no way I was going to say no, so I decided to jump in rather than waiting.”

“So you already know your first challenge?”

“Yes and no. This first round is not really a challenge. He just wanted me to move into his house for three weeks and spend the time getting myself mentally ready for what’s to come. There are a few books he wanted me to read, and recommended that I review some of my course materials from my master’s program. I’m moving into his house later today... What about you? You have decided already, haven’t you?”

I take a deep breath. “Don’t take this personally. It’s not about you, but I just… The thing is that in the last few months, my life has been a complete hell, and I’m now finally ready to put everything behind me and start fresh…
without drama
…and I know that everyone in your family hates me… I just don’t know if I should get tangled up in all of that again. Plus, I really don’t think you’ll need my help.”

“I don’t blame you, especially after what I said to you yesterday. I wouldn’t want to be around me either.”

“No, that’s not it. I like being around you.” I jump in, a little too fast.

“Yea?” he asks with a knowing smirk.

“I mean…not like that… I mean,” I stumble, trying to fix what I blurted out. “I mean, I don’t mind being around you, but I just don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“You’re probably right,” he says with a hint of disappointment.

We sit silently for a few more minutes before he leaves, having so much more to say to each other but not finding the right words.