Unbreakable

Unbreakable

Amie
Nichols

Smashwords Edition 2013

Prologue

Fatal Car Crash Involves Two of Louisiana’s
Wealthiest

Theodore and Jane Sumnor, of Franklin, LA,
died Sunday when their car crashed and caught fire. They were
returning from a charity banquet around midnight when authorities
believe that Mr. Sumnor lost control of the car while avoiding a
deer and hit a tree. Local authorities report that they were
knocked unconscious when the car struck the tree. A gas leak was
the cause of the fire that killed both of the Sumnors
instantly.

Theodore Sumnor was well known for owning
land and plantations all over Louisiana. His fortune grew when he
sold some of his land for mineral and oil rights. His wife, Jane,
was respected in the community for her charity work and socialite
status. Lilly Sumnor, their only child and only surviving heir, is
said to inherit the entire estate. Their deaths come just one week
before Lilly’s 18
^th
birthday. The
Sumnor Family have been residents of St. Mary’s Parrish since the
1850’s.

We spoke with some of Jane’s friends about
the tragedy. Adeline Grace, one of Jane’s closet friends, tells us
Ted and Jane will be missed. “The world will not be the same
without that kind hearted woman.” She also was quoted saying,
“Lilly was adopted. It's appalling that she will inherit all that
money. Jane was a saint taking that child in and she had been
nothing but trouble for her. She’s been ungrateful of Jane’s
generosity ever since she was able to talk.” Adeline also added, “I
frankly don’t think she deserves a cent of the money, especially
since she is not legally blood.” When this reporter asked Adeline
where the money should go she is quoted saying. “Well, obviously it
should go to the charities Jane was so diligent in. We will be
working on attesting the decision of the judge that granted Lilly
all of the estate.”

Elliot Williams the family’s attorney did
comment that Lilly Sumnor is the legally adopted daughter of
Theodore and Jane Sumnor. She will inherit the whole estate. “They
can attest all they want but it won’t get them anywhere,” was his
answer to Mrs. Grace’s comment. “It’s cut and dry, black and white.
That's all there is to it folks,” Mr. Williams was also quoted
saying.

Chapter 1

Luke

The first time I saw her she was in her early
teens. A young woman robbed of a childhood, but she was a strong
one. Her laugh and smile were like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy
day. Although she's had years of being beat down over and over by
an abusive mother, she did not let that get in her way. She’s
played the game. She’s waited patiently for her turn, which would
be soon.

Hell if this girl wasn't tough, smart, true,
and loving. She was an angel. I knew even at her young age that she
was going to grow up to be the most beautiful woman that I would
ever see. I also knew that I was absolutely and undeniably head
over heels in love with her. If she could just survive the hell she
was living, this girl, my Sweet Lilly Flower, would be free and I
would marry her one day.

Lilly

2 years earlier:

I knew that I was in trouble as soon as the
comment came out of her mouth. I couldn’t control my eyes rolling
at the ridiculous statement. “Oh Jane, you are such a saint,”
Adeline coos to my adopted mother Jane in a pathetic idolizing
tone, staring up at her with doe eyes in amazement.

We sit in our formal dining hall around the
big, elaborate, 100-year-old dining room table with twelve of
Jane’s rich stuck up friends while they discuss their bullshit
charity work. I could not control my eyes or myself. As soon as I
look straight again, I see that Jane saw my expression and can see
the steam already coming off of her in a mad rage. I am to be the
sweet dutiful daughter and just sit there. I'm also to act like I
am in total amazement of Jane. Only speak when spoken to. I, of
course, am not to show such annoyance on my face.

“Well, if you will excuse me ladies, I am
going to check on our tea and cakes. Lilly dear, please join your
mother,” Jane says with such grace and elegance as she stands from
the table and places her hand gently on my shoulder.

“Yes, Mother,” I answer appropriately, not
wanting to get in any more trouble today. I stand bowing to the
ladies in my ugly pink dress that is frilly and atrocious then turn
to follow Jane through the extravagant wood doors that lead to the
kitchen. Everything in our Louisiana plantation mansion is large
and over the top.

The minute we are in the kitchen out of
earshot, I feel Jane’s long skinny fingers wrap around my arms just
above my elbows. I brace myself just in time as I am thrust against
the pantry doors. Her grip tightens and pain shoots through my
arms.

“You little fucking bitch! How dare you do
that at my table?” Jane's eyes are piercing mine. She grits her
teeth as the words come out of her mouth with such anger, but is
trying to control her volume. “What, you didn’t think I would see
such blatant disrespect?” Her tone still low, but just as angry. I
stand as still as I can, silent and non-confrontational. I learned
a long time ago that saying anything at all just made her angrier,
and I think the sound of my voice alone infuriates her. “Thank God
no one else saw,” she hisses, tightening her grip one more time
making my hands start to go numb.

She finally lets go, sweeping a strand of
hair out of her eyes as she turns to Miss Finnegan, who is our
live-in house maid and cook. Miss Finnegan is standing there tense
as she witnesses the encounter. She has seen this sort of thing
many of times since I am in trouble a lot. I have no idea why, but
Jane hates me with every fiber of her being, and the feeling is
mutual. It takes very little for me to set her off. It has always
been this way. I know of nothing else.

“Now help her with the tea. When you return
there better be no more out of you, understand?” She points her
finger in my face. I know now is the time to speak.

“Yes. I am so very sorry, please forgive me.”
I bow to her. I learned a long time ago that this sort of
humiliating shame is the only way to appease her.

With a huff at my apology, Jane turns away
from me smoothing down her long white skirt composing herself to
look flawless and presentable again. “I want to see you in there in
no more than five minutes,” she spits her order to Miss
Finnegan.

Jane turns on her heels storming out of the
kitchen. Her long red hair looks like flames as she flies through
the door.

“Lilly Sumnor, what on earth did you do to
set her off this time?” Miss Finnegan starts to lecture me. I rub
my arms where Jane’s grip was and wince as stinging still resonates
through my fingers.

“I rolled my eyes at Adeline,” I say
innocently looking up at Miss Finnegan. I love her so much. She is
the only true mother I've ever known, the only one I can remember
ever taking care of me from the very beginning.

“What in the world...you had to have known
the outcome of that,” she says with disbelief, knowing full well
that that sort of thing was just stupid on my part. She pleads with
me every day to behave because she can only sit back and watch. If
she ever stepped in to intervene, Jane would fire her on the
spot.

“I know, I know. I can’t stand the way
Adeline fawns all over her like she's a saint. It’s pathetic,” I
defend myself. “I’m sorry. I will go out there and be on my best
behavior.”

Miss Finnegan and I serve the women their tea
and cakes. I am excused by Jane as soon as we are done, probably
scared of another misbehavior that she can’t hide. Relieved not
having to listen to the gossip of who did what, who doesn’t have
money anymore, why, and blah blah blah, I exit the room in a
hurry.

I help Miss Finnegan clean up then excuse
myself to my room not wanting to see anyone as they leave. In the
great room of the mansion, the intricate hand carved marble
staircase curves up in a spiral leading to the second floor. Four
bedrooms make up the second floor. My room is on the left side in
the far back, and is the smallest of them all.

A large guest room is the closest to mine.
Next to it is my father’s room, which he’s hardly ever in since he
spends most of his time away on business. The last bedroom, and the
biggest, is Jane’s room. I've only been in there once when Jane was
gone. I snuck in to see. It has an excessively large bed that is
the centerpiece of the room, a whole sitting area with a full size
couch, chairs on one side of the bed, and a very large walk-in
closet. The bathroom itself is larger than my room and is adorned
in dark marbles with gold trim. There is a sunken Jacuzzi tub and a
shower that could hold ten people easily. While in there I snooped
in her medicine cabinet finding an array of prescription bottles.
Many of them were for depression and trouble sleeping.

Sometimes Jane would be in her room for days
at a time only allowing her personal assistant Mckayla in the room.
She'd bring her food to her and tend to her every need. Miss
Finnegan would tell me that she was having one of her "episodes”
and is probably drugged up. Once I saw all the pills I understood
what she meant.

Jane and Ted’s relationship was more of a
business arrangement than a marriage. I had heard that they were
happy at one time, but not long before I was adopted something
happened that made them the way they are today. My father is
spending most of his time away. When he is home I barely see
him.

I know my father loves me, but when he looks
at me all I see is sadness. Ted and Jane are rarely seen together,
except for the occasional charity function or business dinners
where it is appropriate. I would hear Jane talk about my father
sometimes and there is no love. She has so much hatred for him. I
could tell that the feeling was mutual. As I’ve gotten older, the
distance between my father and me has grown as well.

He had come home one week from a business
trip, and when I went to hug him he pulled me back staring at my
face. I remember him saying something strange, “You're just as
beautiful as your mother,” he had mumbled to himself. I’m sure that
I saw a tear in his eye. When I tried to ask him about the
statement, he brushed me off disappearing into his study where I
couldn't see him, and the next thing I knew he was away on business
again. I had told Miss Finnegan what he'd said and she said it was
ridiculous, I must’ve heard wrong. That Jane and Ted didn't know my
biological mother. I will never forget the pain in his eyes when he
said that.

I enter my room and wander over to the
window. When I open it, I notice our grounds keeper Jeffrey working
in the side yard. We have forty acres and it keeps him very busy. I
love talking to Jeffrey. When Jane is away on one of her shopping
trips or spa weekends, one of my favorite things to do, that I'm
not allowed to do when Jane's home, is to go out and help Jeffrey.
I also spend time with Ted’s lawyer’s daughter, Emma Williams. We
have been friends now for about five years. Jane knows nothing
about it. I only see her when she's gone because I’m not allowed to
have friends, especially Emma. Emma is a couple years older than me
and she is a spitfire. She has taught me a lot by filling me in on
things that happen in the outside world that I'm not allowed to
experience. If Jane ever found out about our friendship there'd be
hell to pay, not only for me, but also for Miss. Finnegan for
allowing it to happen. Jane also hates Elliot Williams, Emma’s
father and Ted’s best friend. From the encounters I have witnessed
between Jane and Elliot, it is a shared hatred.

While dazing out the window, day dreaming of
being outdoors and helping Jeffrey in the yard, I see someone out
of the corner of my eye. My mouth drops to the floor seeing that
it’s Luke Hansen, Jeffrey’s son. Oh my god, I can't believe he’s
back. It’s been two years since I’ve seen him. He’s tall and very
muscular with dark brown hair that's wet from sweat, making it
somewhat curly and unruly. I’ve never seen anything like him. He’s
gorgeous with strong cheekbones and a chiseled jaw. I see his
muscles through his light, white shirt that's dampened with
sweat.

I lean further out the window not believing
my eyes. I feel like he’s a mirage. He used to help his dad in the
summers. I had one hell of a crush on him. He was seventeen then
and I knew that he was just humoring me, but he was so kind to me
and could always make me smile. He must be nineteen or twenty now.
I can’t believe how different he looks. He’s a man, a gorgeous
breathtaking man. Luke is in my dreams all the time, especially
these last few years as my body's grown and changes have happened.
I blush as I remember the last dream I had of him. He was kissing
me gently and passionately telling me that he was going to take me
away from Jane. When I'd awaken, I was damp with sweat, warm, and
feeling flush.